Aaron Ramsey scored twice in Arsenal's win at Cardiff City

Published: 2 December, 2013
by RICHARD OSLEY

Premier League
CARDIFF CITY 0, ARSENAL 3

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger was full of avuncular smiles for Aaron Ramsey on Saturday as the teenager he took from Cardiff and helped turn into one of the Gunners’ most important players returned to south Wales with a man-of-the-match performance.

Ramsey scored two goals to shoot down his old club as what has become his breakout season continued with more fireworks.

He celebrated neither goal, a beautifully executed header in the first half and a late counter-attack goal, as a mark of respect to his former club – reverence which drew applause from Cardiff's home support.

He is at a stage in his progression where everything he tries seems to work. With a 3-0 win secured at a ground which has sometimes been a stumbling block for title candidates this season, and a cushion at the top of the Premiership maintained, Wenger was quick to remind reporters that 12 months ago, Ramsey was having a rough time with his own fans in north London. Occasionally he was barracked. His confidence at times looked shot. The harshest critics in the stands suggested “Rambo” – as the Gunners fans have now taken to calling him with an affection that masks their past meanness – would not have a long-term future in the Arsenal set-up, which has, after all, no shortage of midfield talent.

“Ramsey has been outstanding,” said Wenger. “One year ago everyone questioned him. That shows that he deserves credit, he has turned a corner.” 

Arsenal finished the weekend four points ahead of chasers Manchester City and, while there is a feeling that the Gunners will do well to replicate the results achieved in the first third of the season over the next two, results like this are becoming a habit. In recent seasons, cold away days have resulted in desperate draws or even defeats against teams Arsenal have been billed to beat.

Now, the “Wenger Out” cries that came with the opening day defeat to Aston Villa have long, some might say conveniently, been forgotten.

Ramsey’s blossoming form has been a great help to the Arsenal manager in that regard.

“He can continue to improve,” said Wenger on Saturday evening. “You want always to jump into the future but we have to enjoy the present. It has only been a third of the season. I have to treat him like the other players and give him a breather when he needs it. I want him to continue to develop but he is so young.”

Arsenal had shown intent from the get-go in Cardiff with Jack Wilshere crashing the crossbar within two minutes. The positive approach was rewarded with Ramsey’s opener on 29 minutes, the midfielder twisting his neck to guide Mesut Ozil’s cross beyond Dragons’ keeper David Marshall.

Wojciech Szczesny, back in form between the Arsenal sticks, saved acrobatically from Fraizer Campbell’s header but the Gunners looked more compact, especially when Mathieu Flamini, surely the Gunners’ best free transfer since Sol Campbell, emerged from the bench to marshall the centre of the park.

A brief storm was weathered, Szczesny again looking determined to keep a clean sheet, before Flamini swept in a killer second with minutes to go. Ramsey claimed his second in added time, starting the counter attack he had started with a confident finish. 

The Gunners now have two home matches in a week: Hull City on Wednesday and Everton on Sunday, two teams who had big wins at the weekend.

Arsenal: Szcesny, Gibbs, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Wilshere (Monreal 81), Ramsey, Arteta, Ozil (Walcott 91), Cazorla (Flamini 77), Giroud.
Subs not used: Fabianski, Gnabry, Vermaelen, Rosicky.
Attendance: 27,948