It was his first goal of the 2013 season but who would have ever thought that one goal would start a chain reaction so explosive that Aaron Ramsey is in talks for Player of the Year in the Premier League?
Ramsey started his footballing career with Cardiff City in their youth development program in 1999. He moved through the youth system quickly and made his Cardiff City debut against Hull City in 2007. He finally made his move to Arsenal in 2008 and made his first debut one month after joining the club against Blackburn, adding an assist to Emmanuel Adebayor. He scored his first goal with Arsenal in an away win against Fenerbahce (seems there is an ongoing pattern here) in that same year. He was named one of FIFA.com’s “Players to Shine’ in 2009. He may not have shined then, but he is shining now.
After a broken leg injury, Ramsey went on loan to Nottingham Forest in 2010 and Cardiff City in 2011. He got away from the club to return to full physical and mental fitness and returned to Arsenal in 2012. Since coming back from loan, he has been an integral part of the Arsenal midfield, especially this season.
There is no question it has been a breakout year for the Welsh midfielder having scored 13 goals in all competitions so far. He is surrounded by an array of talent, from an older and experienced Flamini to a young German midfielding genius in Ozil but Ramsey brings his own flair, awareness and confidence to the Arsenal central midfield.
I believe Ramsey will only get better. Looking at his season thus far, this early in the campaign, the future only looks bright. He will certainly make a run for Player of the Year in the Premier League, competing with Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
As a Gunners fan, it’s really a sight to see watching Ramsey control the midfield and play the game with confidence. But seeing him create and score goals only makes watching every game that much more exciting.
I have also written an article about Ramsey and the future of the Wales National Team and you can read that here.