Aaron Ramsey’s superb cameo vs. Spurs proves Arsenal making a mistake

Arsenal are making a mistake letting Aaron Ramsey leave at the end of the season after his superb cameo against Tottenham.

Arsenal aren’t doing much wrong lately, having gone 19 games unbeaten in all competitions after beating Tottenham 4-2 in Sunday’s north London derby.

The performance vindicated Unai Emery’s tactics, particularly his second-half substitutions. But it made a mockery of the decision to let Aaron Ramsey leave for free next summer.

Ramsey’s introduction at the break in place of Henrikh Mkhitaryan completely turned the game with Arsenal trailing 2-1. The Welshman’s runs from the heart of midfield and beyond the front put too much stress on Tottenham’s defense and midfield.

It didn’t take Ramsey long to make a difference. A mere 11 minutes of the second 45 had elapsed when the 27-year-old helped draw the Gunners level by teeing up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to complete his brace.

The goal came about because Ramsey had made a direct run to split Tottenham center-backs Juan Foyth and Jan Vertonghen. He gave right-back Hector Bellerin a target, and the Spaniard’s brilliant through pass was deftly cushioned into Aubameyang’s path by Ramsey’s deft first-time touch.

Aubameyang was left to be marked by Spurs full-back Serge Aurier because both Foyth and Vertonghen had been drawn toward Ramsey’s run.

Before Ramsey came on Arsenal were content to rely on exploiting width, a common trait since Emery succeeded Arsene Wenger this summer. Bellerin and fellow full-back Sead Kolasinac dovetailed with inside forwards Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi to try and stretch Spurs laterally, but it meant the hosts ceded control of the middle.

Ramsey and fellow sub Alexandre Lacazette joined Aubameyang to form a more central-leaning front three. The trio pressed up high on the Spurs’ back four.

It was Ramsey’s runs causing the biggest problems, though. His bold and direct movement gave Tottenham some nightmare choices.

The center-backs couldn’t ignore Ramsey because of his willingness to run so far beyond the front. Foyth and Vertonghen getting distracted left more room for danger men Aubameyang and Lacazette.

Spurs needed a midfielder to track Ramsey but lacked a player with the athleticism to match his runs. The stark reality led Mauricio Pochettino to drop holding player Eric Dier deeper and switch his defense to a back three.

It didn’t work, though, because playing a back three put more onus on Vertonghen, Foyth and Dier to play out from defense and get Tottenham moving. Ramsey’s high press put paid to the tactic when he robbed nervy Fotyh on 74 minutes.

He quickly fed Lacazette who angled in a low shot via the aid of a deflection off Dier.

Ramsey had again proved the difference while becoming outright Arsenal’s chief creator of goals this season:

Bellerin is the next most creative with four assists, a testament to Ramsey’s impact. Yet the greater endorsement of his influence comes from Ramsey needing fewer minutes to turn matches Arsenal’s way:

Ramsey’s latest assist wasn’t the end of him putting Spurs through the ringer. His willingness to press to the tip of attack put Dier under pressure late on, forcing the England international into an errant pass toward Vertonghen.

The latter was on a booking and slid though Lacazette after winning the ball. It meant a second yellow card and an early dismissal for the Belgian defender.

Ramsey’s presence had again thrown the Tottenham defense into chaos.

His incredible impact off the bench raises the question: Why are Arsenal prepared to let him go?

The Gunners are letting a player walk who would make Emery’s press-crazed system tick. He’s the ideal weapon for a team geared to play quicker and higher up the pitch.

One player who will never suit the new methods is Mesut Ozil. He was conspicuous by his absence on Sunday, left out the squad because of supposed “back spasms.”

It didn’t take long for alternate theories to surface:

Ozil and his languid, mercurial gifts is the player Arsenal should be telling to leave. Ramsey is the man Emery will need to truly make the Gunners his own.