Unai Emery has challenged Aaron Ramsey to keep his performances up while his contract runs down.
The midfielder, whose deal expires in the summer with negotiations frozen, is keen to see out the season at Arsenal rather than leave in January, and Emery’s only concern is that Ramsey’s performances and motivation stay on track.
“I want his performance to be like another player,” the manager said.“At the last match he started on the bench, played 35 minutes. For Monday against Leicester if he starts in first XI or the bench his focus must be to help us in the match, the same as any player.”
Ramsey was a central cog in a sublime team goal during Arsenal’s 5-1 win at Fulham before the international break. He missed playing for Wales against the Republic of Ireland to be with his wife as she had twins.
The player has a lot going on but Emery is hopeful the 27-year-old can focus on games to help keep Arsenal’s winning run going.“January is very far,” Emery said. “I want every player to stay with the mentality and preparation to play together to win. The future is tomorrow, not more. Individual things are not for now.”
Emery has been stressing to his team that they must not be complacent as they seek their 10th successive win in all competitions. “The difficulty now is not relaxing,” he said. “We need to continue with every big demand on ourselves for each match, thinking our next match is most important.”
The supporters seemed to feel a corner had been turned at Fulham when they chanted about getting their Arsenal back but Emery is quick to warn them not to get carried away. “I am not agreeing,” he said. “We need to improve a lot. Supporters can enjoy with us but we are speaking with our reality every day. It was a very good result at Fulham but the first 45 minutes we need to do better. In the last match at the Emirates we won but not playing like we want with the control we want … We need to continue working with calm. Our target now is the same as the first matches when we lost against Man City and Chelsea.”
Emery said he is not concerned about Mesut Ozil’s desire to perform despite a suggestion by former manager Arsene Wenger that the German playmaker’s retirement from international football could affect his motivation. Ozil quit international football shortly after returning from the World Cup in Russia. He had been widely criticised for posing with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a photograph in May. The 30-year-old said he had also faced “racism and disrespect” because of his Turkish roots.
Wenger, who left Arsenal in May after 22 years in charge, said earlier this week that Ozil should come out of international retirement because otherwise he “loses a bit” of his drive.
“His motivation is very clear. We need every player with a big motivation every day, in training, with continuing improving and helping us with his quality,” Emery said. “The same with Mesut as any other player. We want every day to find this in every player.”
Ozil, who missed Arsenal’s 5-1 victory at Fulham earlier this month with a back spasm, is available for Monday’s game. Arsenal resume their Premier League campaign with a mostly fit squad. The defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos picked up a minor strain with Greece and Petr Cech is close to full fitness.
Aaron Ramsey (left) rounds off the sublime team goal during Arsenal’s 5-1 victory at Fulham. (AFP)
