Does Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey deserve a first-team place?

Does Aaron Ramsey merit a place in Arsenal’s first-team?

How is it that Aaron Ramsey manages to start nearly every game for Arsenal this season? This might seem like a knee-jerk reaction to last night’s San Siro debacle, when Ramsey didn’t appear to even be on the pitch for long spells.

But his performances over the past few weeks raises the question, what is he good at?

For a creative midfielder his passing is woefully inaccurate at times and he’s hardly a ball-winner. Admittedly after his horror leg break against Stoke City a battle with Mark van Bommel is not appetising, but he just seems to float in and out of games without ever really changing their outcome.

As a Cardiff youngster he appeared to have the world at his feet as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea were all keen to secure his signature – but that bright young talent is in danger of fading altogether if he’s not careful.

The rapid emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain further highlights the failed promise of Wenger’s previous crop of youngsters and it was genuinely astonishing the 18-year-old didn’t get more of a chance to demonstrate his talent last night.

New-look AC Milan mean business

Arsenal aren’t what they used to be. We already knew that and didn’t need a mauling at the hands of AC Milan to tell us what we already know.

What everyone should be taking out of last night’s San Siro clash is that AC Milan are back – and they mean business.

While Arsenal seem to be slowing up, AC Milan are certainly speeding up.

Gone are the days of relying on golden oldies like Filippo Inzaghi and Rui Costa to score the goals, Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri now has a whole host of attacking options that don’t need a zimmer frame to get around the pitch.

Robinho looks like the player we all thought he would be at Manchester City, Kevin-Prince Boateng appears ready to play football and ignore the party lifestyle, while Pato can’t even get in the starting line-up.

But most important of all, Allegri is getting the best out of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The giant Swede often polarises opinion, having won a league title for the last eight years but seemingly never living up to his true potential and being more concerned about picking a fight with team-mates than putting the ball in the back of the net.

But against Arsenal he finally looked like a team player, pulling the strings and he deserved his goal.

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