Wednesday December 9, 2009
Kick off: 19:45
Group Phase Stadio Karaiskaki
Kick off: 19:45
Group Phase Stadio Karaiskaki
Ramsey is just 18, but is quite ahead for his age because he already plays in the Wales national team and is at a top-level club," said the Arsenal manager.
"He has spirit, and something that is very interesting, he is an efficient player, gets in the box at the right moment and is a penetrating player.
"He is not a guy who goes right across the pitch - Ramsey goes where it hurts, and when he gets there, he is a good finisher."
The average age of Wednesday night's squad is 20 - and that has been raised by the inclusion of 32-year-old defender Mikael Silvestre, while fit-again England forward Theo Walcott and Cameroon midfielder Alex Song, who was suspended for Saturday's Barclays Premier League win over Stoke, also travelled to Athens.
However, it is the inclusion of reserve-team captain Kyle Bartley, set to play at centre-half, as well as 18-year-olds Craig Eastmond, Luke Ayling and Tom Cruise - the left-back who has yet to make an Arsenal first-team appearance of any form, even in the Carling Cup - which will have left Wenger open to criticism.
Wenger is only interested in the London-born defender and not his Hollywood namesake.
"I do not care about headlines - for me, there is only one Tom Cruise, and it is the one who plays for Arsenal Football Club," he said.
"He has spirit, and something that is very interesting, he is an efficient player, gets in the box at the right moment and is a penetrating player.
"He is not a guy who goes right across the pitch - Ramsey goes where it hurts, and when he gets there, he is a good finisher."
The average age of Wednesday night's squad is 20 - and that has been raised by the inclusion of 32-year-old defender Mikael Silvestre, while fit-again England forward Theo Walcott and Cameroon midfielder Alex Song, who was suspended for Saturday's Barclays Premier League win over Stoke, also travelled to Athens.
However, it is the inclusion of reserve-team captain Kyle Bartley, set to play at centre-half, as well as 18-year-olds Craig Eastmond, Luke Ayling and Tom Cruise - the left-back who has yet to make an Arsenal first-team appearance of any form, even in the Carling Cup - which will have left Wenger open to criticism.
Wenger is only interested in the London-born defender and not his Hollywood namesake.
"I do not care about headlines - for me, there is only one Tom Cruise, and it is the one who plays for Arsenal Football Club," he said.
