Does Ramsey have the edge over Gunners team-mate Ozil?
We compare midfield aces after Bellamy begins debate
NO-ONE can say Craig Bellamy didn’t begin his spell as a Sky Sports stand-in for Gary Neville with a couple of eyebrow-raising comments.
He kept his best until the end of the Monday Night Football show, almost leaving fellow pundit Jamie Carragher open-mouthed and speechless.
Carragher had just performed a critique of Ramsey’s performance in the closing moments of Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Sunderland, arguing Arsene Wenger would have been tearing his hair out in frustration at the gaping gaps left by the Welsh star.
Ramsey was rewarded by a goal... but could easily have cost his team, argued Carragher.
Cue Bellamy, with a totally different response. He argued his old Wales and Cardiff City team-mate was the finest midfield player in the Premier League on his day, one of the ‘top two or three in the world’ and insisted Barcelona would be back in for him soon.
Asked whether Ramsey or German World Cup winner Mesut Ozil should play in the middle for Arsenal, Bellamy responded: “It’s not just me being biased, but I would play Aaron central before I would play Ozil.
“He wants to score, always looks to break the lines and he’s a good finisher as well. I felt before his injury (in 2013-14) he was the best player in the Premier League.”
Is Bellamy right in his assertion? We try to examine his argument by comparing Ramsey and Ozil in the categories required to make up a top modern-day midfielder...
Ramsey 7 (out of 10) Ozil 9
CREATIVITY
The two players are each sublime when it comes to setting up opportunities for team-mates. Ozil is the master of a defence splitting pass and dribble in and around the opposition penalty area, but Ramsey is pretty adept in this area too. Ramsey 8, Ozil 9
GOALSCORING
Ozil has bagged four Arsenal goals this season, managed five last year and netted 11 times for a mixture of club and country in 2013-14. Ramsey has three to his name this time out, scored 11 goals last season, but the 18 he smacked in 2013-14 proves he has the edge when fully fit. Ramsey 8, Ozil 7
Ramsey 9, Ozil 8
MENTAL STRENGTH
This is a hugely-important strength, or weakness, in the midfield battleground where the going can really get tough and matches are won and lost. They each have mind power in abundance. Ramsey has overcome a careerthreatening leg injury, Ozil is an ice-cool German. Ramsey 9, Ozil 9
TACKLING
Neither is going to rival Vinnie Jones or Terry Yorath for ferocity in the tackle, but Ramsey isn’t afraid to put a foot in
Ramsey 8, Ozil 7
WHAT’S HE WORTH?
Perhaps the test for this should be ‘Would he make Barcelona’s team?’ Ozil signed for Arsenal in a £42.5million move from Real Madrid, whereas Ramsey cost a mere £5m from Cardiff. However, Bellamy argues Barcelona were in with a massive bid during the summer... ‘and you watch, they’ll come back’.