Wonderful Willock shows why Arsenal will not miss Ramsey

Joe Willock scored a brace in an impressive performance at the heart of the Gunners midfield in Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup victory at Blackpool. 

A day after Aaron Ramsey edged closer to the exit door at the Emirates, sparking a spirited debate over Arsenal's transfer market strategy, the club's Hale End academy products scored the two goals that saw the Gunners through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. 

A brace from Joe Willock and Alex Iwobi’s late effort saw the north Londoners beat Blackpool 3-0 at Bloomfield Road, with Unai Emery’s side fielding a mixture of fringe and first team players to ensure a resounding victory against the troubled League One side. 

Unai Emery said before the game that his major priority in all competitions is to win before adding that he will give opportunities to youngsters where possible.

Consequently, the likes of Willock, Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Sako were all included in the team to face Blackpool and it was Willock who grabbed his opportunity by the scruff of the neck, scoring two decent goals during an impressive performance in the middle of the park.

“We usually work with young players and give them the opportunity to work with us,” Emery stated beforehand.

“I then give them chances to play but only if we can get the victory. My responsibility is to work with them and here I want to do that.

"But each player is going to earn in his way more or less chances with his performances and his everyday work.”

Definitely, Joe Willock took his chances at Blackpool, becoming the first Arsenal teenager to score in the FA Cup since Aaron Ramsey in 2010. 

The symbolism was not lost on anyone, given the Welshman, who came on late in the match, is set to leave the club when his contract expires this summer.

Serie A Champions, Juventus are expected to sign Ramsey on a free transfer, with Arsenal having withdrawn their contract offer for both sporting and financial reasons.

Certainly, those sporting reasons were evident when Willock struck twice in the first half to effectively decide this cup clash in the visitors' favour. 

Indeed, the faith in youngsters and burgeoning talent now on the cusp of Arsenal’s first team is exactly why the Gunners board can afford to let a fan favourite like Aaron Ramsey leave. 

The Welshman was looking for £200,000 a week, a wage that Arsenal were simply unwilling to bestow upon an injury-prone midfielder, not when the club has such exciting promising youngsters operating in the same department.

Willock, 19, the same age as fellow central midfielder Matteo Guendouzi. While the duo have taken different paths to the first team – Guendouzi has been a regular starter in the Premier League games almost since he joined during the summer, with Willock restricted to cup matches and Europa League games – there can be no doubting that these are two exciting talents.

And with Arsenal now through to the fourth round of the FA Cup, they should, along with their fellow young Guns, be afforded more playing times to shine as Emery goes in search of his first piece of silverware as head coach.

Certainly, the game against Blackpool won’t be the toughest test Arsenal will face this season, but it provided a real opportunity for the likes of Willock to show why Arsenal are now looking to the future rather than dwelling on the past.