Aaron Ramsey: The Rangers player with inside info on him as training sessions catch the eye

Scott Arfield has first hand experience of how potent Aaron Ramsey is as an attacking midfield player of the highest calibre.

Aaron Ramsey pictured outside Ibrox after completing his loan move to Rangers on transfer deadline day. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

During his spell in the English Premier League with Burnley, Arfield had cause to rue Ramsey’s match-winning abilities for Arsenal when the Welsh international midfielder scored the only goal of a clash at Turf Moor in 2015.

Arfield is understandably enthused by the prospect of lining up alongside Ramsey following the Juventus star’s stunning deadline-day loan move to Rangers.

“He was a terrific player when I played against him,” said Arfield. “He caused us enormous problems and he was one of the main players at Arsenal that you need to do your research on.

Scott Arfield is denied by Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart during Rangers' 3-0 defeat in the Old Firm clash on Wednesday night. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

“He can cause you problems or create that opportunity or score a goal from midfield. He has come in and trained a couple of times and you can see his quality straight away. His CV speaks for itself with the clubs that he has played for and the personnel he has played with in terms of the calibre of player.

“He will help us enormously. Hopefully he gets fit as soon as possible and helps us on the pitch.”

Ramsey looked on from the stand at Celtic Park on Wednesday night as Rangers suffered a humbling 3-0 defeat which saw their Old Firm rivals leapfrog them at the top of the Premiership table.

Arfield, who was denied an equaliser by Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart just before the hosts scored their second goal, made no attempt to disguise the level of dismay felt by Rangers at their performance.

Scott Arfield (centre) looks on as Aaron Ramsey (second left) scores the winning goal for Arsenal against Burnley at Turf Moor in April 2015. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby/AFP via Getty Images)

“It was a bad night for everybody, no doubt about that,” he said. “I can’t sugarcoat that. We never really got going in the first-half and the game got away from us.

“Of course it would have made a difference if I’d scored. Of course it would have. Goals change games. If you manage to get that under control and score a goal, of course the game changes.

“Every game we go into here, we think we can win. That was one that got away from us on Wednesday night. You have always got opportunities to put that right and Sunday against Hearts at Ibrox is a massive game for us. We have to react in the right way, stick together and go and get the result that everybody needs.

“That’s always the challenge with Rangers, anyway. I don’t think that changes. But, obviously with the deficit that we had and now that we have not got that, we need to get back to winning games.

“Winning games is the most important thing. Performance sort of comes second, especially when you are on a run like this. We need to get that.

“If the two marry together, then it is the perfect storm, so, hopefully, we can get back to winning games and take confidence from it.

“You reflect on every game, of course you do. You do your research pre and post game. I think if you don’t do that, then you won’t move forward collectively and individually. I think every player would have watched it back.

“You don’t forget that feeling of walking off the pitch with that disappointment and that needs to be your fuel to your fire for the remaining 14 games.”

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