Forget critics!! Arsenal NEED Ozil to get any joy at Chelsea

You will not have to look very hard to find a football pundit willing to criticise the Arsenal and Germany international star Mesut Ozil. The creative midfielder has been getting plenty of stick ever since he signed for the Gunners from Real Madrid back in 2013, with the usual lines trotted out being about his lack of effort, his unwillingness to get stuck in or his going missing in big games or away games.

Just a few weeks ago we had Steven Gerrard jumping on the bandwagon after Arsenal lost at Stoke, despite the fact that we were robbed by the referee and it was an error by Granit Xhaka and the defence that gave the Potters the points.

In the build up to our next Premier League game, away to Chelsea, I saw a report by Metro suggesting that for the Gunners to have any chance of getting a result at Stamford Bridge we need to see Arsene Wenger drop Ozil from the starting line-up. Funnily enough the other two things the report says Arsenal should do is return to a back four and go out with the tactics of defending deep and playing on the counter.

I must say that a counter attacking style for Arsenal is much more likely if you have a player who can pick the right pass to release a striker like Alexis Sanchez and no Arsenal player has the same vision ior ability on the ball as our German.

I would also point to a report in the Daily Mail that once again ruins that easy criticism of Ozil not trying or not trying in away games. Not only cover more ground for Arsenal last season than anyone bar Monreal, Ozil has covered exactly the same ground at home and away so far this season.

So what is left? The big game question perhaps, with the Mail pointing out his return of just five goals in 31 games against the EPL’s top five. However, if you look at his overall Arsenal record of 23 goals in 119 EPL games this is consistent, and you could even say it should be worse against the bigger clubs so maybe he raises his game in important matches.

His record in recent games against Chelsea is actually pretty good as well, so why on earth would Wenger drop one of Arsenal’s best players for this big game, just because of some mistaken ideas about Ozil coming from the so-called football experts?

Bob.

17 Comments

  1. We need all our players this is a big game, don’t know if wenger will play Alexis and bench wellbeck, but whoever starts need to justify it by playing well, we might get thrashed or win the game, thing is with arsenal you never know, I hope we win though..

  2. Not worth worrying about the ozil haters … they are usually Ramsey admirers and the real problem today will be being overrun in middle of park … attackingwise (at least without hazard) we are just as good and defensively if we replace Monreal with kolasinac there isn’t a big gap. I think we should use elneny instead of Ramsey and give Nelson a chance as wingback .. of all the youngsters he looks the most convincing to me … still think it’s an uphill task but Chelsea are not firing on all cylinders yet

    1. I agree with playing Elneny in this one. We need his discipline and should have enough going forward with Ozil, Laca and Sanchez.

      We could try a 4-2-1-3 with:

      Bellerin-Mustafi-Kos-Kolasinac
      Xhaka-Elneny
      Ozil
      Nelson-Laca-Sanchez

  3. If Ozil is as good as some people claim, I believe we won’t ALWAYS fight tooth and nail to defend him, using stats I must say…

    Those that think Ozil will play any different today are just like Wenger, doing the same thing and expecting a different result….

    Focusing mainly on today’s game, we have to use 4-2-3-1 formation for Ozil to have an impact:

    ………………….Webz…………Ozil………..Sanchez………….

    ………………………………………….Lacazette……………………

    That’s the only way he can at least do something..but 3-4-2-1 against Chelsea at S.bridge will make him even more useless and critisized…

    1. im a fan of özil’s potential largely because of what he’s achieved on the international stage. but he must know fans need to see that form translated on the field for the gunners. statistical argument do nothing to convince fans of his efficaciousness, he can evidence his quality with game changing displays – much like de bruyne, pogba, hazard, sanchez.

  4. Metro Lol. There is no issue.
    Ozil starts. Next question.
    These 9 will start.
    Cech
    Bellerin Koz kolasinac
    Xhaka Ramsey
    Ozil Wellbeck
    Lacazette.
    Two players to be selected.
    1 Defender. Holding /Mustafi /Monreal?
    1 Attacker. Sanchez/Iwobi/Walcott?

    1. Xhaka and Ramsey are not good enough to compete with the Chelsea midfield which is where our problems start. If you include Sanchez then the rest of the team more than match up and I would back them to win the game. Maitland Niles and Jack Wilshire are a better combination than Ramsey and Xhaka

  5. news are saying he might miss the game…apparently he got done kinda injury. not that I mind anyway and it gives wenger a chance to try something new.

  6. Im not having a go at ozil here but this stupid argument that ozil covers more ground than most is just lazy punditry. The problem is that although he is always moving he wont close players down and put in those important tackles. Watch him today he will jog to players who have received the ball but wont go inside a 2m radius therefore allowing a comfortable pass

  7. One of the problems with Ozil is again, like so many of the problems with the squad, the way he’s managed. Wenger will ALWAYS play him if available and NEVER sub him if he’s having a bad game.
    Clearly Ozil has more class than most epl players, only a few have real ability to unlock a defence, would be sorry to see him go, but I have to laugh when people have written here ‘sign so and so to compete with Ozil…or have Ramsey compete with Ozil.’ yeah, if Ramsey has any real future it should be in no’ 10 spot but Wenger won’t entertain squad competition for Ozil.. shame because it might bring more consistency to the team and even to Ozil as a player..
    And if you want go one better at using Ozil have a solid DM and an organised defence behind him to make up for his inability in other areas… (In flying-pig land)..
    Also covering ground isn’t meaningless…running and drawing opposition players is a big part of the game..

  8. One of the problems with Ozil is again, like so many of the problems with the squad, the way he’s managed. Wenger will ALWAYS play him if available and NEVER sub him if he’s having a bad game.
    Clearly Ozil has more class than most epl players, only a few have real ability to unlock a defence, would be sorry to see him go, but I have to laugh when people have written here ‘sign so and so to compete with Ozil…or have Ramsey compete with Ozil.’ yeah, if Ramsey has any real future it should be in no’ 10 spot but Wenger won’t entertain squad competition for Ozil.. shame because it might bring more consistency to the team and even to Ozil as a player..
    And if you want go one better at using Ozil have a solid DM and an organised defence behind him, (In flying-pig land).. to make up for his inability in other areas…
    Also covering ground isn’t meaningless…running and drawing opposition players is a big part of the game..

  9. I am a ozil hater and think the team can do far better without oxil, I would like to add ozil and Ramsey must not play together, both have good attributes, Ramsey normally gets into the box from a far deeper role than ozil, but lack the defensive discipline needed In this high tempo game, ozil can provide opportunities to score, but hides from the work load in getting into, defensive cover when the midfield goes beyond him and pressing the opposition.
    This covering distance is very misleading, why not show the movement graph, show the movement with or without the ball, the number of passes failed and completed, the number of tackles and the number of interception compared with others.

    Politicians love to use stats in their favor especially from a small sample, not taking in the other factors that tells the complete story. Ozil is brilliant in pass, what else is he good at??, Yeah I am hard on him, but he should be more.
    Ramsey I fair is not a box to to box midfielder, he should compete with ozil for game time and remove from I. Front of our back 3 or our back four and allow Nile, elneny, coquelin and xhaka to compete for the spots. Wilshere and iwobi must also compete for the ozil role

  10. Dropping Ozil and Ramsey is the best choice for Arsenal to get a win against Chelsea today. Don’t get fooled by stats. He cover the ground when walking around, not closing opponents

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