Aaron Ramsey... ready for a title challenge in 2009/10
Ramsey - We'll learn from last year's lessons
By Chris Harris
Aaron Ramsey knows that Arsenal can beat the best. Now he wants them to beat the rest.
The Welsh midfielder has just completed his first year at Emirates Stadium but his hopes of silverware in his debut season were dashed by a slow start in the Premier League and late stumbles in the knockout competitions.
Arsène Wenger's side proved they can compete with the cream of the top flight when they beat Manchester United and Chelsea last season. However their title prospects were scuppered by defeats against some teams in the lower echelons of the Premier League.
Hull City, Fulham and Stoke City all beat Arsenal early in the campaign and Ramsey insists that must change if the Gunners want to sustain their challenge this term.
"I think we have proved that we can beat the top teams and the title contenders," Ramsey told Arsenal.com. "Now we need to pick up more points against the bottom half of the table.
"I think we lost more games than we would have liked to against teams which were lower down. That's the main lesson we have learned from last season. It is frustrating to lose against teams further down the table when you have beaten the big sides.
"But I think we've got a good enough squad now to really kick on this season and get ourselves in the mix for the title.
"There could be a number of teams involved. Look at Manchester City, they are trying to buy more players which will only make them better. Maybe they will be involved but we will have to wait and see. The Premier League used to be two teams going for the title but it has come on a long way since then. More teams are challenging for the title now."
Five defeats in the opening 14 games left Arsenal with two much to do last season and their hopes of a stronger start this time around weren't helped when the fixtures computer conjured up trips to Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City - all in the first month. Ramsey is unperturbed.
"It's obviously important to make a good start but that's why we play football, to play in these big games," he said. "We won't be dwelling on the fact that it's a hard opening month because we're all up for it and we're ready to go. We'll give it our best shot to win something this season."
[Friday, July 10, 2009]
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