The Things Aaron Ramsey Has to Do to Fulfil His Potential at Arsenal

Aaron Ramsey's revival at Arsenal should come as no surprise to those who remember how well he was progressing before suffering a broken leg in February 2010.

Sadly, too many fans, or fans in name only, have forgotten. Those who poison the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium made Ramsey their chief scapegoat.

Finding a focal point for frustrations among the playing staff has become a hobby for many present day Gooners. Once it was Emmanuel Eboue, then Mikael Silvestre and now Ramsey.

The visceral scorn aimed at these so-called "weak links" is counterbalanced by one-eyed reverence towards sacred species like Jack Wilshere and Laurent Koscielny.

That Ramsey has had to endure this, despite having his leg broken in the Arsenal cause, is the shame of the club. But the harsh reality is that only performances can make the fickle relent, and thankfully Ramsey's performances have been superb since the second half of last season.

When he was placed alongside Mikel Arteta at the base of midfield, Arsenal became a more stable outfit. But in typical Ramsey fashion, much of his good work went unnoticed as some fans went to work on raising a statue in Koscielny's honor.

But while the French stopper was a crucial part of the unbeaten run to end the 2012/13 season, Ramsey's contributions were just as significant.

Yet as Koscielny has stumbled through the start of this campaign, thanks to some abysmal refereeing decisions and an injury, Ramsey's performances have been too good to ignore any longer.

He was the standout performer during preseason and has carried that form into the real action. Ramsey delivered a dominant display away to Fenerbahce in the UEFA Champions League.

It encompassed everything a star midfielder should provide. There was energy, strength, guile, technique and a scoring touch.

It was reminiscent of Ramsey's stunning showing away to Olympiacos, back in December 2009. It was a dead rubber affair the Gunners actually lost 1-0, but Ramsey seized control of the game completely.

Had then-Arsenal striker Carlos Vela not wasted so many of the Welsh schemer's through passes, Arsenal would have been convincing winners.

That began a period when Ramsey's obvious talents really came to the fore. On December 30th, he was the star of the show away to Portsmouth.

His ingenuity and tenacity inspired the Gunners to a 4-1 triumph, including a fine strike from Ramsey. He was even better away to West Ham United in the FA Cup.

Ramsey outshone Wilshere in the middle and netted a vital equaliser, before inspiring Arsenal to a 2-1 victory, via a great header from cult hero Eduardo da Silva.

This trio of noteworthy displays convinced manager Arsene Wenger to trust Ramsey more often in the English Premier League. On February 20th, Wenger started him in a comfortable 2-0 home win over Sunderland.

The next week, Wenger had enough confidence to rely on Ramsey in the cauldron of physicality that is the Britannia Stadium, home of Stoke City, so often Wenger's Achilles heel.

In a fiery game where Cesc Fabregas resolved to show the bully boys what real attacking football looks like, Ramsey did not look out of place. Unfortunately, disaster struck when Potters' centre-back Ryan Shawcross recklessly thundered through a loose ball and into Ramsey.

It was the kind of disproportionate tackle borne out of the attitude that "Arsenal don't like it up 'em" and it's okay to rough up Wenger's teams. Ramsey joined Abou Diaby and Eduardo as promising players ruthlessly cut down just as they were becoming stars.

It was a bitterly cruel blow for Ramsey. He was becoming exactly the midfield ace Wenger hoped he was getting when he paid Cardiff City £5 million in 2008, after fending off strong interest from Manchester United.

Now Ramsey is making it look like his lengthy absence was a mere blip in his inevitable development into a midfield colossus. He is excelling above others at his position because he is a more complete player.

Ramsey in not just a box-to-box, or a holding midfielder or an advanced playmaker. Those grating labels applied to Arsenal's three midfield positions don't do him justice.

Ramsey is simply a midfield player. He offers healthy elements of creativity, physicality, drive and technical flair to make an impact all over the field.

As much as anything else, Ramsey's footballing intelligence has helped him flourish. He knows when to break and went to drop in and cover.

He demonstrates an acute awareness of the pattern and flow of the play around him. This is one area where Ramsey is currently ahead of Wilshere.

Ramsey's creativity has always been a feature of his game and his crafty, defence-splitting pass to release Theo Walcott in Turkey was the perfect illustration. It was the kind of pass Wilshere should play but doesn't.

As much as technical skill, it is Ramsey's authority in the more combative aspects of the game that is standing out.

He has regained the strength and the confidence to hold his own in physical battles. Having broken through the psychological barrier naturally created by his injury, Ramsey's confidence has spread to other parts of his game.

There seems to be an extra step of pace to his play, both in his movement and decision making. His appetite for goals is also steadily returning.

For those looking for minor quibbles with his game, two merit a mention. Ramsey still has not shed the habit of occasionally looking for the "Hollywood" pass at the wrong time.

It is a tendency to overcook things that can needlessly destroy promising attacks. However, it is also a fine line to curb the creative instincts of a natural flair player.

But that is where a coach like Wenger earns his keep. Even if those sniping supporters, including those grown men who wave signs at football matches, don't want to admit it, no other manager does more to make his players better than Wenger.

Another area the Frenchman might focus on is Ramsey's efficiency in deeper areas of the pitch. Unlike Wilshere, Ramsey's accuracy in short areas can be inconsistent.

That can be an issue when Arsenal's midfield trio are rigidly stuck in fixed positions, bearing their irritating labels. But when the midfield operates with more fluidity, as it did in the stylish 3-1 win over Fulham, Ramsey's flaws are not exposed.

Of course, it is worth noting that Ramsey is still only 22. These problems will evaporate with experience and do nothing to prevent him from fulfilling his potential.

In fact, when asking what things Ramsey must do to fulfil his potential at Arsenal, the answer is refreshingly simple—more of the same, please.