Ramsey feels close to best form

Last updated : 23 February 2011 By BBC Sport

The on-loan Arsenal midfielder struck in Cardiff City's win over promotion rivals Leicester City on Tuesday.

Ramsey's cool finish in Cardiff's 2-0 Championship triumph was almost exactly a year since his horrific injury.

"I feel I'm getting back my best," he said. "I hope that'll continue so I can get back to where I was and better."

The 20-year-old playmaker is on a month-long loan back at his the club where he made his name to regain the match-fitness as Ramsey recovers from a terrible injury sustained at Stoke City last season.

The Wales international required surgery to fix fractures to both his tibia and fibula in his right leg following a challenge from Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross.

Ramsey was stretchered out of the Britannia Stadium after the clash with Shawcross - who was sent off for the foul and left the field in tears - on 27 February, 2011 in Arsenal's 3-1 win at Stoke

Dave Jones does not feel Aaron Ramsey is ready for the Premier League rigours yet

The young Welshman, who attracted bids from Manchester United and Everton before Arsenal paid Cardiff ?5m for him in the summer of 2008, returned to playing in November 2010 against Leicester during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest .

And now Ramsey scored the first goal of his comeback playing on loan for Cardiff against the same opposition to move his boyhood club up to third in the Championship table in their push for Premier League promotion.

Cardiff, perhaps coincidentally, are unbeaten when Ramsey is in their team but the Caerphilly-born product is set to return to Premier League title-chasers Arsenal when his loan expires following the Bluebirds' trip to Hull City on Saturday.

Dave Jones is to ask Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger if Ramsey can remain at the Cardiff City Stadium for longer as the Cardiff boss feels the player is not yet ready for the rigours of the Premier League.

But Ramsey was just glad to score his first goal following a physically and mentally testing year.

"I wanted to get a goal before I go back and I was glad it came at home," he told BBC Sport.

"I feel I'm getting there. That is what these games are for, to get me back in the swing of things and I feel that is coming and I'm getting better and stronger with each game."

Ramsey's first goal since January 2010 - and third goal in two spells at Cardiff - may be a major psychological boost since for the player but boss Jones insists his injury is now history.

"He is over the injury," insisted the experienced manager following Cardiff's 2-0 victory over Leicester on Tuesday.

"What he needs is games and you probably saw in the last 15 minutes is he is not at that top level yet.

"For us it is good enough but for the next level he is probably just a few games still short."

Jones also revealed striker Michael Chopra, Cardiff's other goal-scorer against Leicester, was withdrawn just after half-time because he was "struggling" with his troublesome ankle injury.

While on-loan Nigerian midfielder Seyi Olofinjana was also replaced late on against Leicester after he pulled a muscle in the back of his knee.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport