There is a saying about making the same mistakes over and over again, but I can’t remember exactly how it goes. And we have all laid that sort of accusation at the door of Arsene Wenger at times, whether it be in the transfer market, tactics or any other part of his management skills.
But we are all armchair managers whose only success has come on a computer game console, so I am at least willing to admit that Wenger might, just might, know what he is doing more than I do. So, why is the Frenchman currently going against all conventional thinking and playing Mesut Ozil in the same wide role where he struggled for Germany and where he does not want to play?
Is it punishment, tactical or merely that Wenger feels that Santi Cazorla or Jack Wilshere is better in the number 10 role? It might be a little bit of all three, but to go back to what people say about repeating your mistakes, the opposite is also true. So if you do something and it works, surely you would do it again.
And when Aaron Ramsey and Wilshere were struggling for form in recent years, both had spells out on the flanks. It may not have gone well in every game, but the boss seems to see it as a part of the process of getting them firing again. So let’s put some trust in the Prof once more and hope that playing Ozil out of position will end up like Ramsey and Wilshere and not Andrey Arshavin…
will walcott be back for the match against chelse?
The Tottenham match was being touted as his comeback, but a few days back in a charity event he rubbished it saying it was rumours and he didn’t expect to play the NLD.
I don’t think he will play in the Chelsea game as well.
Talking about trust, i no longer trust Wenger. Ever since he loaned out Sendros and baught silvestr, replaced on fire Eboue with the ever back passing sagna, sold owusu because he was bringing adebayor, sold adebayor and brought in chamak, sold van pussy and replaced him with giroud and finally refused to bring back fabregas/song when he had a chance to make a choice but brought back flamini not forgetting buying siquilachi…
Dude i’m with you a 100%. Trust & Wenger are light years apart.
Only thing is that these players wanted to leave, was not the club wanting to sell them. Most of them had at least one year contract to fulfill so it was only reasonable to get as much as we could for them at that time.
Okay, sure – putting players on the wings could be teaching them a lesson. But then what was the initial reason that Ozil got kicked out in the first place?
Figuring out Wenger’s pokerface/I-actually-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing face is frustrating to say the least. But he’s the manager. Let’s just hope he puts out a strong lineup against BVB today so we can get a big win away from home. And while he’s at it, he should plot some ways to recruit and lure in Reus to North London.
Besides, Ozil on the wings helps decongest the central midfield area, hance Wilshere and Ramsey having more space to operate through the middle. Ozil even at his worst will still get attention from any smart opponents, he is not the kind of player u want to leave lurking anywhere around ur defensive areas
debuchy’s injury is just bad luck we should have kept jenkinson he could have been our 4th choice cb + rb or brought in a new defender
He will tell you in january that he don’t find any CB better than our youngsters (Hayden & Co) 🙂
There’s absolutely no difference between Bellerin and Jenkinson. If we had kept Jenko we would add one more to the injury list. As usual, you talk $hit after the things already happened.
& as usual u interact with me despite I being not interested so kepp ur crap 2 urself
hector bellerin
Just trust wenger , Hes probably playing ozil on the wings to teach him in the premier league you have to defend as a team its not like germany where u can afford to be lazy or real madrid where you only have 3 teams to compete against, putting him on the wings and then watching the match back viewing how he plays not covering or tracking back will show him in plain sight that he needs to work harder, when he proves hes fighting for every ball im sure he will get put back in the middle cause you need to defend whatever position you play and i think letting him have the middle will spoil him not teaching him to trackback.
and meanwhile we play with 10, right, until the experiment finish. No baby-sitting please, now it’s almost 3 matches playing on the wing, either play him as CAM or bring another player who have the motivation to fight for the ball
Why are people always coming up with bizarre cconjecture on Wengers reasons for playing players out of position.
It is bad tactics nothing else.
Destroying title challenges as he re-educates a world class player as to how to play football is nonsense.
If he wants him to traceback fookin tell him, he is the boss, players do what he tells them.
No need for some intricate psychological plot to get Ozil to defend.
Wenger will buy in january im sure of it!!
Did he tell you that, personally? Cause “we are in need to buy or we are short”, does mean sh#t for Wenger.
Well, maybe another CAM
club arsenal is not a school and 60000 people in the stadium has come not to watch the kids do their learning.
Be stubborn Wenger… put Ozil back in the team after he finishes his lessons ,…. also please show some guts to play Coquelin instead of Arteta/Flamini.
I am saying this because we can do this experiment as neither Arteta nor Flamini is playing so well.So we can have look at Coquelin as he is superb in through balls from deep.At the same time the Ozil experiment which Arsene currently doing, is costly as it is done on the expense of Rosicky/Cazorla/Campbell.
We are back on top of phisioroom legue,
I think Dortmund will play a more attacking and open game now that we have no defenders but I think it will suit Arsenal’s game now that we are a more rapid in counter attack also last weekend we played more aggressive and physical game which I thought it was way overdue.
I’m very sure MO wil come good, playing in wide for now will only teach him some rudiment about EPL his time will come in the middle the boss know that for sure one thing I’m sure of is that he was not bought to play out wide I think just a lesson for him.
Einstein said: the definition of madness is trying something over and over again and expecting different results think that’s the saying you’re looking for
Maybe that’s exactly what Wenger expect.
Well, I still stick to my guns that the team is unbalanced. Playing MO in the middle will create a gaping hole for the opposition to exploit at will. Reason being we have no solid DM. MO is weak in tackles and tracking back. So Santi & Jack offers something in this regard which some how help keep the team in shape. MO is exceptional with a solid defense behind him. Keeping him on the wings is trying to give him game time and toughening him up a bit.
looks like chambers is sick
so bellerini will play right back
and no one will cover cb
looks like chambers is sick
so bellerini will play right back
and no one will cover cb !!!!
That’s good. Let’s see how far can we stretch and give some game time to others (e.g. Bellerin,Rozza,Campbell). This game is the perfect opportunity to see this. We may be forced to do the same against another big game anyway.
I think AW is sold on the “2 complete midfielders” idea based on Bayern and Germany’s success using the duo of Schweinstieger/Khedira or Schweinstieger/Martinez…either could bomb forward and very difficult to track or mark them when they did because of the unpredictability. Having a designated holding mid only takes away the unpredictability.
This is probably why LvG is desperate to land Strootman as well, perhaps he sees him as the ideal partner for Carrick/Blind?
AW is after a complete mid-fielder like Abou Diaby (…makes me tear up when I look back on the games he played. His career simply cannot end in a medical room…)…equally very good at attack & defense. He’s not said he is after a DEFENSIVE MID per se.
In the meantime, he wants Rambo and Jack to keep improving their defensive abilities. If, when they can, then the final solution is 2 of Rambo/Jack playing as complete mids in a box to box role and between them building an understanding of who attacks when and who sits and holds. Alternating when/who does what.
I think AW is building up to this…which of course would then ideally get Ozil back as a true No 10…with Walcott and Sanchez on the wings.
But as we can see – Rambo and Jack are still not the finished products in terms of the defensive side so in the meantime he needs to play the 4141 while they develop.
This then makes sense of his comments about Jack not being a true defensive mid and his best work is in the final third….I don’t think AW sees jack as a No 10 at all and clearly he isnt a DM…he wants him (and Rambo) to be Complete Mid-Fielders which is more than your classic box-to-box
More complete guesswork to justify Wenger’s tactical failings.
If you buy a number 10, play him there, if you buy a striker, play him there.
Wenger gets high from this ‘Wenger reinvents players’ horse crap.
yes – it’s only a theory based on observation cos like all of us on this site…we are not party to the planning, tactics, observations, insights of AW and this coaching crew.
he’s not reinventing Rambo or Jack…I see him helping them realise their full potential. As he will with Chambers, Bellerin, Akpom, Gibbs, Szcz, Crawley, etc…from time to time he does see potential in some players with an ability to play in a different role and he works on that.
He bought Ozil – an attacking mid who can play across the line but with undeniably with the right team structure and system is devastating as a No 10. For Ozil to play as a No 10 all the other elements must be in place – the right midfield support, the right kind of wingers/FBs, and the right kind of STR.
He didn’t buy just a No 10.
I am with Wenger…I don’t think tactically he’s the most astute but I back him.
Off topic……..I think Liverpool bought average players they will struggle to make top 4 coping with European matches ass well..generally our team is not fantastic yet coupled with the fact that we are still short in some areas but I’m happy we are far better that them.
Sorry everyone l know its off topic but I apologise I just have to mention them can’t get I over my head.
Wenger is a financial and tactical Genius. In Wenger we Trust
Sorry guys, but wenger and the German manager can’t all be dumb or clueless to play Ozil on the wings. At Schalke before moving to Madrid he play from the wing. There must be a reason they all prefer playing there. At Madrid Ozil did most of his assisting coming from the Left or Right. No manager is convinced right now that Ozil is flexible enough to hold a midfield position. You need high energy players in there.
Look at Silva at City, and to all the Gooners comparing Silva to Ozil, please don’t, Ozil is not in Silvas class, Silva has high energy, he is hard working, he is not limited like our Ozil who it seems like can only play in one position. The likes of Silva, iniesta, Cesc, on fire Cazorla, on fire Mata have lots of energy across that front line. Those players are so flexible that they will create assists as well as score loads of goals a season.
Some biased guy on here called Ks-Gooner keeps calling for the likes of Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla etc to be dropped in favor of Prince Lazy (Ozil). Wilshere was dropped all last season, whenever Cazorla has a bad game he is dropped the next. But Ozil has has been shocking for 90% of his Arsenal career so far but is never dropped. That’s what gets on my nerves when it comes to the Prince Ozil brigade. They are so quick to criticise the likes if Giroud, Cazorla, Wilshere, Monreal, Arteta, Sanogo etc just to protect Ozil. It’s always some other players fault for Ozils lack of flexibility. Always the wrong formation, always the managers fault, but never Prince Ozils fault.
It’s really cringeworthy the depths you guys will go to to justify Ozil being on dimensional. Smh.
People here talk like they been managers for years. Had most of you been the manager, at least I am sure that;
a) You would have bought Khedira over summer -he has just recently undergone knee surgery
b) You would have already dropped Jack-he scored and assisted one goal against Man City.
If the team wins several games in a row, the fickle fans will be here singing praises for Wenger. When, NOT IF, Ozil starts splitting the defences again, they will be singing his name again. Like it or not, these managers we disparage so much do actually know more that most of you combined.
And by the way, when the team looses and armchair managers are downing beer in anguish, he is the one who faces the media, his own fans, opposition fans……
Lol, play Ozil in his preferred position (#10). Ozil can’t play anywhere else apart from the #10 position? What a waste of £42 million and £150,000 a week. He should just be left standing in that #10 position waiting for his team mates to fight, tackle, defend, track back, run their legs off then deliver the ball to our Prince Ozil in his stationary #10 position? Wow.
The likes of Arteta, Cazorla, Ramsey, Walcott, The Ox, Monreal, Giroud, Wilshere etc are not on £150,000a week like Ozil, why should they run and fight more than him? If he is not willing to fight like his so called not world class team mates then his wages should be decreased and the other committed players wages increased. It’s only fair, isn’t it. Work hard be rewarded for your hard work, be lazy and a liability and your wages decrease. Right?
We have still got Ozil wrapped up fans that are still claiming Arsenal had never won anything in 9 years but when Ozil came in we won the FA Cup ang Charity shield. Hahaha.
They will ignore the key players Ramsey and Cazorla who stood up and won us those cups. Ozil was substituted in the final because he was being his normal self, walking around, no effort, every little tackle on him would make him to disappear more into his shell.
The likes of Ramsey and Cazorla never get that much hype even if they are the reason we won those trophies. They are big game players.
F@&%ing hell, only at arsenal do you see fans moaning and criticising the manager after an UNBEATEN start to the season, its bordering on pathetic that then need to whine is instilled in you all after just 4 games, especially when we’ve lost none.
Of course I’d like to have seen a better start but its still been a reasonably good one and football is incredibly unpredicable. At least wait until 10-12 games into the season before you lot go back to whinging again, but I can guarentee than 90% can’t manage that, this thread proving to be a great example. Ramsey and Wilshere were both played out wide for a couple of seasons so they could develop their game and both became better players for it. Now Wenger is using a method thats proven to work with the last 2 people he’s done it with and surprise surprise you are all moaning.
Why can’t we have a midfield with Ramsey and Wilshere/Arteta in the back Walcott/Campell/Welbeck on one wing, Sanchez on another wing and Ozil/Cazorla behind the striker Giroud/Welbeck?
Like tonight
…………………………Szczesny
Chambers….Koscielny…Mertsacker..Gibbs
………………Wilshere…………Ramsey
Sanchez………………………………Podolski/Campbell
…………………………Ozil/Cazorla
……………………. …..Welbeck
Going to what I said before…I think this is where AW wants to get the team but without Rambo and Jack being defensively good enough yet…he opts to play a more traditional “holding” midfielder like Arteta or Flamini. Otherwise he fears our backline are too exposed to direct threats especially against teams with a very good No 10.
He obviously believes that Rambo and Jack can both develop their defensive and attacking attributes in equal measure.
Looking forward to this game tonite (4am for me!)…Gunners 2-0! COYG!!!
Mesud Özil is like the princes on the Pea. He isnt a fighter.
I’m tired of being stubborn fom Mr wenger.DM is needed to compete with the big ones until when we have to suffer like this? Ozil has to play behind the striker so ramsey-wilsher ( one place for one of them ) and real DM ( tackler ) then Sanchez-Wlbeck-Theo/Cazorla ( pace ) simple no experiments then people judging Ozil for not tracking back ( he’s not winger FOR GOD SAKE ) when will be play our players at their best position? I’m really piss with this on and on..
Dare I even ask – whats the latest with Diaby?
Deserve what? The team hasn’t played up to their best, but by your message here you would think we are fighting relegation. You seem to know what Campbell looks like in training, can you give us a report? How’s Poldi looking too? You still in talks to take over after Wenger?
OZILL IS A MAGICIAN, IF U WANT TO SEE ALL HIS MAGIC,THEN HE NEED TO PLAY IN POSITION HE IS SUITED BEST. IF HE PLAYS IN THE MIDDLE HE WILL GIVE DEFENDERS A MIGRAINE.
WENGER IS A DREAMER AND A STUBORN PERSON. HE THINKS THAT HE CAN MAKE A PLAYER PLAY IN ANY POSITION HE WISH TOO.
TODAY DORTMAN DOMINATE THE GAME BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE A SOLID MIDFIELD.THIS IS WHY EVERYONE WAS HOPING TO SEE THE ARRIVAL OF KHADEIRA IN ORDER TO BE A WALL INFRONT OF OUR DEFENDERS.
SO WENGER PLEASE PLAY OZILL IN THE MIDDLE ,THIS IS THE REASON U PAID 42 MILLION.