Good news or bad news? Ozil available for Arsenal v Man City

Mesut Ozil features for the majority of Germany’s 4-1 win over Azerbaijan last night, and is expected to be available to start for Arsenal next weekend.

The midfielder has been absent through illness and injury since March 11, but in reality, he has somewhat been missing in action for much of 2017.

Mesut Ozil’s current contract will enter its final 12 months come the end of the season, as does the deal of Alexis Sanchez among others, and the pair’s performances have both deteriorated as talks have continued to frustrate.

The Chilean is believed to have made his intentions to quit the club this summer, while the German seems more conflicted on his future, and his work rate has come under question increasingly this term.

Ozil is likely to be fast-tracked back into the starting line-up should he prove to be fully fit to return on Sunday, but with this game holding such importance in our campaign, his inclusion may not be appreciated.

Should we fail to win this weekend, we will likely fall five points behind Manchester United, as well as nine points behind Liverpool whilst having played two times less, leaving our Champions League qualification hopes in tatters.

Our season may well pivot on this match-up, with not only our top-four hopes at stake, but the potential mental advantage of beating our upcoming FA Cup semi-final opponents also at stake.

Failing to win the trophy as well as finishing outside the top-four would show as our worst season in two decades, and will further pile pressure on our club from fans.

Mesut Ozil’s lacklustre work-rate would likely hamper us against the Citizens, who are likely to play a strong physical game as they seek a second win over us this term. He has also been described as going missing in the big games, further pushing me to hope he is not on the team-sheet.

Should Ozil play against Man City at the weekend? Does he pose a weakness in games such as these?

Pat J

Tags Arsenal Man City Ozil

10 Comments

  1. For me, more often than not, as the team goes so goes Ozil. If the team play well Ozil adds class and chances, if the team play poorly he is not the guy to do something about that, as you say he disappears.

  2. If he is good enough for the World Champions then he is good enough for us.

    He needs to work harder with more aggressiveness though

    1. Not necessarily.

      Germany are like Barcelona, Brazil and Bayern, in that they seem to always have the ball. Meaning there is more odds for a player like Ozil to do something positive with it. Whereas at Arsenal we spend time without the ball. Add to that the difference in player quality between both sides, and the open competitiveness of our league. They are two totally different situations.

  3. Good news: he’s back from injury …
    Bad news: most probably he will start the game …

  4. Sure it’s good news. He still is a better AMF than anyone else in the squad. That gives Ox a chance to strive in the CMF role. We might even get a point out of that game.

  5. We’re effectively down to nine men if Ozil, and Walcott start. It amazes me that these two can get paid so much, yet have the ability to completely disappear in a game of football.

  6. This is a guy who had 19 assists last season (would’ve been double that if our strikers were a little more prolific with their chances). This is a guy with 8 goals this season. Love him or hate him, he’s still one of our most creative players. Who can play in number 10 role? Ox? Iwobi? Jeff? I know, Ramsey. Please, don’t make me laugh. Ozil is not the guy who can take the game by the scruff of the neck so to speak on his own. But he’s not supposed to. He adds fluidity to our game. Everything goes through him one way or another. So it boggles my mind when people say we play with a man down when Ozil starts. Football is not a one man sport. It’s a team effort. So the whole team needs to gel in order for Ozil to show who he truly is – a world class player.

  7. ozli world class !!!, you are joking , right ?. he is no more world class than giroud. a world class player willcontinuosly play his heart out, a world class player can play anywhere on the pitch. please remind me when ozil did either of those effectively. what you mean to say is you wish ozil was world class.

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