Rosicky is key to Arsenal’s challenge for the title this year but he needs a run of 20 matches without breaking down. He needs to get into the flow of Arsenal football just as Hleb has done

Since Tomas Rosicky joined the club in the summer of 2006 he has had the pressure of trying to be the next Robert Pires. The frenchman was always a firm favourite at Arsenal and when he left to join Villareal of Spain Arsene lost alot of creative passing and goals. Wenger had been keeping tabs on ‘Little Mozart’ as he called him for a number of seasons. Rosicky had already played against Arsenal for Sparta Prague and scored a wonderful goal in a 4-2 Champions League defeat at Highbury in October 2000

Wenger paid roughly 7million before the world cup 2006 and he showed Arsenal supports what a good bargain it was with a stunning strike against USA.

I was unsure whether Rosicky would replace Dennis Bergkamp or Robert Pires when he joined because his favoured position is behind the main striker, which he plays for the Czech Republic. Arsene decided that he was going to replace Pires on the left side of midfield. Tomas Rosicky instantly showed class with his link up play. Rosicky, Cesc, Hleb and Henry instantly had a good understanding and he was beginning to show what he can do but he suffered an injury which put his progress back.

Alex Hleb had a similar start to his Arsenal career, he instantly showed his potiental with his great technique but injury and inconsistancy saw a drop of form.

Tomas Rosicky had a very up and down first season with a wonder goal at Hamburg in the Champions League to missing an open goal agaist CSKA Moscow at home. But towards the end of the season most Arsenal supports would have said that he was a more important part of the Arsenal engine than Hleb.

This season Rosicky’s season has been wrecked with injury. He only seems to manage 2-6 matches and then breaks down with ankle, hamstring, thigh and groin injuries.

It is safe to say that Arsenal have not yet seen the best of Tomas Rosicky. Arsenal’s football is sharper and slicker when he is on song. His awareness on the pitch is second to none and his passing is fantastic. Cesc and Hleb are better players with Rosicky in the side.

Rosicky is key to Arsenal’s challenge for the title this year but he needs a run of 20 matches without breaking down. He needs to get into the flow of Arsenal football just as Hleb has done. Hleb would be out of sorts if he had Rosicky’s injury problems, he would still be getting stick from Arsenal fans if he hadn’t had this run of matches. It is the same for every football player in the world.

Rosicky started against Reading on the left wing but drifted all around the pitch interchanging with Hleb and Fabregas but didn’t have enough to make a difference in the final third but that will come. Lets hope he can score a goal against Wigan and pick up his confidence.

With both Cesc and Hleb out against Wigan, it is time for Rosicky to step forward.