Arsenal’s Experienced Maestro Is Key As they Prepare For A Challenging Month
Personal information
Full name: Tomas Rosicky
Date of birth: 4 October 1980
Age: 33
Place of birth: Prague, Czech Republic
Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position: Attacking midfielder / Winger
Club information
Current club: Arsenal
Number: 7
Youth career
1986–1988: CKD Kompresory Prague
1988–1998: Sparta Prague
Senior career
1998–2001 Sparta Prague 59 Appearances, 12 goals
2001–2006 Borussia Dortmund 186 Appearances, 24 goals
2006– Arsenal 208 Appearances, 25 goals
National team
1995–1996 Czech Republic U15 10 Appearances, 0 goals
1996 Czech Republic U16 12 Appearances, 5 goals
1997–1998 Czech Republic U17 16 Appearances, 6 goals
1998–1999 Czech Republic U18 9 Appearances, 3 goals
1999 Czech Republic U21 2 Appearances, 0 goals
2000– Czech Republic 94 Appearances, 21 goals
It is no coincidence that Tomas Rosicky’s return to the team prompted arguably Arsenal’s most fluid attacking display of the season.
The Gunners were devastating in their recent 4-1 trouncing of a hapless Sunderland team two weeks back. It was the Rosicky effect that was most telling, and not just because of his thrilling goal.
The veteran schemer has become indispensable thanks to his ability to deliver stellar performances in the crunch period of a campaign.
Starting in the 2011/12 season, Rosicky has developed a niche as a player Arsenal can count on in the tough times. In recent seasons, Rosicky has been Arsenal’s man in the clutch.
Last season, Wenger again called on Rosicky to steady a season that was drifting toward oblivion.
His two goals away against West Brom helped sustain a magnificent run of eight wins and two draws that sealed fourth place and another season in Europe’s premier club competition.
Rosicky’s worth to Arsenal is lost on nobody who watches him regularly, least of all Wenger, who has come to reach for him in the very biggest matches like some sort of charm.
But Rosicky is more than the English Premier League’s equivalent of a rabbit’s foot. He is key to the essential aspect of Arsenal’s play, namely the pace of their passing.
Perhaps finding room for Rosicky in the middle could at least help the Gunners move the ball quicker once they have seized possession.
That is an aspect of the Czech playmaker’s game Wenger clearly values highly.
“He is one of the players who play the game of give-and-move and he is a great accelerator of the game. He always makes things happen, not with individual dribbling but with individual acceleration of his passing and his runs. His goal against Sunderland was one of the top goals we have scored this season,” said Wenger.
Anyone who has seen highlights of the way Arsenal dissected Sunderland couldn’t fail to notice how the speed of their passing and movement made the difference.
It is a difference Rosicky usually prompts. His greatest asset is his willingness to always move the ball forward.
That is a simple, yet priceless quality in a team that can sometimes mistake caution for control, via conservative, sideways passing.
Rosicky is quick-witted and daring enough to dictate those nifty one-touch combinations that are the trademark of Wenger’s Arsenal teams at their best.
That’s why Wenger knows he can’t part ways with his 33-year-old midfield cog. That word “cog” sums up how Wenger sees Rosicky best fitting into this Arsenal team, one littered with attacking midfielders.
It’s easy to assume Rosicky playing behind Mesut Ozil would make things easier for the club’s record signing once he resumes a starting spot in the team.
That is a combination Wenger could be tempted to use in some of the marquee games awaiting the Gunners. Wenger will need his “great accelerator” to help the Gunners overcome away trips to Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Everton, along with entertaining Manchester City.
Arsenal can’t hide in those games. They must be cautious but never conservative. They’ll need the organisation and structure Wenger says Rosicky imbues in the ranks.
But Arsenal will also need the ageing maestro’s boldness in possession. Results in those games will likely decide the fate of Arsenal’s season. As an important player Wenger refuses to let go, Rosicky has to be involved.
Tomas Rosicky has emerged as a vital part of the Arsenal squad. Given the struggles he has faced in his career, and has been rewarded with a new contract.
Fortunately for Arsenal fans, a new deal now seems something of a formality.
“Tomas Rosicky will stay. We have an agreement with him and it will come out soon.
I am absolutely adamant he has to stay at the club”. Wenger’s faith is well-placed. There is no-one quite like Rosicky.
He plays a unique role at Arsenal, giving zip to the Gunners’ play and injecting the team with real urgency.
Despite being the oldest outfield member of the Arsenal squad, Rosicky plays with effervescence more befitting of a far younger man.
It’s almost as if the time he spent on the sidelines with injury preserved his vitality. In football years, he is two years younger, and his style of play reflects that youthful spirit.
Wenger alludes to Rosicky’s selflessness, and that is undoubtedly one of his greatest characteristics.
He works tirelessly for the team, putting younger players to shame with his constant harrying and surprisingly effective sliding tackles.
As Rosicky has matured, his style has changed. He arrived as a playmaker and has metamorphosed in to a box-to-box dynamo. What’s more, he has become a leader.
In an Arsenal squad full of young talent, a player with Rosicky’s experience is invaluable. He sets an outstanding example for the younger players about how to operate both with and without the ball.
The likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Serge Gnabry can only learn from playing alongside someone with Rosicky’s attitude and technique.
With all the talk about the talented pair of Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil, Rosicky’s contribution is often overlooked.
He might not be as flashy as those two, but he’s every bit as effective. The Czech midfielder might be ageing, but he’s showing no signs of slowing.