Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey claims the Gunners won't choke after strong start this season
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey claims the Gunners won't choke after strong start this season
The Welsh midfielder is on blistering form, and he believes that Arsenal can go the distance this year after strong start
Not Gunner choke: Ramsey backs Arsenal to go the distance
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Aaron Ramsey insists Arsenal’s great entertainers will prove they can last the distance in the title race.
Ramsey came off the bench to score a stunning solo goal while Jack
Wilshere finished off one of the best team goals ever seen at the
Emirates.
Arsenal were mesmerising at times, vulnerable at others, yet produced another thumping win against struggling opposition. Arsene Wenger’s men sit proudly on top of the Premier League but even the most blinkered fan would accept they have had a relatively easy start.
Their only major test was against Tottenham, who they duly
despatched, but Arsenal now face Liverpool and Manchester United in two
of their next three league games.
That will provide the acid test for Wenger’s title wannabes but Ramsey says Arsenal will prove they are genuine contenders.
Ramsey said: “That’s what we’ll be looking to do. We’re top of the league at the moment and that’s where we want to stay.
“They are the games that every player wants to play in, you want to
test yourself against the best. These sort of games are fantastic to
play in and I’m sure we’ll be looking forward to those games.
“One of the biggest things was the start of the season. We’ve had to
play catch up in recent years and hopefully we can continue to build on
this and stay strong until well after Christmas.” "You Ger-man": Mertesacker congratulates Ozil on his goal
Paul Gilham
It was a bizarre game, lit up by quality goals. The first was
Wilshere’s stunning team effort, which also involved Mathieu Flamini,
Kieran Gibbs, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud.
Wilshere and Giroud swapped flicks and the England midfielder then
finished it with a beautiful right-foot volley. It was exquisite. Wenger
called it “perfection”.
Flamini going off injured was good and bad for Arsenal. That meant
the introduction of Ramsey but Arsenal also missed the Frenchman
protecting their back four.
Norwich had long spells of pressure and possession but Arsenal’s
sheer quality of finishing, plus some stunning saves from visiting
keeper John Ruddy, made it a game of contradictions.
Arsenal could have won by more, yet the scoreline was harsh on Norwich.
It was very bizarre. Mesut Ozil scored a second, Jonny Howson’s
consolation made it tight again but then Ramsey and Ozil got late goals.
Ramsey’s finish in particular was brilliant. The Welshman’s composure
in the penalty box was magnificent as he pulled off two stunning
dummies to fool the defence and then beat Ruddy with an ice-cool finish.
A superb solo effort. Aaron Ramsey scores a goal against Norwich City to make it 3-1
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It also highlighted Ramsey’s remarkable transformation from a
midfielder who did not score enough and snatched at chances to a
prolific finisher with nine goals already this term.
Ramsey said: “I’m just confident at the moment. That is what football
is all about, you need a lot of confidence to be playing well and if
you haven’t got it, then your game struggles. But I’m feeling very
confident which helps you be composed in front of goal.
“Jack’s goal came from top football. One touch. It was always into
feet and the player they were passing to and Jack scored with his right
foot as well and took it first time. It was a great finish.
“That’s our philosophy, to pass it, one and two touch and some of the goals were breathtaking.
“We practise these things in training and it’s nice for them to come off in the game.”
Arsenal now face Borussia Dortmund tomorrow in the Champions League
and having been given a bit of a breather, Ramsey is desperate to start.
Ramsey added: “At the moment, because of the way I’m playing, I want to be out there every minute of every game.
“But we have to be realistic and we have a lot of players in the
middle of the park so the boss said he was resting me for the future
games.
“Dortmund are a fantastic team, well organised and threatening. They
got to the final last year. They will be a massive test. We’ve been on a
fantastic run since the upset at the start of the season and we will be
confident.
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