Leicester City’s miraculous start to the campaign ensures the Foxes go into Christmas top of the table for the first time in English top flight history, yet the legitimate title contenders feature in Monday’s clash at the Emirates.
Last weekend, however, witnessed the likes of Liverpool, Spurs and United drop additional points, whereas Manchester City and Arsenal kept pace with the Leceister in what may prove to be a telling result in the current title race. Amazingly, neither side has displayed enough hunger and consistency to blow away from the pack, and City manager Manuel Pellegrini has brushed off claims of Monday’s match being a title decider.
“It’s not a decisive game as after this we have to play 21 games more,” Pellegrini said. “It’s important to try to be the best team from the first round, to play against a team with one point more. It’s a game of six points, to win three and to take three off a rival.”
If you look back to their respected victories last weekend, it’s interesting to note that the match-winners comprised of two deep-lying central midfielders. Both goals vividly showcased the main characteristics that epitomize Yaya Toure and Aaron Ramsey, two of the finest midfielders in English football.
Toure’s winner was rightly awarded to youngster Kelechi Iheanacho, but it was the buildup to the winner that made the difference. Frankly, it was a match that City didn’t deserve to win, conceding a late Bafetimbi Gomis equalizer heading into stoppage time. But it was Toure who took it upon himself to shrug off challenges from Jack Cork and Gylfi Sigurdsson to get the decisive shot away.
The contrast between Toure’s first and second half performance was vast. In a deeper double-pivot, Toure reverted to dropping deeper to clip simple diagonals to the flanks, whilst rarely having a significant influence on City’s laboured attack. Manuel Pellegrini’s men were lucky to notch a goal through Bony from a corner-kick, but the Chilean was aware that changes were required.
Pellegrini maintained City’s 4-2-3-1, but replaced Raheem Sterling for Fabian Delph, instructing the former Villa midfielder to tuck into midfield, but also close down Swansea right back Angel Rangel when he received the ball. This ultimately enabled Toure to push forward with no defensive responsibilities, and the Ivorian ignited City’s best attacks with his deep runs from midfield, whilst simultaneously storming through challenges.
This was Toure at his best — a talented footballer that could torment various Premier League defences, but is a liability to his own due to his reluctance to quickly retreat into position when his team concedes possession. Once the most dominant midfielder in England, Toure’s decline has been evident over the past few seasons.
In retrospect, the departures of Gareth Barry and Nigel de Jong were significant, because it increased Toure’s defensive workload — one of the flaws in the Ivorian’s game. Toure’s tactical indiscipline has been exposed ever since, and those questioning why Barcelona sacrificed the Ivorian for a young Sergio Busquets years prior to joining Manchester City finally received their answer.
Toure’s role as the Premier League’s standout all-round midfielder was never under threat as those superior to him plied their trade across Europe. Arturo Vidal was the missing piece in a Bayern side that lacked a combative edge, Blaise Matuidi charges powerfully down the left channel at PSG, and Juventus’ Paul Pogba has bossed City’s midfield twice this season with is rampaging strides through midfield.
The league has lacked a player capable of dominating a match with the ability of charging forward from midfield to score goals, whilst posing an imposing threat in midfield. Nemanja Matic’s performance at the Etihad in 2014 was impressive, but his return to Chelsea has led to a strict defensive role. Jordan Henderson was also impressive that season in Liverpool’s title challenge with his late runs into the box to score goals, but has failed to replicate that form ever since.
Arsenal, however, may be without first-team midfield duo Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin, but they oddly still boast possibly the league’s best box-to-box midfielder in Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey’s hype decreased following a string of injuries, which unfortunately led to the Welshman losing his position in Arsenal’s double-pivot.
Ramsey, however, was approaching world-class status during the first half of the 2013/2014 campaign, but a thigh strain injury that kept the Arsenal midfielder out from Boxing Day till April thwarted the club’s title challenge, along with his form. 10 league goals, 8 assists, and amongst the top league’s top tacklers in 20 starts illustrates Ramsey’s impact, but recurring injuries prevented the 24-year-old from dominating games.
Coincidentally, it was Arsenal’s remarkable 2-0 win at the Emirates that formed the Cazorla-Coquelin pairing, and the balance between the two Arsenal men has pushed Ramsey to the right ever since. Coquelin’s tackling and physical presence, combined with Cazorla’s wide range of passing and ability to dribble past opponents provides the ideal partnership in midfield, despite lacking Ramsey’s driving forward runs into the box.
Ramsey partnering with either player would pose issues to Arsenal’s overall attack — Ramsey and Cazorla would deprive the Gunners back four of protection, whereas the Welshman and Coquelin offers limits creativity from deep. Ramsey’s best form was alongside Mikel Arteta — a time where Arsenal were in dire need of a legitimate top-class defensive midfielder — sits deeper and retains possession with quick passes towards the flanks.
Wenger’s difficult job identifying his best XI has seen Ramsey fielded on the right for large portions of the year, but his return into central midfield has ensured Arsenal haven’t suffered without Coquelin or Cazorla. Two near post assists for Giroud against Sunderland and Olympiakos, along with a goal against the former exemplifies the Welshman’s impact.
Similar to Toure against Swansea, Ramsey’s goal at Villa summarized his playing style in less than 10 seconds.
The Welshman’s tackle to dispossess Idrissa Gueye at the edge of the Arsenal box started a swift counter-attack involving Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil, concluded with a simple Ramsey finish. The move displayed Ramsey’s ball-winning skills, and his willingness to make late darting runs into the box to score goals.
“Ramsey was outstanding today,” Wenger said. “He is naturally more a central midfielder. I pushed him out wide but sometimes when you do that, with the shorter technique required when they come back into the centre they are improved.”
Where Pellegrini may push Toure forward to maximize his talent, Ramsey will operate in his preferred deeper role in the battle between the two title contenders.
Arsenal’s famous win at the Etihad last season witnessed Wenger employ reactive tactics and Cazorla produce one of last year’s finest individual performances. Likewise, City have been quite cautious on their travels this year, with Pellegrini playing Toure as a no.10 ahead of two defensive-minded midfielders.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how both managers approach the match considering the several counter-attacking weapons both sides possess. With Arsenal and City’s tactical naivety exposed in the past, and a busy Christmas schedule awaiting, a point wouldn’t harm either side.
Still, the most intriguing battle in the midfield rests between Ramsey and Toure. Both midfielders have been forced out of position for the better of the team, but here, they’re likely to showcase their true potential in their preferred roles
Once regarded as the league’s undisputed powerful midfielder, another outstanding performance from Arsenal’s Welshman would present a true ‘passing of the torch’ moment. There’s no better opportunity for Ramsey to present his case as to why he belongs amongst the elite midfielders in world football.
Perhaps this is his moment.
