Not long after Arsenal's pre-season friendly victory over Atlético Madrid, in the blistering late night heat of Singapore, Unai Emery was asked about the future of Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman had handed the bracelet earlier that night, and Emery was confident that the 27-year-old and his representatives almost agreed to an extension of the contract against improved conditions.
"For me, I want him to stay with us, work with us, to give the team great performance with its quality," said Emery. "And I think he'll stay here with us, I think Aaron is an important player for us, the contract is one thing for the club and the player."
Exactly one month later and at first glance it seems as if little has changed. The two parties remain in discussion. Ramsey still has not put pen on paper for a new deal. And Emery apparently still wants to keep the Welshman in the club.
And yet there was a noticeable change in mood in the club's attitude towards the player, who started the game against Manchester City and then fell on the bench for the trip to Chelsea. Emery has also changed his melody and has previously chosen the charm offensive that characterized his first attempts to resolve the situation. Now he is no longer so unambiguous.
Chelsea vs. Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018
1/22 Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6
Could have done more to stop the mkhitaryan attack in the first half. The ball was hit hard and low, he got a hand with it, but he still went inside. A stronger arm may have kept it outside.
Getty Images
2/22 Cesar Azpilicueta – 5
Absent for the first half and seldom came forward. Arsenal had a lot of joy on both wings and could easily go to the left. To say that he is struggling to play in a back four would not be an understatement.
AFP / Getty Images
3/22 David Luiz – 6
Many forward movements started through the space for him to attack and Chelsea from the back to play. His defense, like Chelsea's, was a bit stringy.
Getty Images
4/22 Antonio Rudiger – 5
Chelsea defended really badly as a team, and Rudgier was no exception.
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
5/22 Marcos Alonso – 7
It turned out to be good awareness to select Pedro for the opening goal of Chelsea. Like Azpilicueta, he seems like he keeps adjusting to playing in a back four and although his attacking game is very good, he looks a bit like that. Showed calmness to score the winner.
AFP / Getty Images
6/22 Jorginho – 8
To justify his exalted price tag. He dominated the game from the midfield and did so without really sweating. His range of passing was so accurate and varied. Arsenal left a lot of holes in their defense and he found them all.
AFP / Getty Images
7/22 Ross Barkley – 6
Was lively and popped up in a number of good areas for Chelsea. Sarri has a lot of confidence in the English midfielder and Barkley almost refunded him with a goal of range, but Cech was equal to his bet.
Getty Images
8/22 N & # 39; Golo Kante – 7
Another typical Kante version, he was everywhere. Sarri seems to give him more offensive responsibility, which increases Chelsea's options in the last third and helps them win the ball high in the field.
Getty Images
9/22 Willian – 7
He continues to produce very good stuff under Sarri, now he has sorted himself on Chelsea. His movement left his markings behind the shadows all evening.
Getty Images
10/22 Pedro – 7
Like Willian, he was very difficult to trace for the Arsenal defenders, although he often showed his defenders a bit, but who did not?
Getty Images
11/22 Alvaro Morata – 7
Scored his second league goal of 2018 and you could tell how much it meant to him at his celebration. He ran one by one with Mustafi, worked the ball on his right foot, and put an end in the bottom corner.
Getty Images
12/22 Petr Cech – 6
A handful of good saves made to keep the recordings of Chelsea out of reach. There was very little he could do with one of the Chelsea goals and he was better than his last week.
Getty Images
13/22 Hector Bellerin – 4
Has made a hilarious attempt to defend. Unmasked by Alonso, Pedro, Hazard and anyone who really wanted to pass him. His forward play, however, was very good and he ended up in a number of very dangerous areas.
AFP / Getty Images
14/22 Sokratis Papastathopoulos – 6
Has made some important blockades and interceptions, but he can not score high and be part of this Arsenal defense. That does not happen.
Getty Images
15/22 Shkodran Mustafi – 5
You keep wondering how he managed to play at the highest level for so long. Let Morata cut his right foot in the area, which resulted in his goal. Arsenal was generally a mess at the back and he must take responsibility.
AFP / Getty Images
16/22 Nacho Monreal – 6
Came into some really dangerous areas and created some promising opportunities for Arsenal. His defense, however, was as committed as Ozil's backspurt.
AFP / Getty Images
17/22 Granit Xhaka – 4
Picked up a yellow card in the first half and came halfway. Chelsea's attacks passed him and he did not have much say when Arsenal was in possession.
Getty Images
18/22 Matteo Guendouzi – 5
Unai Emery has certainly shown a lot of confidence in the younger, but you feel that there are better options. He had been expropriated in dangerous areas a few times, but he continued to show the adventure in the future.
Getty Images
19/22 Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 7
Minutes after he missed a babysitter, he took his goal very well. He started the first half of Arsenal's comeback with a sweet low, curly effort from the edge of the area.
AFP / Getty Images
20/22 Mesut Ozil – 5
One of Ozil & # 39; s & # 39; missing & # 39; spell. He did not really do much at Stamford Bridge after 70 minutes. He almost played like a second striker, but no matter how hard he tried, there was no place for him in the last third.
Getty Images
21/22 Alex Iwobi – 7
Took his purpose very well, but that was the extent of his good work. Much of his game ended with a quirky pass, a tackle or a shot that went wide.
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
22/22 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 4
Two sitters missed, and we are talking about appropriate sitters, for the purpose. If he scored them, we were probably talking about an Arsenal victory. The timing of his points was also eliminated, he was put offside more often than needed. Could be better.
Getty Images
1/22 Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6
Could have done more to stop the mkhitaryan attack in the first half. The ball was hit hard and low, he got a hand with it, but he still went inside. A stronger arm may have kept it outside.
Getty Images
2/22 Cesar Azpilicueta – 5
Absent for the first half and seldom came forward. Arsenal had a lot of joy on both wings and could easily go to the left. To say that he is struggling to play in a back four would not be an understatement.
AFP / Getty Images
3/22 David Luiz – 6
Many forward movements started through the space for him to attack and Chelsea from the back to play. His defense, like Chelsea's, was a bit stringy.
Getty Images
4/22 Antonio Rudiger – 5
Chelsea defended really badly as a team, and Rudgier was no exception.
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
5/22 Marcos Alonso – 7
It turned out to be good awareness to select Pedro for the opening goal of Chelsea. Like Azpilicueta, he seems like he keeps adjusting to playing in a back four and although his attacking game is very good, he looks a bit like that. Showed calmness to score the winner.
AFP / Getty Images
6/22 Jorginho – 8
To justify his exalted price tag. He dominated the game from the midfield and did so without really sweating. His range of passing was so accurate and varied. Arsenal left a lot of holes in their defense and he found them all.
AFP / Getty Images
7/22 Ross Barkley – 6
Was lively and popped up in a number of good areas for Chelsea. Sarri has a lot of confidence in the English midfielder and Barkley almost refunded him with a goal of range, but Cech was equal to his bet.
Getty Images
8/22 N & # 39; Golo Kante – 7
Another typical Kante version, he was everywhere. Sarri seems to give him more offensive responsibility, which increases Chelsea's options in the last third and helps them win the ball high in the field.
Getty Images
9/22 Willian – 7
He continues to produce very good stuff under Sarri, now he has sorted himself on Chelsea. His movement left his markings behind the shadows all evening.
Getty Images
10/22 Pedro – 7
Like Willian, he was very difficult to trace for the Arsenal defenders, although he often showed his defenders a bit, but who did not?
Getty Images
11/22 Alvaro Morata – 7
Scored his second league goal of 2018 and you could tell how much it meant to him at his celebration. He ran one by one with Mustafi, worked the ball on his right foot, and put an end in the bottom corner.
Getty Images
12/22 Petr Cech – 6
A handful of good saves made to keep the recordings of Chelsea out of reach. There was very little he could do with one of the Chelsea goals and he was better than his last week.
Getty Images
13/22 Hector Bellerin – 4
Has made a hilarious attempt to defend. Unmasked by Alonso, Pedro, Hazard and anyone who really wanted to pass him. His forward play, however, was very good and he ended up in a number of very dangerous areas.
AFP / Getty Images
14/22 Sokratis Papastathopoulos – 6
Has made some important blockades and interceptions, but he can not score high and be part of this Arsenal defense. That does not happen.
Getty Images
15/22 Shkodran Mustafi – 5
You keep wondering how he managed to play at the highest level for so long. Let Morata cut his right foot in the area, which resulted in his goal. Arsenal was generally a mess at the back and he must take responsibility.
AFP / Getty Images
16/22 Nacho Monreal – 6
Came into some really dangerous areas and created some promising opportunities for Arsenal. His defense, however, was as committed as Ozil's backspurt.
AFP / Getty Images
17/22 Granit Xhaka – 4
Picked up a yellow card in the first half and came halfway. Chelsea's attacks passed him and he did not have much say when Arsenal was in possession.
Getty Images
18/22 Matteo Guendouzi – 5
Unai Emery has certainly shown a lot of confidence in the younger, but you feel that there are better options. He had been expropriated in dangerous areas a few times, but he continued to show the adventure in the future.
Getty Images
19/22 Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 7
Minutes after he missed a babysitter, he took his goal very well. He started the first half of Arsenal's comeback with a sweet low, curly effort from the edge of the area.
AFP / Getty Images
20/22 Mesut Ozil – 5
One of Ozil & # 39; s & # 39; missing & # 39; spell. He did not really do much at Stamford Bridge after 70 minutes. He almost played like a second striker, but no matter how hard he tried, there was no place for him in the last third.
Getty Images
21/22 Alex Iwobi – 7
Took his purpose very well, but that was the extent of his good work. Much of his game ended with a quirky pass, a tackle or a shot that went wide.
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
22/22 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 4
Two sitters missed, and we are talking about appropriate sitters, for the purpose. If he scored them, we were probably talking about an Arsenal victory. The timing of his points was also eliminated, he was put offside more often than needed. Could be better.
Getty Images
"I spoke with him last week," revealed Emery on Saturday Saturday in London with West Ham. "And I said: I want you to concentrate solely on training and only on the competition – you show us the capacity to help the team The contract is different for its agent and the club, but we want and I have to his focus only on training, only on the race and on his performance every day.
"I think in the present, I spoke with him last week, but now I concentrate on the game and I want the player to focus only on Saturday so that our players give our supporters quality and energy, and so they concentrate only . "
In the drive for a substantial improvement of his current £ 110,000 per week wages, Ramsey plays a dangerous game. It is only fair that Ramsey wants a better deal, given the £ 350,000-per-week extension awarded to Mesut Ozil in January, but such a tough approach will only make a profit if he retains the crucial role in the Emery team. initially had spoken about when joining. Put simply, if Emery drops him many times, he will probably not get the kind of lucrative deal that he wants.
Emery has already shown that he is not afraid to make the kind of big decisions that so many felt that Arsene Wenger had lost the courage to make. Jack Wilshere was allowed to leave on a day off. Ozil was immersed last weekend. And Ramsey was completely left behind in the first eleven, after a completely inefficient performance against Manchester City the week before.
Most worrying for Ramsey is that Emery is adamant. Ramsey's benching was not an insignificant powerplay, no sub warning that he is not as important to this team as he might like to think. Instead, he began a detailed explanation to insist that – no – Ramsey was omitted for football reasons. Omitted because there was another player in the team who could do that specific task better.
Aaron Ramsey has yet to sign a new deal (Arsenal FC via Getty)
"Manchester City is a different team and so the preparation is very different compared to other competitions," said Emery. "Tactically they demand something different, Chelsea also differs from other teams, and we have to work very specifically to prepare ourselves.
"Saturday is also a difficult match, but we think more that we can control the match with our personality, and against Chelsea and Manchester City we wanted to control our personality, but in the 90 minutes that the opponents did not let us do that. , more times came in the 90 minutes. "
Emery is a pragmatist – a head coach who has shown that he is not afraid to switch between systems from week to week, in an effort to counteract the strengths of any side. But where does such tactical flexibility leave Ramsey behind? And with Ozil it is unlikely that this will soon be removed from the starting XI, how many more opportunities will Ramsey take in the middle?
And so the contract negotiations remain in an impasse, because clubs from the Premier League and beyond are floating with interest, only with a subtle shift in power. Prior to the season, Ramsey was the man who shot the shots, while Arsenal was afraid of a situation that looked like the final departure of Alexis Sanchez for Manchester United. But Emery's willingness to shake his pack could drop Ramsey's stock. The prospect of a new contract with a bumper is not nearly as strong as it once was.
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