Ramsey's growning pains

"Aaron Ramsey is not in the squad too. At the moment he is growing in stature and a bit tired so we will rest him."

- Arsene Wenger, on the squd for tommorrow morning's Cup tie

I'm not sure whether Wenger's speaking figuratively or not. Either Ramsey's suddenly realised that he's one of the brightest prospects in England and has over-exterted himself with that thought, or the boy's grown a few inches in height and needs to rest a bit. I'd like to believe it's the latter, but I too know what it's like to think about things too hard and then need a good lie down.

Ramsey wouldn't be the first kid in the headlights. Jack Wilshere was in the spotlight earlier in the year. And Our Theo has been the focus of an almost unseemly interest since he was snapped up by us as a sixteen year old. I imagine it's difficult to be thrust into limelight as a kid, but in a way, you're ready for it as a sixteen year old. You're focused, the adrenaline's pumping through your veins, and you're prepared for all the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

It's six months down the track that it hits, when you're at a big, big club and flitting in and out of the first team squad. Existentialist ennui. It happens to us all. Ramsey's settled down as a player and it's just a job now. One day, he was probably sitting in the dressing room and the thought came up - will his life for the next twenty years be about running hard and kicking hard and sweaty rub-downs by Tony Colbert.

And he's wondering, is this it?

That kind of thinking is tiring, and I'm sure Ramsey needs his rest. Unfortunately, it's one of those things he's going to have to work ou on his own. It's quitting time.