Arsenal to swap Ozil for Draxler in January?

I know that Arsene Wenger signed the Germany international Mesut Ozil for Arsenal because he thought the 25-year old superstar would be one of the key pieces in the jigsaw for the Gunners team of the future. And the Frenchman has always backed his record signing and given him plenty of time and patience to produce the sort of performances we used to see for Germany and Real Madrid.

But as yet, Ozil has not found his top gear in England and there are growing suggestions that the Premier League might not be the right place for him. I am holding on to see, but surely in this second season, Ozil should be much better and more influential in our games.

If he does not improve, then Wenger has a big decision to make and could even make it in the January transfer window. There is no way we will get our £42.5 million back, but one way we could make the best of the deal is to offer Bundesliga club Schalke a swap with Julian Draxler. Ozil also started his career there and might relish a chance to return and get his career going again, while a Metro report claims that a man from ArsenalfanTV met Draxler in London before the Chelsea match and the German admitted there was truth behind the rumours of a bid in January and that he was keen on the move to Arsenal.

The Gunners do not need both players really, as both play on the wing or as an attacking midfielder, but if Ozil is not suited to the BPL, then Draxler’s power and pace could well be. What do you reckon to this possible swap deal Gooners?

Tags Schalke Wenger

118 Comments

    1. To all the stupid Ozil bashers out there (you know who you are) who dont agree that he is being played out of position and that this is affecting his game.

      in 108 appearances for Werder Bremen he had 55 assists. That is one in every 2 games.

      In 159 appearances for Real Madrid he had 81 assists. That is one in every 2 games

      In 45 appearances for Arsenal he had 14 assists. That is worse than one in every 3 games.

      This is what Arsene and the lack of pacey striking partners does to an assist King. We need this guy to perform at his best, because he can be a game changer for us. So put him where he deserves and give him the right partners and if he still doesnt perform then sell him, hang him do whatever you want but until then stop bashing him.

      Btw for Real and Werder he played almost 90% of his games as CAM. You dont believe me go to transfermarkt.com

      1. Last gasp for me was some fool in here who claimed the Real Madrid fans were frustrated because of Özil’s performances for them, which is completely bollocks.

        He was much loved by Madrid fans and 99% of the true Real fans though it was a wrong move to sell him. I think ie. Ronaldo and Ramos both said it was a bad choice.

        Maybe the user who claimed that bollocks met some fickle Real fans at CaughtOffside or some other good site for fickle fan convention.

  1. I think it’s silly to give up on Ozil so quickly. He was awesome for Real Madrid and Wenger should place him in CAM position for a few games. I’m 100% sure he will improve.

    As for draxler, he is more than welcome. However, I can’t count the times players wanted to come here and Wenger messed it up or didn’t go for them ie. Higuain, hazard, Khedira, Jackson Martinez, ibrahimovic, fabregas, etc

    So, I’m not holding my breath. If we are not in the top 5 by January, something needs to be done. Draxler and a good defender would be great. Draxler, defender and top DM would be amazing.

  2. We can use both. Ozil as CAM and Draxler as winger, with Sanchez up front.

    …………………………Szczesny
    Debuchy…Koscielny…Mertsacker…Gibbs
    ………………….Ramsey…….Wilshere
    Walcott………………..Ozil………………Draxler
    ………………………..Sanchez

    That’s not a bad team actually

  3. Ozil has been a flop since arriving guys…I hate to admit this but he was only bought to appease us fans. He has actually f*cked up our midfield!!! I loved him at RM but now cringe as he isn’t delivering for my beloved club.

    1. Totally right about being bought to appease the fans but I do believe being played out of position isn’t exactly helping him. Trouble is we have too many players who all play in the middle, that isn’t the players fault in my opinion. I really don’t want to turn my comment into a negative about wenger,I’m as tired of it as much as everyone else is but the sooner ozil is given the chance in the middle the better,if there are other players who in wengers view are better in that position then wenger will have to sell him with a massive loss. That won’t happen of course because wenger is never ever going to admit he’s messed up

  4. Ozil is pure class- but unless he chooses to add effort, tracking-back to his game – he will NEVER fit in an EPL team-
    You just can’t afford the luxury of a player who is only good at passing, and offers no goal threat himself-

    Im glad Wenger bought him, I think it was the right call at the time, but unless he has an attitude shift, better to get rid of him sooner than later, and spend the money and time bedding in a quality replacement-

    And Drexler would do very nicely thank you!

    1. Wenger would surely have known he isn’t known for his defensive abilities before he bought him right?Or maybe wengers hand was forced into buying him?!

    2. We talk about the luxury of carrying Ozil in the team, but what about the luxury of carrying a manager who can’t organise the players he chose for his team.

      Anyway a stupid article all around.

  5. I am a fan of Ozil. But slowly my views are changing. Saw Hazards game on the left wing and hate to admit Ozil does not even deliver 25% of what Hazard gave last night. Really sorry to say. Will give Ozil another three games to prove my changing views and doubts wrong.

    1. Are you seriously comparing hazard and ozil? They are completely completely different players. Just shows your knowledge (or lack of) on the subject

      1. Comparing the left wing position. Currently both play in a similar position, so comparisons are bound to occur.

  6. There are two sorts of people/players, ones that rise to the challenge when criticised and others who’s head go down when they are. I think Ozil is in the later category. If Wenger doesn’t start playing him through the middle to regain his confidence, there is only one person to blame.

    1. Half agree with you as I think Ozil needs to shoulder some of the blame for being – not sure of the right word – a tad delicate. That being said, Wenger knew that when we shelled out 42m for him. Everyone said he needs to be loved and needed. So for me, Wenger needs to play him in the position that made him world class and Ozil needs to “brush his teeth and get hard” as an All-black captain once said.

  7. cut the f*cking slack on him. he boosted morale for the team when it was low. we all saw the rise of Ramsey when ozil came. f*uck off , wenger plays him wrong every £ ucking time. I am so f*ucking mad at Wenger not Ozil. Sh*t we ended our trophy draught when Ozil came so f*uck all your who think he has done nothing for the team. we asked F*ucking wenger to buy a striker, what has he done, he bought a f*ucking reject, who f*ucking does that. last week everyone was singing praises “f*uvk we bought Welbeck” he brought the same curse he had at Man U with. The guy can’t F*cking score. all should I say he can’t score yet. but otherwise f*ck you all Ozil haters

    1. can i join in ? oi you bunch of f*ck bags, f*ck off cos u do my f*cking nut.

      oooh that was fun. im a gangsta now? always wanted to be in n.w.a

  8. Not going to happen anytime soon. Wenger will continue to try and coax ozil to meet his needs. I fear bhe just isn’t suited to the speed and physicality of the pl. I want to see the ozil we saw soon after buying him, at the moment he’s lost his way. Being played in his best posituon woukd be a start. I’m disalussioned and pretty sick of our current situation, consdiering how we started the season with two honours we are dire at the moment. And wengers mistakes in the window have compounded our situation. How we can be relying on two ageing non internationals at dm is beyond me!

  9. You people have no loyalty and nor real fans. Blame Wenger for not playing Ozil in the right position. Ozil can and will improve. Have faith in him.

  10. Wenger is letting our players down the fans down and the board down. The reason why I say the board is because if this carries on the clubs revenue will drop. Thanks a lot Wenger get the f-ck out of the hot seat.

    1. Evening mate, a dark cloud is over the emirates at the moment and a big storm is on it’s way.but Wenger the weatherman thinks it’s all sunshine and smiles !

      1. @AAFC & me lean
        You guys need to stop with the doom and gloom. The seasons just started. It’s not like we’re sittin in relegation.

        Whats up Andrew? Hope all is well on your side…

        1. @NY_Gunner
          All is well thanks, I hope you and yours are great.

          I am having a pop at Wenger not our players not the fans just him. As I have said you buy a world class player for 42 million and play him out of position. WHY ??????????

      2. Evening mate. The storm is coming when you buy a player for 42 million you don’t play him in his best position you are crazy. Sack Wenger on grounds that he’s suffering from delusional thought.

        1. No other manager would do that and what are we getting for 8m a year ? It is sad watching all wengers work to make us a top club being undone

        2. @Andrew AFC
          You should know by now that I don’t do knee jerk or negative. Most of all I don’t follow the herd.
          I admire AW for what he’s done and have faith that he’ll come good again.
          Yeah, we paid 42 mil for Oz. But that didn’t come with a codicil that AFC were going to pamper him. It did come with requisite that he play for the team, not go through the motions. At least he’s being considered for game time. There are a few hugging the bench game in and game out who would give their all just to play. And he’s bitchin because he ain’t playin where he wants to.
          He needs to buck up, suck it up and shut the f**k up and play. Otherwise put in for a transfer and move the f**k on…

          1. Why doesnt Wenger put Giroud on the wings? How many completely, utterly horrible games did Giroud play for this team in the striker position?

            Why dont we use Per as a striker? Gibbs as a DM?

            Ozil used to have an assist every other game in Real played 90% of his games as CAM, now he gets less than 1 in three games, do you think that is only his fault?

            Another question, do you think if we sold Ozil to a team with a good manager that he would be playing on the wings? Do you think another manager would try to get the best out of one of the best number10s in the world?

            Is Fab playing out of position in Chelsea?

            I know his body language and work rate are horrible and i am not arguing against that. But until you give him a run of games in his natural position with this speedy front line we now have, we cant really judge him as a player.

            1. @Jimbeam
              The point is, when you come to a team you’re under a manager who tells you what he wants from you. You either do it or you don’t. If you feel you don’t want to do it, then move the f**k on. Wenger is the manager, Ozil the player. And he ain’t even tryin to play. Give me a break…
              Save the analogies for someone who gives a f**k.

              1. Dude, Chill the F*ck out, if you have nothing smart to say, just shut the f*ck up.

                A managers job is to get the best out of his team. Simeone and Klopp are perfect examples.

                Players are young, rich and stupid. It takes a manager to get them to play like a team. He played perfectly well in his previous two teams and he comes here at the height of his career and is playing like sh*t.

                I am not absolving Ozil of fault, I am saying play him where he belongs and if he is still sh*t then sell him.

                Let me give you another analogy you may like, Playing Ozil on the wings is like asking you to write something smart. You like that one?

                1. Well said jim.
                  The manager is a tool (pardon the pun) to make his team work ..
                  Wenger is a man whose instructions are lost..like the team
                  He’s the luckiest manager in world football that has ever lived..
                  Or we are being hoodwinked by the board in the biggest cover up in history…

                2. @Jimbeam
                  I do “Real” dude. There’s a difference…
                  You and a bunch of other Mufukkas are stuck in a negative hate loop against AW and you can’t see reality.
                  Real trumps smart everytime…

  11. @andrewafc. You’re right, the Arsenal brand/appeal is not exactly at its highest currently. We’ve got to remember it’s not too long ago we won two honours. Wenger needs to get the team established and a preferred sqaud/formation clicking asap.

      1. Agreed, Ozil is a CAM, so is Cazorla and Rosicky. They are all talented in that position. We are blessed to have 3 such talented CAM’s in our team. Play them in position and rotate them.

        We have no talent in the DM position, absolutely none at all. So lets not play with a DM.
        go to 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 or anything else that does not require someone sitting infront of the back four as we just dont have anyone who can do a good job there.

        But the biggest problem with doing that is that we have Per who can not keep up with fast attackers, so we actually do need a DM if we play Per.

        So once again, Arsene and his utter incompetence in the transfer window comes to bite us in the ass again.

  12. Booked my next visit to the emirates,hull city at home and I will take a Wenger out banner for before and after the game,during I will sing and support the team.

    1. Seriously @mr lean? A wenger out banner already? You think that’s necessary after 4 pl games and 1 CL game?

      1. Let’s think no not too early as let’s look back one year and our results away at Liverpool,City and Chelsea any other manager would not survive one result like that let alone three and what manager would start the season with six defenders to fill four places and most of all not buy a CDM that the world and it’s wife know our team is crying out for !

        1. @mr lean
          Our team is cryin out for the players to show some f**kn ballz and start fighting for wins, instead of lettting themselves get run over…

          1. But our manager shows no fighting spirit he just sits there arms folded,look at how animated and passionate Klopp was on Tuesday would you not expect our manager to show some emotion when things are not going well or to plan ?

                1. @mr lean
                  Save it dude. Because if you’re a player on the pitch gettin the sh*t rocked out of you and need the “manager” to get you fightin, then you should be flippin burgers…
                  End of…

  13. Also as long as we rely in per m as our starting cb we are doomed regardless of who plays at dm to help him and how well kos plays. I cannot comprehend that bould and wenger stick with him as he is one of the worst cbs in the pl.

  14. ..Ozil was overjoyed when we purchased sanches n welbeck…he even declared that he can’t wait for theo to return for speed…its like the guy is crying out…”Wenger put me in the CAM..put these guys infront of me and see how arsenal becomes successful”..

  15. On another thought what was Wenger thinking of when he made Arteta captain. Another c-ck up. It doesn’t take a genius to work out since he has been captain our form has dropped.

  16. The problem with ozil is ( although he is undoubtedly a good/great player) lately for some reason he is bullied when in possession..
    I think that he’s suffering from the whole midfield being bullied.. He looks depressed, uninterested and a bit frustrated.
    The problem isn’t Ozil- it’s the fact our midfielders are weak.. Technically very good but physically weak.. Average teams are focussing on our weaknesses and in particular slow weak players and capitalising.
    They seem to brush us aside with ease and we only seem to play well against teams that sit back and like to play themselves.. (Or very occasional we play with a rocket up our arses)
    Leicester & palace etc have average players but seemed to close us down and physically outmuscle us..
    Mertesacker is pathetically slow.. I’d settle for a snail pace defender if the player himself was as strong as an ox.. (Hence my theory to play giroud alongside koscienly) but slow and weak is a recipe for disaster..
    Arteta, slow, weak and always caught in possession.. Ramsey is good but feeble and wilshere although stocky seems to spend more time on the floor than on his stumps..!
    The reason we are probably struggling is that our saviour Diaby is eternally injured. We have Flamini and Arteta as ‘holding midfielders’
    WAKE UP WENGER :-
    Mertesacker
    Arteta
    Flamini
    Sanogo
    Monreal
    These are Squad players NOT players with ambitions of the title or CL, bench players for the capital cup.. Not players that can compete with bale, ronaldo, hazard, toure, messi Suarez etc..
    There’s possibly other players in there that aren’t up to the level but if we had better players than the above then we would be challenging in all competitions this season instead of starting to do well .. Getting a few injuries.. Playing players out of position .. Exhausting players.. Pissing them off burning them out and generally forcing them to seek pastures new!
    Villa beware..!

    1. Agree with that except I think Monreal does a good job and is exposed as a LB as he has no support or cover from who ever plays LW

      1. Yes I do believe he has improved a lot this season and could do with better cover (holding defensive midfielders) but as a top defender then we need better…
        We all said it in the summer and thought Wenger couldn’t be so ridiculously stubborn and replace vermalen and get a top CDM ..
        Look at our plight now with debuchy injured .. Arteta useless and diaby who!!!!!!!!
        A complete joke!

          1. I remember..
            Vermalen was in my opinion better than monreal ..
            Djourou better than mertesacker..
            Wenger has to be the most deluded illogical fool in the game..!!

            1. @ptn
              Yet many here thought the Per/Kos duo were the next Batman & Robin. You included. Touting how well Per reads the game and his positioning etc and how TV5 had lost his edge. And wondering why we were still holding on to Djourou…lmfao

              1. Per and kos have done a great job especially as they have not had much in the way of defence in front of them

              2. NYG
                I recall saying in a particular game (probably against Fulham) that they played well together.. 1 game.. And it was due to the fact koscienly did all the defending.. (Mertesacker is a joke.. And I stand by it 100%)
                Vermalen is at Barcelona and probably knew he was on his way.. I rated him but lost his place due to injury and the odd off game.. However you could always rely on him and when he was brought on he always gave you confidence he could ‘do a job’
                I’m not slagging players off for the hell of it.. It’s the truth they need it because we as supporters want answers to the managers persistent lies and pathetic excuses as to why players leave or why players aren’t bought because I’m sick as fuk of hearing the line by Wenger that he will only bring players in to improve the squad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  17. The problem as i see it is that at the start of the 2013 summer transfer window, gazidis raised expectations regarding new signings. By the time PL started we had only signed Sonogo on a free transfer. We then lost to Aston Villa at home and us fans were very unhappy. Ozil became available and we bought him. It gave the team a real boost, appeased us fans and at first he looked good. I think he has become disillusioned because he is not passing to world class clinical strikers and saw most of his efforts wasted.

    For us he is a luxury, there were lots of other priorities which needed addressing in 2013 like clinical striker and defensive midfield. Same problem as now. If we had bought the clinical striker this last transfer window, played Ozil in his best position then perhaps Ozil would get back to his best.

    So unfortunately I blame Wenger for not getting a wc striker in both the 2013 and 2014 transfer windows. If Ozil does not improve this season then I think we should sell him for both Arsenals and Ozil’s benefit. It’s sad to see a world class player not performing, even sadder that us fans have paid a massive amount of money for him and continue to pay a fortune in wages.

  18. Ozil through the middle with Cazorla as back up and buy a great left winger and a striker problem sorted. How many more times do I have to say it 🙂

          1. Not unless we buy a CB CDM and LW in January so with wengers track record no 5th at best just be happy to be proved wrong !

              1. I’d say no but my point was just judging our new expectations as after securing top 4 last season and the FA cup.. Surely we had title ambitions and champions league progression as a barometer ..?
                If we are now saying can we make top 4 ..
                Shouldn’t we all have been saying with our new defender, CDM and top striker that we are going to win the PL and go far in the CL!?!?!?

    1. I agree Andrew AFC and that great left winger is now at Man Utd and already settled in just nicely. Didn’t we try for him last summer along with Ozil? Why didn’t we go all out for him this time with our newly found riches? I’m confused, all I see is our rivals strengthen with the players we desperately need…

  19. Arsene who?

    Na, must go!!!! Look at Gervihno now which tells you something about this man Wenger and if Ozil were to move to another club and flourish, what do these tell you of your Manager? Ordinary, or at best, another Alan Pardew!!!!!

    1. @Darlingbudsofarse
      Gervinho was being booed left right and center, on here, from the stands and by just about every Gooner out there. Not by the manager dude…

      1. @NY_Gunner.
        Yes he was booed by fans but was that his fault or the way he was being used? Soon Ozil will get the same treatment but will that be his fault? No! The fault surely must lie with Wenger especially if and when Ozil leaves and flourishes elsewhere. Wenger is just too overhyped as a Manager. Just ask Tony Pulis, Mark Hughes, Alan Pardew, Jose Mourhino and my good self.

        1. @Darlingbudsofarse
          He was being used on the wings and up top. He’s on the wings now killin it. The difference was, at AFC he wasn’t hittin the target like the fans wanted.
          And if Ozil leaves, he leaves. No great loss if he ain’t contributing to the team.

          Do you or anyone else here thinks that when his team mates out on the pitch, looks over at him draggin his ass and feels sorry for him playin out of position. Or are they wishin he’d get his f**kn thumb out and help try and win the match. Just ask Wilshere, Ramsey, Carzola, Sanchez, Koscielny, Monreal, Giroud, Diaby, Gibbs, Chambers, Debuachy, Mertesacker, Arteta, Sanogo, Chamberlain, Campbell, Bellerin, Gnabry, Akpom, Afobe etc and my good self…LOL

  20. @phil-thompsons-nose
    If we don’t look like we are going to do it, watch the cheque book come out in January. Shit I am being so cynical 🙂

    1. Shit.. We are 4 games in and it’s a crisis.. 🙂

      Like we are talking about reinforcements after 3 weeks of the window closing..!

      It is a total piss take to get us brainwashed onto the transfer merry go round that is a media lie..

      As leano said earlier that every tom dick and Harry and their wife knows what arsenal are lacking and SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO BUY IN THE SUMMER but never did.. So why is this fool allowed to carry on in one of the most prestigious jobs in world football..!?!?!?????
      It’s the shits and if koscienly gets an injury (I can see it coming) then whose going to play in defence.. Bould???????? Fuk sake..

      1. @phil-thompsons-nose
        Don’t forget were Man Utd were last season. I think they will come back and we will be fighting for 4th/5th.

        1. Totally agree
          We all know if Manure go on a run then their momentum will be unstoppable and although they probably won’t win the league.. I can see them being above us and Liverpool..!
          The spuds will get it together this year.. Everton.. And who knows about villa.. All improving and with a better manager..!

      1. What is flopping, is Giroud a flop? He misses a lot of sitters, why was he our number 1 striker for two seasons?
        Look you buy a striker to mainly score goals and if they are scoring goals for you then pretty much everything is excused.

        It is the same with Ozil, you buy him to create chances, if he does like he did in his previous teams an assist every two games then he is not a flop, if he can’t get close to those numbers then he is and you sell him.

    1. I think they will say “sell him”. My reading of most posters here is that they aren’t Ozil fanatics, they simply want him to get a run of games in the position that made him world-class.

  21. Besides the DM, CB and ST positions, we needed a LW as well. So whatever the excuse was not finding those or having to settle, there was absolutely “NO EXCUSE” for not at least getting a LW in Di Maria when he was clearly mage available and for the fact we don’t play Podolski anyways (what a waste of wages). Ozil is very familiar with Di Maria and imagine Ozil as CAM with Di Maria and Sanchez on the wings…

  22. CAM: Ozil, Cazorla, Rosicky
    Wings: Walcott, Welbeck, Sanchez, Campbell, Ox, Podolski
    Striker: Welbeck, Giroud, Sanchez, Podolski, walcott, Campbell, Sanogo (if desperate)

    Wenger should have a system that uses Ozil as a CAM, his best position. Like 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1
    Ozil Had loads of assists at Real Madrid as a CAM.

    Not playing our best players in their best positions is retarded. Especially, when Walcott comes back we can have Walcott and Sanchez on the eings and Ozil right behind the striker. It will be awesome

  23. Things have come full circle a la Gorge Graham. We need to stop our LB and RB bombing forward and leaving our defence exposed. With Ozil, Cazorla, Theo, Sanchez, Campbell, Ramsey and Wilshere we can concur all.

  24. Anyone see Bayern manager….Guardiola . Being irate and animated on the touch line.. Passionate and tactically vocal..
    Hmmmmmmm

  25. Reading through all these comments there is a lot of doom and gloom from most people, including me.

    Losing away to Borussia Dortmond is no big deal, lots of top teams have had the same problem. However it was the manner of the defeat. Arsenal were very poor and boring, I cannot think of one Arsenal player who had a good game, except perhaps Szczesny.

    Lets hope it was just an off day. There is plenty of talent in the team so a few decent games should cheer us up.

    1. Our goali is busy saving goal Bcos we play sh*t. Some time I hope our goali don’t need to do any thing at all but when is the last time we see our goalkeeper do nothing.

    2. @jonm
      But there was only “ONE” man out there runnin his ass off from box2box and whistle2whistle. ALEXIS SANCHEZ…
      Some of the other players need to take a page out of his book…

  26. If someone think ozil got no passion than Wenger don’t have too. Wenger don’t show any fighting spirit at the bench too. Ozil personality is like that, you don’t see him showing like a mad man celebrating a goal scored. Even when they get the world cup, ozil still behave like nothing, that is his personality.

    He don’t show in his face, doesn’t mean he dont care. VPussy celebrating by running to fregie so that mean he got passion?

  27. Thoughts please. Highbury and being the best club in Europe thumbs up, or the Emirates and being where we are thumbs down. Silly question really 🙂 🙂

  28. PS look at Chelsea where they are now with a shit hole of a ground. If they carry on they could pay for a new stadium in years to come with the extra revenue.

  29. Night all great discussion on here tonight and though I don’t agree with everyone’s opinion and vice versa I respect all your views and we have one thing in common our love for the Greatest football club in the world The Arsenal. COYG

  30. I think that most long term supporters would consider Ozil unsuitable for Arsenal or indeed the Premier League, all except Arsene. Well ,maybe he`s right and the rest of us are wrong and , as he would say, “give him time”, which is what we`ve been asked to do, for many reasons over the past ten years. I don`t know much about Draxler, only what I read, so I can`t say if it would be a good idea to swap him but right now I`d swap him for my grandma (plus 45 million)haha!

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