Arsenal boss to move Ozil wide again? Is he mad?

We all know that Arsene Wenger likes to keep his plans for Arsenal close to his chest, be it transfer business, tactics or even which players are really fit enough to play. In that he is no different to most Premier League managers, but usually we have a good idea of the tactics and system the Gunners will employ.

If you asked every manager in the Premier League, Arsenal fans and people in the media what you ecpect Wenger to do with Mesut Ozil this week, I think you would get a unanimous answer; play him from the start in the number 10 role. But in his pre-match press conference, reported by Arsenal.com, the Frenchman has suggested that he could move the German playmaker out wide again.

The boss did admit that Ozil flourished in the middle and that he seemed to be building a nice partnership with our new centre forward Danny Welbeck, but he also hinted that the star midfielder would play where his manager felt he would help the team best.

Wenger said, “He played very well and had a good understanding with Danny Welbeck. It was a good partnership because they gave each other balls to score.

“It is tempting to keep Ozil in that central role but I maintain again that he will play where he is needed for the balance of the team and that can change game by game.”

So why would the Gunners need to play Ozil on the wing? Maybe to accommodate Jack Wilshere or Santi Cazorla in the middle, but the Spaniard seems happier on the flanks than Ozil. If Wenger does take him away from the number 10 role tomorrow, it will certainly surprise the Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, but I think it is a surprise he would gladly accept, unlike the Arsenal fans.

With north London bragging rights and a vital three points on offer, is this really the time to change the system that worked so well at Aston Villa?

Tags Cazorla Wenger Wilshere

50 Comments

  1. So what if he plays wide? He can be lethal middle or wide. Ozil’s issue is his form and not his position.

    One of his greatest assets is his ability to take genuine attacking wide positions as a no. 10. His width is what makes him great. Not sure why everyone has jumped on this bandwagon.

        1. Shouldn’t we move other players to cater to him?

          ………….Welbecks………
          Ox……….Ozil……….Sanchez
          ……Arteta……Diaby
          Gibbs…Kos…Mert….chambers
          …………….Scz

          1. You would play Arteta over Ramsey!?!
            Are you nuts?

            Love to see Diaby in that deep midfield position but at the expense of Arteta not Ramsey!

    1. But don’t you think RvP that when a certain player is out of form, play him in his favoured position till he returns to form and than play his out of position again after he is in his stride?

      See like right now you(RvP) is out of form. But he can play LW. Suddenly if Van Gaal plays you out wide than you are bound to fail and Arsenal fans will take the mikey out of you on twitter. But if he plays you as a striker and than when you return to form and after that if he plays you out wide, than you would play better ( although RvP would still be an as*hole). Wouldn’t you agree?

      “Ozil’s issue is his form and not his position.”

      I repeated the same thing you said. 😉
      But to play him in his favoured position till he is back in form.

      1. A soccer player is a soccer player and a good reader could slot anywhere but the good of form helps a lot but also it is not that important because the encounter together with players adrenaline push the spirit up the problem lies when heads go down as in giving up that is the killer the method of success is to remain energetic positive with never give up attitude
        Here i like to mention the crowed where supporters most push and motivate players all the time and give an electrical ambiance to the game so the players can get up charged. We got to cheer them on

      2. @ Sumo

        Depends on what the players position is. Teams play Arsenal narrow and try to pack the midfield. So it makes sense Ozil plays wide for less contact and more space.

        It also begs the question as to how this player created the most chances in the WC while spending the majority of his time wide.

        1. @RvP

          “It also begs the question as to how this player created the most chances in the WC while spending the majority of his time wide.”

          Yes completely agree on this. But i think he was 2nd to Messi. But yeah complety agree.

          But when one of your star players come out on record to say “My favoured position is the centre or the right flank and i play on the left because of the team” this means he naturally will be more effective from the centre.

          Also if you look at this- when playing from the centre, he was the highest goal scorer in the world cup qualifying group out scoring Robben and RvP type of guys.

          He can do à job from the left but is the most effective from the centre. And I am sure Wenger will play him in the centre.

  2. where ever he plays i just hope he and the rest of the team are right up for it
    no more lackluster performances this one really matters

    coyg cant wait for kick off

  3. Frustraying how he says ‘for the balance of the team’…the whole team plays sooo much better with ozil central
    Formation that will destroy spurs:
    Szez
    Chambers kos mert gibbs
    Diaby ramsey
    Ox. Ozil. Sanchez
    Welbeck
    Flamini/wilshere for diaby at half time

    1. I alway’s Have a good laugh on wenger tactis. The man really thinks that having three or four creative midfielders (including arteta an ex- cam) brings balance.

  4. I am sure Wenger will play him in the middle till he regains his confidence and form. And once Mesut finds his stride Wenger will play him on the left flank and accomodate Jack.

    We (some of us) don’t like Jack taking up Mesut’s place but he is a great talent, let’s not forget that.

    But i hope Mesut is played in his favoured position.

    P.S.- Ain’t it funny how Cristano-The Portugese ManC says “I love United” and Real Madrid increase his salary?

  5. Sincerely, Ozil isn’t good enof for the left flank. He’s a born midfielder meant for the number 10 role. I used to abuse him a lot for performing below expectation on the flanks. But after critically studying his body language in the central role and his body language when on the flanks, I just sympathize with him.

    Judge Ozil only when he plays in the number ten role.

    1. so when players play out of position its an excuse to try less? I dont agree with Wengers decision either but wherever he tells the boys to play, they should be giving 100% no matter what. Ozil is not the first player in history to not play in his preferred position. And he played LW all summer for Germany anyways…

      1. none of our team give 100 percent except sanchez an maybe kos

        i agree about ozzy tho- we saw last game how brilliant he is- he has no excuses…

        1. i think theres a difference between being out of form and not trying as hard. Ozil’s body language is completely different when he played in the middle. I’m happy that he had a good game against Villa, but if Wenger puts him on LW again, its not excuse to go back to the way he was playing before. Ozil has played on the wings before. And even for Real Madrid played there sometimes. Its not a new position to him like some people think. Hopefully Wenger stops smoking whatever the heck he is though and just leaves Ozil in the middle. It doesnt even make sense using him on flanks.

        2. and i think the team does give 100% most of the time, they are just out of form, making bad decisions, plus a combination of Wenger doing dumb things as well.

          1. not sure man. i remember we were poor last season. we would turn up for second half if we were lucky.

            watch sanchez – then tell me the whole team give 100%

      2. Look in my mind it is simple you do not ask a 100 meter sprinter to run the 1500 meter race it is not what he is strong at in the same way you do not buy a football player to play him in the wrong position.

        Why does Wenger no get this, I thought he had a degree.

        Wenger needs to go and buy players who play in their correct position. The reason why the team plays badly is because he is constantly playing them out of position, it must be very degrading as a player being told to play in the wrong position and being professional has absolutely nothing to do with it.

  6. For me he has to play in the middle. Let him roam about play his game and destroy these c@nts tomorrow. Sanchez and Ox on the wings would help defensively. Would love to see Diaby make an appearance at some point.

  7. “Is he mad?”, was your question and the answer is, “yes he is, if he plays him out of his favoured and most effectual position”! End of!!

  8. in Madrid Mesut Özil plays with Cristiano Ronaldo, di Maria and Sami Khedira 5:0 in the Spanish sun – now he plays with Giroud and Podolski 0:0 in the British rain. maybe that is the problem, not the position

    1. if thats true then hes a punk. this is football not hollywood-
      ive seen finding nemo twice- it ends well- i still believe in u mesut

  9. Since JustArsenal t-shirts are out of fashion so i won’t take any but will still make guesses-
    West Ham 3-2 ManU
    Pool 2-2 Everton
    Us 3-0 Them
    Chelsea 1-0 Villa
    NUFC 0-2 Stoke
    Southampton 4-0 QPR
    Post Pulis Palace 3-5 Leicester
    Man City 4-0 Hull
    Sunderland 1-3 Swansea
    WBA 0-0 Burnley

  10. I’ve given up criticisng Wenger’s tactics. He is extremely stubborn and we have to accept it unfortunately. He wants to prove that his way is the right way.

    I just hope that we win and hope Ozil’s morale and confidence doesn’t go down, because he looked a lot happier and vocal during the Villa game. Ozil wants to be CAM.

    Anyway. We will beat Spuds wherever he plays.

    1. If Wenger plays Ozil on the wing then Townsend will destroy our left side and get crosses in, just like Navas, and Lukaku did.

      Play Ozil in the middle, Ox or Caz on the Left wing

  11. Do you guys expect him to say yes Ozil will play in the middle?? so that they have a ready made plan on how to tackle us?? It does not work that way! I don’t think wenger is stupid enough to send Ozil back to wing after such performance. #COYG!

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