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Will Arsenal team changes lead to a change in fortune?

Arsene Wenger has made three changes to the Arsenal starting line-up for the away clash with Aston Villa. But they are not the changes that a lot of us may have expected, because two of the players that have been dropped from the starting XI, Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez, have been arguably our best two Gunners so far this season.

I am not going to second guess the manager, as I have usually been wrong when I do that, but I hope that he has seen something in training that the rest of us have not. Maybe the introduction of Santi Cazorla to the Arsenal team will at least mean that our under fire German international Mesut Ozil will play in his favoured number 10 role and that he will start to prove his ever increasing band of doubters wrong.

I am happy that Oxlade-Chamberlain is starting today, as the young Englishman gives the team real pace and drive. The other change, Calum Chambers for Hector Bellerin, should mean that the Gunners are more solid in defence and hopefully that will give a platform for the attacking talent in the side to do it’s stuff.

Szczesny
Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs
Arteta
Chamberlain, Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla
Welbeck

subs: Ospina, Coquelin, Diaby, Alexis, Rosicky, Wilshere, Podolski

So Gooners, will this change in team selection lead to a change of result for Arsenal?

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Tags Cazorla Ozil Wilshere

174 Comments

  15. Can u mates at least support the boyz for 90min & stop wit the negative comments we can do that after 90min #COYG

  19. You would’ve thought Arsenal would come out of the traps quickly after getting the poor performance in midweek.

    15 minutes zero chances created.

    2. No. This formation keeped us on the very top of the table last season. PLAY OZIL IN THE MIDDLE STUBBORN MAN

  61. Welbeck and Ozil both goals, someone said in another post 3 goals with those 2 involved in all via goal or assist, might come true

        2. I waz jus going with the flow #chill I know you are a supporter waz just kidding I alwayz read your opinion smh

  78. Honestly, I don’t care about giving pity to Villa
    More goals. I want more
    I’m greedy bastard.
    (Lol, my mobile gives me word options as I type and when I typed the word “bastard” one of the 3 options I received was “Gerrard”. I think because I typed his name recently)

  79. I wish Mesut would pass instead of shooting. Cazorla was standing free. The second chance i mean. Where Ramsey lobs the ball.

    1. Ozil can get the assist crown. He scored loads of assists with Madrid. I believe last two years as many as Messi.

      I never stopped believing in him.

    2. Ozil is not in the middle, he is playing on the wings as in the previous games.. The difference is that he has pulled the finger out of his bum in this game so far.. He has a free role with the likes of Ramsey, Cazorla and The Ox, they interchange..

      That’s what we have been saying all a long, some fight and contribution towards the team and we will have now complaints..

  84. Plenty of positives from the first half;
    1. Ozil not just finding some form but playing with real intent. Looks 10000% better through the middle.
    2. Our defensive structure looks to now include some man marking at set pieces… About bloody time.
    3. Welbeck’s touch! Showing he does have some.
    4. Using our speed to create space and chances rather than tiki taka and indecision.

    I just hope Ramsey can find some form and we end with a clean sheet! COYG

    1. Arteta was still getting bossed until we scored. Still showing he’s not good enough for the starting lineup. and yeah, Ramsey passing still off, but he was still involved in all 3 of the buildup to goals. Cazorla also playing well, deserves a shout.

  86. I always know know ozil was never out of form, wenger just play him out of possession cus of wilshere, i hope afta dis game he wont go back to the wing oh

  87. Ozil so much better through the middle. Looks much more confident and dangerous on the ball, his passes have been excellent, got himself a goal with a very smooth finish, then followed up instantly with the assist. Completely different player when played in his actual position, hopefully should be enough to keep him there permanently.

    Nice to see Danny get his first goal today, hopefully the first of many! Pretty cool that he set Ozil up for a goal, then Ozil set him up for another one a minute later!

  88. ozil must play in the middle, without doubt… and please “stubborn man”, change the formation, 4141 is not working, this four central midfielders looks invisible.

    2. this is a 4231. Ramsey is deeper than he has been earlier this season, Cazorla and Ozil rotating LW and CAM position.

      1. mmm, just do not look like the 4-2-3-1, the most time, arteta was alone in the middle…. and ozil the most part of the game played in the middle.

  91. Ozil in number 10 position and he is awesome

    I think Ozil is one of those one position only players, but when he is in that position he is a master.

    I also think not playing in his favourite position, hurt him mentally. He lost interest and confidence.

    Anyway, I’m not greedy by nature but want even more goals today. We need a big boost.

    COYG

        1. He made the second highest number of chances on the wing. I don’t think that Mourinho, Low and Wenger didn’t play him out wide by coincidence. Ozil made the 2nd highest number of chances and the most successful passes in the final third.

  92. would like to see Sanchez on around 60 minutes, more defensive than Santi and villa need to come at us so his pace will be handy.

    70 minutes Abu Diaby for Arteta

    Last 10 minutes Poldolski for Welbeck, needs game time for cup

  93. Ozil’s best position is in the middle where he occasionally roams out wide, he done this a lot before Walcott’s injury. Just because his assist came from the wing doesn’t mean he should start on the wing.

  94. When Ozil plays well. he’s f@ckin awesome. Needs some consistency. Maybe World Cup hangover…but time to put lotsa performances together now

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