Wenger thought ‘don’t shoot’ but Ramsey did and football gasped

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thought Aaron Ramsey was overly optimistic when half-volleying with his weaker foot from 30 yards, but what does he know?

The Welshman, 23, thundered the effort into the Galatasaray net from practically another postcode, drawing stunned looks from even his own team-mates.

It was his second of the match and a third in two outings, after he contributed a left-foot volley in defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.

But this one was from an altogether different planet and emphatically banished the 17-game goal drought which had followed the midfielder prior to his strike at the Britannia.

“When he took the shot I thought that was maybe not the best idea, but the way he took it, it flew in,” said Wenger, whose side went on to win 4-1. Ramsey’s left footed half-volley barely dipped, such was its power and reached a speed of 53mph, taking just 1.1 seconds to hit the net from a shade under 30 yards.

He raced away, dodged team-mates with a cheeky celebration before Lukas Podolski collared him and seemed to shine up the left foot at the heart of the carnage.

“At first I thought it wasn’t but watching it back, it is further out than I thought so it’s my best goal,” Ramsey reflected on the goal which had put Arsenal 3-0 up.

Gunners’ goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny put his head in his hands in bewilderment, striker Yaya Sanogo put his hands on his mouth in disbelief and former Middlesbrough striker Jan Aage Fjortoft paid his own unique tribute.

“Ramsey! What a goal, the best thing from Wales since, since . . . Catherine Zeta-Jones,” tweeted the Norwegian.

Ramsey’s earlier goal did actually form part of a special night for Wales as because of Gareth Bale’s strike for Real Madrid against Ludogorets Razgrad, the country could boast two goal scorers on a Champions League night for the first time.

Bale, accustomed to wonder strikes, could only offer a paltry header in comparison.

“Just saw Ramsey’s second goal. OH I SAY,” tweeted BBC Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker.

Former Gunner Paul Merson joined in the praise, telling Sky Sports: “I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years.

“It was phenomenal”, while former Spurs manager David Pleat said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “It was a rocket of a shot and the goalkeeper just puts his hand up there to acknowledge the quality of the shot.”

But Arsene thought don’t shoot. What does he know? — BBC