Aaron Ramsey: Renaissance

Reborn: Ramsey celebrates scoring against Sunderland

It's Summer 2008. After a convincing performance in the FA Cup Final defeat to Portsmouth you pay £5 million for Cardiff City's young prodigy - one who goes by the name of Aaron Ramsey. Fast forward 5 years and this supposed "next big thing" is at the subject of injuries, injuries and yes, you've guessed it, even more injuries. But is that a recipe for disaster? Not unless you've really revived yourself and been at the top of your game.

Since the start of the 2013-14 season, Ramsey has been in scintillating form for Arsenal, earning rave reviews from the media, but more importantly, the Emirates faithful and Arsene Wenger. His magical start to the season all began with the UEFA Champions League first-leg play-off game against Fenerbahce, where his fantastic all-round performance bagged him the Man of the Match award. And since then, Ramsey seems to have not looked back and has arguably gone uphill grabbing 4 goals in 6 Premier League appearances thus far [1], as well as largely assisting goals from his assigned deep-lying midfield role. The Wales captain has had very little luck with injuries in the past, with his worst coming in February 2010 where he was involved in a cynical tackle committed by Stoke City's skipper Ryan Shawcross, breaking his leg as a result. According to Ramsey himself, he claims that it has taken him a prolonged period of time to get over the psychological impacts of the event.

The start of something new? Ozil and Ramsey in action against Swansea

Since his arrival at the Emirates in 2008, Ramsey has been loaned out twice, most notably back to Cardiff City in 2011, where he bagged one goal in six Championship appearances. He had a stint at Nottingham Forest in the latter months of 2010, with both loan spells helping him gain match fitness, after physically recovering from the horrific injury instigated by Shawcross just under a year earlier to either of these loan spells.

Ramsey's contributions alongside those of fellow British midfielder Jack Wilshere and Germany's talisman Mesut Ozil, have led to many believing that as a whole, Arsenal's performances depict the hallmarks of a successful 2013-14 campaign. By the end of the season it will be 10 years since Arsenal claimed their last league title, in which the famous "Invincibles" claimed their name as Champions of England at arch rivals' Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane. Ramsey's individual performances have reminded many fans of the days in which Patrick Vieira was the main midfield man for the Gunners. Only time will tell if the 22-year-old Welshman will become as a great a legend as the former Senegal-born France international, but for now, fellow Premier League clubs are aware as to how great a threat the boy from Caerphilly is. 

Alongside the £42 million Ozil, Ramsey aided Arsenal to their best performance so-far this season in Tuesday night's dismantling of Italy's Napoli, who were beaten 2-0. Having set up a goal for Olivier Giroud, Arsenal fans were left singing long into the night, after such a wonderfully exhibited performance left them reminiscing about their golden days, which brought much silverware to Highbury. At the Emirates however, the Gunners' home since 2006, there has been major trophy placed in the trophy cabinet. More great performances means more pressure, and Ramsey cannot rest on his laurels just yet - can he, alongside the rest of Monsieur Wenger's side end a 9 year trophy drought in 2014?

CREDITS:


[1] Statistics http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/players/profile.career-history.html/aaron-ramsey

[2] Ramsey and Ozil against Swansea - http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aaron-ramsey-targeting-title-arsenal-2317265

Ramsey celebration picture - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23999428