It’s been a strange season for Aaron Ramsey. His summer started with witnessing the departure of his midfield mentor Cesc Fabregas and fellow playmaker Samir Nasri. Then the news of the superb Jack Wilshere having to spend most of the season on the sideline only added to the pressure that he would face as being the creative force in the midfield for the season to come, with only the addition of Mikel Arteta as a central midfield player.

This all for a 21 year old who only in 2010, suffered one of the worst leg breaks a footballer can experience. Many of his performances this season have led to much criticism from Arsenal fans, especially in the recent defeat to relegation battlers Wigan, and this does seem to be affecting the young Welshman’s form.

Early Promise

Signing for around £5 million in the summer of 2008, Ramsey came as prospect with all the attributes of Arsene Wenger’s philosophy of football. Fantastic technique, a great range of passing and a good work rate.

His first three seasons, consisting of just thirteen Premier League starts, had given Gunner fans great promise of a player in the mould of Bryan Robson and Steven Gerrard.

Scoring the winner at home to Manchester United in his comeback season in a match where he ran the game with his partner Jack Wilshere, reminded the football world his talent and his potential for the 2012/2012 season.

Supporter’s High Expectation

For an ordinary 21 year old player still learning his way in the Premier League, Ramsey’s year would have been seen as a decent one. However, he has found himself playing week in week out in front of 60,000 supporters a week who haven’t seen silverware since 2005.

That is true pressure.

It is true that often his play in the middle of the park has slowed down the tempo of the game. The pressure to be the creative force in the middle of the pitch has seen him hold on to the ball for too long on many occasions.

The losses to Blackburn away and Wigan at home stand out in terms of this criticism. There is also no excuse for some poor finishing and wasted goal opportunities this season. The miss against Manchester City at home summed up his season. Great touch, fantastic faint, but the ‘n’ product was missing.

Only three goals in thirty-three starts is a poor return for a player of Ramsey’s technique but like Cesc Fabregas before him, as he matures in his role in the team the goals will come.

Emotionally Tough Year

Let us not forget that this season Aaron Ramsey was given the responsibility of being named the youngest every captain of the Welsh national team only then a few months later to hear of the death of his national manager and mentor Gary Speed.

This experience must not be ignored and as a young man must have had a terrible emotional effect on him. This is not a direct excuse for some poor form this season but must not be forgotten.

We must remember big moments in Arsenal’s season where Ramsey has scored vital winning goals against Marseille a vital goal at Sunderland in the league.

Future of the Arsenal

Aaron Ramsey has the potential to be a fantastic midfield player. His form before his unfortunate leg break in a season where Arsenal were serious challenges for the title proves this potential. Arsenal has a fantastic collection of British talent now with Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain showing true quality and passion for the club. It is a word that Arsenal fans will be sick of, but patience with these players is vital, especially with Ramsey.

His role in midfield means he cannot hide away in a match situation. He has to and always wants to receive the ball and look to create. The way Arsenal play passing football initially through the middle of the pitch means Ramsey will have a lot of the ball and will, in his early development, make mistakes.

Tremendous Character

This season will be important for him and his development being a first choice player, experiencing low points and bad defeats that will build character.

What is important now is that Arsenal fans give him the support and backing he deserves due to his talent and him being the future of the club’s midfield.

His character cannot be questioned as he returns this weekend to the Britannia stadium, the scene of a sickening injury he suffered only two years ago as a nineteen year old.

Heaping criticism on him, as was the case at home to Wigan, will do no good for him and it is time for him to receive support and not hostility. No doubt the Arsenal away fans will be singing his name at the top of their voices on Saturday and for many years to come as he becomes the quality player that his talent promises.

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