Arsenal simply must start Ozil in our next two games

Ozil must start the next 2 games by Dan Smith

Many Gooners believe Unai Emery should be given 4 or 5 transfer windows until he is judged, but there is no point ignoring mistakes just because it’s morally correct to give him time. It’s not his fault his employers lack ambition but when we lack any creativity, then that is his responsibility.

We have lost 6 out of our last 12 games, the same time in which we are told Ozil is not being picked for ‘tactical reasons’. I don’t think there is anything more to it, as the few times he selects the German, he makes him captain. Our record in the last couple of months gives us the right to question the decision and wonder why the same mistakes keep being made. It’s not like we are being defeated while wasting loads of chances, yet the Spaniard insists that Iwobi is a better option then a World Cup winner.

Last weekend, in a second half where we didn’t register a single shot, a man who has created more goals in Europe since he joined us, didn’t even get off the bench. Ramsey and Suarez were also not picked at the expense of a back 5 and 2 DMs. I’m sorry, I don’t care how long you have been boss, we are entitled to point out errors in judgement.

If picking on form, Iwobi has had enough chances to prove he has quality in the final third. Our next 2 fixtures could determine the course of our campaign. In both we are massive favourites where the biggest obstacle is our own attitude, if we are professional, we should be victorious. At Huddersfield and then in Borisov we most likely will have most possession while the opposition park the bus. Surely these are the games to put your faith in Ozil?

We don’t need to over complicate matters. We don’t need 5 at the back or 3 DMs. Play your best attacking talents like Arsenal FC have always done. If he sticks with Iwobi and we don’t win our next 2 encounters, we have a right to criticise.

Dan Smith

114 Comments

  1. I think he’s been frozen out so he leaves
    I’m ashamed at how he’s been treated
    And just my opinion but I think the 45m is a scam and it will be 75/80m
    Even though that’s not enough it will cool some fans down who feared the 45m

    1. I am ashamed that a player who is paid so much, cannot even do the basics of sprinting, and working hard!

        1. What are these “mistreatment” claims being constantly brought up? Are El Neny, Lichtsteiner, Mavropanos and all the other players with basically their backsides on the bench the whole season being mistreated as well? Is Ozil immune from the bench? Is Ozil a mini-manager who has a divine right to be on the starting line up? I would really love to be mistreated with a free £350K every week for doing hamstring extensions and cardio at the club’s facilities. Please, somebody mistreat me!

        2. Ambiguous post! Explain your exact point please. Your post can be taken either way, as unexplained as it reads.

      1. “”I am ashamed that a player who is paid so much, cannot even do the basics of sprinting, and working hard!“”
        I would love the proof to go with this statement or are you just jumping on the bandwagon .
        There are other things a footballer needs to have about him to be able to perform not just working hard and sprinting .
        Seems to be a growing number on here having a problem with the money he makes which tbf compare it with some of the other top 6 teams is peanuts

        1. If you want proof just watch him play. Two really good recent examples were his 45 mins at Brighton, where he just jogged around…and that was it! The other, being his pathetic cameo against United, where he was knackered after 10/15 mins of light jogging, and again, created nothing!

          1. But you’re just making that up ,youre looking at it how you want it to look .
            Did you moan when we signed him in 2013 ,because his style of play has not changed ,the only thing that has ,is his wage increase which every one now seeems to be a bank manager on here and they don’t like the fact he’s now our top earner .
            Tell me this is would you rather someone like iwobi in our team which is like playing with 10 men or someone who mite just pull off something unexpected now and again which can change a game .maybe you need to look past the wages and look at the quality .

            1. I’m not making it up. Go and watch those games if you don’t believe. Watch his recent performance Cardiff. Iwobi and Guendouzi were the playmakers in that game, on top of all their other responsibilitis, which Ozil gets a free pace on for some reason.

              This is not my opinion, so don’t take my word for it, just look at the facts.

              1. TMJW-look at the Brighton game.Coasting at 1-0 WITH OZIL ON THE PITCH.He may not have been effective as he could have been in some fans opinion but it was no coincidence that after he was taken off at half time we created next to nothing against a very mediocre at best Premiership Team.
                It’s very hard to argue with that fact I believe but if you feel different I would like to hear your thoughts

                1. blame ozil always!!!!…ozil not on pitch of man city game and they lost. At the time of Wenger Arsenal beat man city sometimes. when new coach E come in they alway lost to Man city. Defending is the problem at arsenal/.

            2. This is nonsense. You cannot possibly have really watched that Brighton game and written as you have. You are seeing what you want to see. QUITE IRRESPECTIVE OF HIS WAGES HE IS BONE IDLE. It is clearly YOU , not Third ManJW, WHO ARE SEEING WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE. Open those wilfully blind eyes!

              1. Yes Jon but you are picking out one game ,a game you want to highlight as a bad game .hes hardly played this season .
                Did you like it when he signed for us ?because he hasn’t changed his style of play so I’m not sure why the witch hunt all of a sudden ,what is it his pay rise that everybody now can’t stand .
                Have you seen our team play the last few weeks ?
                We are awful atm but you keep saying we are still better off than last season ,but when you look at it properly you will see we are not ,and having ozil at the team is hurting our chances of getting even close to 4th position

                1. He has hardly played for two ressons. First, injuries. Second because thre manager correctly does not often pick ineffective and lazy players. All the others work hard. OZIL SHOULD DO TOO!

                  1. others work hard but why they lost? Do not expecting players to perform outstanding in all games. some games they’re good and sometimes they’re bad.

      2. Thirdman and I guess you should be ashamed of that statement.. How the hell does sprinting all over the pitch help his game?
        You folks call him lazy and yet all the hardworking players that keeps playing haven’t done half anything close to what he can do in the final third and we keep losing and dropping unnecessary points and yet you folks keep saying stuffs.
        The hardworking players that has been given all the chances this season, where have they taken us? 2nd, 3rd?

        1. So what has Ozil done in the final third this season?

          You’re wrong about the basics. ALL players need to work hard. Imagine if we had 2 or 3 more players like Ozil in our team, that don’t track back, tackle, press, sprint, put their bodies on the line, head, etc. We’d lose most of our games!

          1. ThirdManJW imagine if we have two of him who will pull the passes when everyone is running around. I never really like Paul merson a lot but he kept saying what is the point of having lots of players who run around the pitch without achieving a lot? Sometimes we need players with vision whose ability can unlock defence in an unexpected situation. We have all these players run around and we still end up looking like a rubbish team. A player’s ability develops and improve with game consistency. Emery doesn’t like him and that will obviously have a massive effect on him. Ozil has got some incredible statistics and he didn’t steal them. As for his salary it was convenient for the club to give the salary because he sells shirts for them.

          2. He has created the most chances second only to Xhaka. And that even though he is being benched in half our games. Just the facts. We could use a few more “lazy” players like that.

      3. Ah, the truth the whole truth and nothing BUT the truth. Sadly though TMJW, many on here refuse to accept the obvious truth. So pleased that you at least have clear vision, which of course I SHARE.

        1. Ha well since it’s a gathering now, and since this whole debacle has always been about Ozil earning 350k and being lazy.
          Which clearly like Dan Kit said, he is the same player we signed ago, back then it wasn’t an issue with you guys really? The only few things that changed his is age and his his wage which suddenly points out how lazy the man his according to you guys…
          While you’re at it, you both might please tell us all what Lichtsteiner does that justifies earning 90k a week, tell us what Mikhi does that justifies earning 120k a week.
          I guess they are not much a problem just because their names doesn’t start with Mesut right?

          1. eddie you have falsely put words I did not say in my mouth. As in “and his wage which suddenly points out how lazy the man is according to you guys”. If you can point to a single word that mentions Ozil’s salary in my above post you will make the best magician in the world extremely jealous! I will obviously disregard your entire post for that very reason. By all means argue about what I DO say, but if you are choosing to argue with the words YOU put into MY mouth, then you are arguing with yourself. AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK THAT VERY ODD BEHAVIOUR!

            1. No Jon I haven’t out words in your mouth, folks on here are all witnesses, though you haven’t typed it today.. You have a knack for pointing out how we are allowing a lazy player earn such amount of money at the club and you do it a lot I think

              1. YES YOU DID! It is there in print. HOW CAN YOU DENY WHAT IS PRINTED WITH YOUR NAME ON IT!!! Of course I have many times said he is lazy and he is. But that does not change the FACT that in your above post you put words in my mouth. If you speak and understand good English, there is no other possible explanation. INCREDIBLE !

                1. Remember calling me a liar?

                  I have spent many replies to you highlighting that I was only talking about a single post but you refused to accept it, demanding that I should pay attention to what you have said in other posts…

                  Now someone has taken your older postings into account, you say your other posts are not in question… They are? They aren’t? Flip a coin to find out!

                  INCREDIBLE !

          2. ThirdmanJW, can you explain to me what the ten outfield players, while giving 100% running up and down the pitch, actually did to help us win the game?
            Not one shot on goal in the second half, so where were they doing this never ending running around?
            From what I saw, and the shots on goal ratio confirm this, they were all back in their own half defending.
            They didn’t have to run around all over the pitch, because they didn’t have the skill to get out of their own half and supply our front two with an opportunity to actually have a shot on goal.

            So this type of play is something we should be pleased about and proud of because they give 100%? 100% of what?
            Where was the spark of genius, the telling through ball, the balls that Lacs and Aba need to score goals?
            Sitting on the bench, twiddling his thumbs, doing hamstring extensions to keep warm and hoping to be able to earn the grotesque wage that is common to all PL players.
            Wake up UE don’t let your clouded vision of Ozil get in the way of what is best for the club, just play the maestro and be thankfull.

            1. Let me ask you then, what has Ozil done when starting games then? What did he do in the four games he’s played against top opposition? What did he do against Cardiff recently when he started?

              The point I am making is people seem to think we need Ozil to turn the results around, when the facts of his contributions prove otherwise. My other point is that ALL successful teams have at least a basis of work ethic before anything else, and then you add those one or two luxury players into the mix as the finishing touch.

              Now of course with luxury players, they won’t have as many responsibilities as the other outfield players, and nor would I expect the likes of an Ozil, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Hazard, etc, to track back, tackle, aggressively press, defend, head, etc. You want to keep these WC playmakers in the final third, where they really do their business. But when a luxury player ISN’T consistently producing those goods anymore (especially in the big games), then they almost become redundant. They’re ONLY in the team to be creative, and chip in with some goals, but when they’re not doing that, how can one justify their position in the team?

              You say we need a spark of genius, that vision, and I actually agree with you, but Ozil is not the answer going on his performances. I wish he was!

              1. TMJW, so we agree that we need a genius with vision.
                It was plain to see that the players UE put out on Sunday had neither of those attributes.

                A player with that class is going to cost the equivalent of 4 or 5 kronkie transfer windows and what do you think this player will be demanding in wages?
                I will hazard a guess at, the very least, the same money Ozil is reportedly on now.

                Secondly, where is this player and why would he come to the club when he sees how talented players are treated?

                We have such a player at our club at the moment, who is being used in such a weird way it’s impossible to understand.

                If your assesment of Ozil’s game is true, why on earth did UE then select him as captain only to drop him the following week, leaving him as a unused sub?

                We are notplaying well, we are not creating the openings for Lacs and Aba and yet, Ozil is pilloried for not appearing to give 100%.
                I believe if he performed at 75% of his capabilities, he would have created more than the zero attempts on goal in the second half against City.

                Should we expect more from him? Yes I believe we should, but by cutting of our nose to spite our face, the manager is dragging our club down to the expected level clubs like Stoke aspired too.
                The salary has nothing to do with the discussion, but would you have turned down the opportunity offered to you from Gazidis and kronkie? At least he uses his money to help charities around the world, as Jon will do when he pays out the £100 to the Willow foundation.

                1. Yeah I don’t think I was getting my point across clearly before as everyone thinks I only want to see 10 work horses and no vision in the outfield players.

                  We definitely need that playmaker in the final third, but Ozil just isn’t good enough anymore. Even under Wenger, we he played to Ozil’s strengths, and showed such faith in him, yet Ozil still went missing in most big games. So it’s not just a problem with Emery, it was an issue with Wenger as well.

                  Clearly Ozil has got worse, and Emery is part of the problem, as he maybe should try and accommodate Ozil more, but if I had choose between the two, I’m going with Emery everytime. I’ve seen Ozil for 5 years under 2 managers, and he just doesn’t turn up when we really need him. I’d rather see what we can do with players that fit Emery’s system, instead of square pegs in round holes.

                  My final point, is that its unfair to criticize after an away defeat to one of the best in Europe with 7 players injured, including 3 first choice defenders. I’d rather look at the bigger picture. If Ozil is so important for our creativity, then how have we scored so many goals, and created so many chances, when Ozil has missed over half our games? That is fact that Ozil fans conveniently ignore everytime I bring it up. Hopefully you, and others can answer that for me.

                  1. So, we want a genius with vision as we both agreed.
                    You failed to answer how we would pay the transfer fee, the salary of such a player and whether he would want to come to a club that, it seems, discourages individuality and vision.
                    How on earth TMJW can you expect this to happen while we are under the yoke of kronkie?
                    Please try and be realistic about this, even if you don’t rate Ozil, can our club find/afford/attract a player with the pedigree of Ozil?

              2. To understand the difficulty people like Emery have with gifted players, you at first need understand that Emery was not a talented footballer himself. His limited career was built on hard work and grafting. Ozil and Neymar and players of that ilk will seem frustrating to someone like Emery because he cannot understand how they play with such little apparent effort. Ozil makes passes and touches that other players wish they could (insert Ramsey lol) and does it with style and grace rarely putting in any extra effort. This is artistry not hard work. Now Emery may not want an artistic team, but this team does not work hard either and that has nothing to do with Ozil. If he plays Ozil we have a greater chance to win games rather than benching him. The other factor however is that the team needs to make use of chances Ozil creates when he does play. If Ozil is played in behind Laca and Auba, they will score goals 100% guaranteed yet the coach refuses to do this. Why? We need to decide whether we want to be Arsenal and what we are famous for or Stoke and what they are famous for. i know my choice.

                1. People keep going on about this Ozil, Auba, Laca, link up all the time, so then my question is…why hasn’t it worked? Under Wenger and Emery, it hasn’t worked. In fact, Ozil has been playing his worst football for us ever since we got lots of quality around him (Torreira, Guendouzi, Auba, Miki, Laca). So the ‘lack of quality’ excuse for Ozil’s poor performances, has be debunked.

              3. A world class player attracts oppenents to focus on his movements, and in the process, they tend to lose shape and become vulnerable for attacks. Sometimes, teams deploy someone to track them up and down something which works in the favour of the team. These other players get spaces to exploit and create chances out of nothing. World class players sale shirts, attract good players to join the club with a view that things are likely to change in future. But which team in the premier league today would dedicate a midfieder to track down Mr. Iwobi, Kolasinac and the likes? Sometimes the role Ozil plays is beyond the physical running as the manager keeps demanding.

            2. Ken1845, they all ran around and we created ZERO chances against Man City in the second half. Sir that immediately had a knock on effect on Abu and Lacazette, two players were ineffective straight away. The rest of the players running around conceded two goals. I really don’t understand. Please someone enlighten me.

              1. Pat, first of all, I am not 173 years of age, but a sprightly 73!!
                What you say is my point exactly.
                PLUS.. what would it cost to get a player with the attributes of Ozil?
                Probably 4 or 5 windows of kronkies transfer budget I suggest to you.
                Then the question of this players salary.
                Do they expect to tempt someone with the stats of Ozil to sign for peanuts?
                Much more likely is that the club would need to, firstly attract such a player with a cash carrot. Why join us at the moment?
                So, the salary will have to be in the region of Ozils anyway, if we are serious about attracting these type of players.
                But we don’t have to do we?
                Ozils waiting to earn his money, supply the balls to Lacs and Aba and create, or at least try to anyway, more chances than zero in forty five minutes of super dooper 100% running around non stop in their own half.
                This is the world of realism that we, as Ozil backers, fail to comprehend, cannot see clearly and aare not backing UE!!
                What a load of BS>Play the man and let him fall on his sword if he cannot do better than the 100% athletes we witnessed on Sunday.

            3. SIMPLE FACT WAS WE WERE PLAYING AGAINST A FAR BETTER TEAM. WATCH OTHER FAR INFERIOR TEAMS PLAY CITY TOO AND THEN RE THINK YOUR COMMENT KEN. Why not just accept that our present squad is way sub standard. That we are still, technically ,in the 4th place race is little short of a miracle with those joke defenders left fit. It is down to the manager alone. I have little meeting of minds with you any more Ken after the way you traduced me yesterday. PERHAPS WE SHOULD STOP CONVERSING. I AM SERIOUSLY THINKING OF DOING SO, TO BE FRANK! PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO ACCEPT OZIL,S NON COMMITTMENT TO THE TEAM MAKE ME CROSS. I always dislike self fooling.

              1. Jon, what are you referring to with regards to me trdcing you?

                As for the game, of course they are a better team/squad than us.
                The owner has spent the money to make it thus and we have kronkie…that sums it up.

                But what you are NOW insinuating is that when we play the five teams above us in the league, we should expect to be completely outplayed, have four shots on target, none in the second half and be thankful?
                Just because we are inferior?

                Having the awful defensive injuries doesn’t mean we cannot create some movement to take the ball away from our defence does it?
                There was absolutely no flair, creative play, chances created in that second 45 minutes and yet UE chooses not to bring on a creative player?
                Instead, in the 80th minute Jon (Timing any significence this time around) he brings on a player who has joined us two days ago in order to do what?
                No knowledge of his teammates, not played consistently and touched the ball approxiametly four times.

                As for not conversing with people who don’t see things the way you do,that statement tempts me to say something I know I will regret, so I will refrain from replying on that topic.

                Jon, if your happy with that display, see no reason to query UE’s decisions/tactics and see no room for Ozil to improve it, then one of us is completely off keel.

        1. That will create such harmony amongst the players wouldn’t it?
          He’s going nowhere and why should he?
          The manager shows him no respect. so why not do the same back?
          He will see out his contract simply because he loves to prove others wrong and this man has backbone..after all he took on the might of the German FA didn’t he?

            1. Not quite Jon, I heard someone say he was mentally fragile as well!! Can you believe that? A world cup winner with, supposedly, no backbone and mentally fragile?
              Where do they get these notions from?
              Must be from the back of a kellogs snowflake packet!

              Heard this one making the rounds at city utd pool spuds and chelsea?
              Their fans are bent double in hysterics, I can tell you!!

              14 Arsenal players running up and down, round and round, sideways to sideways and who still couldn’t get a shot on target in 45 minutes of football?

              That’s got to be a Guiness Book of Records entry.
              It does qualify, you see, as this is fact and not an opinion.

              Still, it’s been said that team of triers gave 100% (of what I’m not sure of) and the fact that they were soundly humiliated and showed no backbone is proof they’re heading in the right direction.
              That’s alright then, Ozil can sleep easy tonight.

              1. Careful Ken, you might appear to question Emery and be labeled an EOB. We all know Emery needs 24 windows, get the band back together from Seville, and an academy full of his players to satisfy people.

                Emery soothing his ego by benching Ozil while we are inept and sterile on offense. Ozil left out for “tactical reasons” while Suarez recently arrived gets in game. SMH on that, love hearing the tactical explanation behind that.

                I’m for giving Emery time, but not sure where it’s going. I’m for working hard and movement, but please with purpose.

                I’m with you on this one Ken; I want Emery to be successful, but he’s not above being questioned as we do players and management.

                1. My thoughts are simple; play him to hopefully create chances, or play him to be shopped for Summer transfer.

                  Icing him on bench doesn’t help team, fans, player, or club. Playing him to create or shopping him for sell is a win-win as I see it.

                  However I haven’t won a single game as a manager; yet, so what do I know.

                    1. Sue, if you actually tallly up the questioning of UE’S treatment of Ozil, there are many voices of reason, you included.
                      It always amuses me when someone says that their views are the majority views…why can’t they just stand by their own?
                      As Durand says, if one has a different view to certain other contributers, be ready for the abuse to start.
                      Answer back in kind and the real venom starts.
                      isn’t that right Durand?
                      Follow the leader then all will be honey and light. Question at your peril!!!
                      Well, the BS I saw on Sunday and the reasons given that we can do without Ozil after that display is unbelievable!!
                      Anyway, I’m going to run round the block now for 90 minutes and give my version of 100%, so that I can make our first eleven and keep Ozil on the bench.

                    2. Yes abuse or you get blanked… Maybe because they haven’t got an answer?!!!
                      Hahaha brilliant Ken – nothing except 100% is acceptable & if you don’t break into a sweat then you’re definitely out of the team (for tactical reasons of course ?)

          1. If I was Emery , I would play Ozil every single game. there is no down side to playing your 350K a week star. If we win the coach is a genius, if we lose then the coach played our best player. What I dont understand is since we started benching Ozil 11 games ago we have lost 6 and drew 2, yet folks are saying we are heading in the right direction and the treatment of Ozil is justified? Why because we dont like him personally? I honestly dont get it. I would hazard a bet that if Klopp or Guardiola had this arsenal squad we would be at least top 3, but we are not, why?

            1. You know why? AW hater need their last straw which is new manager to be successful. So they try to find excuse for the new manager.
              Not sure about top 3 but 4th shall be ours with the current squad.

    2. Ornstein reported that the £40 million is most likely the base amount, if we get UCL football then it may rise up to about £100 million.

      Don’t know how much truth in that but as I read you saying 75/80m, it was close so thought I’d share.

  2. We have two great strikers with different styles and strengths, both of whom can create chances – when they get the ball. We need someone like Ozil to get them the ball. We need him.

    And we need to see what Suarez is capable of – the sooner the better, before it’s too late and we suddenly find ourselves 6th in the PL and out of the Europa Cup.

    1. Guendouzi, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles and Iwobi (if he plays as an LW) can provide the assists and chances to the forwards

      Ozil should be kept for an easier home games, since he seldom turns up in an away game. Hopefully Suarez can improve, because he looked rusty at the Etihad

      1. Depends on your meaning of showing up for away game. That particular away game, needed someone capable of holding onto the ball high up-field until players came into play, and then giving a decent pass or having a have and go with them. It wasn’t just about they must assist and they must test the keeper, and we didn’t have that neither anyhow. We needed some confidence on the ball, our forwards had a worse game than our defenders in my opinion. Defenders were always going to find them difficult to contain, even our first team defenders would have. The forwards didn’t have a game, they helped keep a shape but they had nothing in a forward sense.

  3. No, because Ozil rarely performs well in an away match since last season. He can play again at some home games against poorer and weaker teams

    Iwobi looked bad because he is not used to play as an RW. We can see how he plays as an LW at the next EPL game and the team needs an LW like him to break the opponent’s defense

    I agree that Arsenal should not use a three-CB formation against Huddersfield, because it would be too defensive. I reckon 4-1-2-1-2 would be better to steal the first goal

  4. i’m glad goooooners you’ve realized the weakness of our tactician. only UE can omit a creative midfielder like O’ZIL in modern soccer among all the modern tacticians today and worse of all rate Iwobi, Guendouzi and Kolasnac above him. Ateta was a better option than UE.

    1. Kawooya Henry Gooner, I was vehemently against Arteta as our new manger, but I must say I will 100% take him in hindsight than Emery. He probably would have united the club than Emery who’s most significant achievements is to cause fighting, arguments and play nonesense football. Why would a football manager choose to loose a game so that he can prove his point against a player. And this is a player who as being part of our Club’s history. A history that even 10 Emery can not erase. Emery just came and nothing gives him the right to oust any of our players. Not just Ozil.

      1. Pat, on what basis would you expect Arteta to have performed better than Emery given the current squad strength and impact of season ending injuries? What has Arteta ever won as a head coach/manager?
        Where would Arteta rate among midfielders, who have played for Arsenal; not highly in my opinion?
        The biggest problem with Mezut Ozil, has been his unreliability for selection due to his many injuries (“back spasms”). When has he been available for selection for three games in a row? Unai Emery has inherited Ozil, he has apparently spent personal training time with him, he has explained what he requires from him and tried to motivate him by naming him captain. The only thing he can do is play him in every game and see if he sinks or swims. At least he then earns his money, until the next injury and half the fan base will be happy.

  5. From my own view point, Emery has lost it. He met Ozil at Arsenal and all of a sudden the latter cannot play; in the same vein, he terminated negotiations with Ramsey…..His behaviour borders on jealousy of their pay checks.
    The performance of the players has DIPPED owing to the dressing room climate.
    His fielding capabilities are doubtful, and the attackers avoid attacking the aerial balls. They usually wait on the defenders to use their heads in spot kicks.
    If he knows that he would not get the support of the management ,in relation to buy players, then he should ask or resign.
    My prediction is this: if he can’t change, he’d be out within 3 years. And at this time, Arsenal fan base must have been denuded!!

    1. Swthin, what a total crock!
      If he is not supported by Kroenke and the board in the transfer market, Unai Emery will walk away from Arsenal within three years. Good luck with attracting a replacement.

  6. How ANYONE feels Iwobi can be dropped leaves me open-mouthed in amazement.He was the only player that CREATED A GOAL against Citeh.The way he effortlessly gave the ball to Laporte who found himself with time and space to cross perfectly for Aguero to score their first goal was pure GENIUS.And that was after 53 SECONDS.Ozil would have been knackered long before then yet Iwobi had the fitness and vision to still create that goal out of nothing.
    Make Iwobi Captain I say.

    1. I missed the sarcasm in this until I read the second sentence ?

      It is alien to me how any manager can rate Iwobi over Ozil and keep playing him. It is not as if playing Iwobi makes us harder to beat from a defensive point of view which makes even less sense to play him ahead of Ozil. If indeed Ozil is being dropped for tactical purposes, as in my eyes he gives us little creatively and little defensively. As I have said in a previous post Iwobi’s main strength is his ability to travel with the ball and occasionally beat a man – but what use is this when his end product is so poor that he either fluffs his strike straight at the keeper or drives his cross into the body of a defender?

    2. Best sarcasm on here for some time. Unless of course Phil, you have suddenly taken out Nigerian citizenship and thus joined his “nationalist” fan club! As Harry Hill says “What are the chances of that happening”!

  7. Ok. I haven’t really written any comments since our lost to City.

    I don’t want to hijack this important article points but I believe it co-insides with the thoughts I have.

    City are the best team in this league – even if they do not win the league.
    They have D. Silva and De Bruyne as part of their base 3 in midfield. The overlap is the most important weapon in football. Get in between your opponents and you are like a cat amongst the pigeons. The reason City are soo good is because D. Silva and De Bruyne overlap Sterling or Sane/B. Silva and run into the space where the threw ball is played. This bamboozles (right word?) the opponents. Its what sets them apart from everyone else (amongst other key things).

    Look over the first goal again. The overlap got city in. This was defended but the high press on Iwobi who had no one to pass to (every single AFC player was in our own box) meant their 2nd phase created the goal.

    Why they are likely to win the league is because if you look at Liverpool (or every other team in the league for that matter), they rely on their wing backs to overlap. Liverpool against West Ham had Kieta or Fabinho trying to run threw the middle and only Robertson or Milner playing the width. It has been the tactic of teams even before we mastered it with Cole and Lauren but the issue is full backs starting position (defence) to where they need to be (attack) is a time lapse that affects the power of the sting –
    Most teams can deal with it. The strength of full backs joining play lays in bringing the ball out from defence as a flowing team then when you are dominating your opponents and they sit back (important point).

    When I consider the tactics on Sunday I can see we gave attention to defending, and as good as it is to see this, we lacked creativity going forward – I feel the idea was to break and use Auba’s pass.

    Many have questioned only having 3 attacking players, even against teams like west Ham away. I agree.

    But the aim should be to be masters on the wider areas on the pitch. Currently our full backs do not offer energy, stamina, support for both attack and defence efficiently over 90minutes.

    Koslanic has had patches of good support. Litch has not had a moment of note. Even with a fully fit squad only Bellerin has the characteristic for a young (and developing player as he is only 23yrs old) full back to offer what unai is teaching.

    We will never have Torriera, Gendouzi or Xhaka overlap on the wing. City have converted natural wingers to the deep role to play as wingers. This means they can keep the back 4…back (or full backs in line with Ferdandinho in a line of 3 with the 2 centre backs behind them).

    So this leads me to Ozil.

    Overlapping is key. in 3 4 3 there is enough cover with the 3 defenders and 2 centre midfielders to allow our 2 wing backs to join the top 3. This gives you the 2 sets of 5.
    The reason Ozil does not get selected in my opinion is because on the defensive front of the 3 4 3 we need the pace to break.

    3 4 3 is meant to be an aggressive tactic, not one to be ‘keep ball’.

    Obviously saying this we can comment we do not have the players to play this. If we were blessed with options at the back, we would probably see Mustafi not selected. That’s Ozil and Mustafi both not playing/ being dropped – 2 apparent first teamers.

    We wouldn’t make a deal of it if Mustafi is not being selected because most people feel he is not good enough. But Ozil not playing is raising some eyebrows.

    But we must get use to the fact that Unai Emery sets his teams up to consider the opponents plans (unlike Wenger who enjoyed total expression of our strengths – with the plan of it to be better then their opponents) more then just to consider what we can do.

    Its a change of philosophy that we are seeing and subconsciously we are wondering what is the plan because it feel different!

    I don’t want us to loose that freedom to express ourselves, but also I do want us to have more grit and fight. The league today is a far cry from what it was before where errors were less punished.

    Now it is small margins. Both on and off the pitch!

    my thoughts

    1. On your “Iwobi has no one to pass to” comment, a more shrewd and clued up player would in such a circumstance pass to ROW Z. No opponent ever scored from there. Other than that it was a post full of well argued points, I thought.

      1. Jon you give Iwobi too much credit with power, more like row M not row Z; but excellent point about clearing out of danger.

        Defending 101 I would say.

  8. Emery should be invisible so they said, until at least he’s had 3 to 4 transfer windows.
    Watch how folks will pick the Ozil debate and call him lazy while pointing to his salary, which to be honest is what most people on here are obsessed with.
    Hypocrisy of the highest order, to always pick on a player and insists he does everything on the pitch just because he’s earning that much

  9. Ozil is a myth, sorry.
    He has been exposed at Arsenal for far too long. He depends on other players to play well. He has been here for the last 2 seasons and he has done fck all for us, finished 5th and 6th consecutively and we are floating between 5th and 6th still with him in the team or out.

    The guy is a walking excuse by his fan base.

    1. Ozil has been here for five seasons , not two! I agree with your view on OZIL. HE IS LAZY AND MAINLY UNPRODUCTIVE AND I ALWAYS SAY LAZY PLAYERS ARE POISON IN ANY TEAM SPORT. If he cared enough he would work hard. He does not work hard, so does not care enough. THAT IS OBVIOUS TO SOME OF US ON HERE BUT NOT TO OTHERS.

      1. Jon Fox, can you back your claim of Ozil being lazy and unproductive up with statistics? Until you do this your claim of him being lazy and unproductive will be seen as a mere witch hunt. His body language might be your assessment but if you goggle information about our players and their abilities then you have clearly missed the mark with your claims. please Jon get me some statistics to back your claims. Until then……

        1. AS YOU ARE AWARE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE STATS FOR LAZINESS. Stats show work , not LACK of it! It was a silly question.

          1. Is it just me or is it not a fact that most of the games we have lost this season Ozil was not in the starting line up? So if he isn’t on the field how is it his fault we are where we are? and how is he lazy if he is sitting on the bench? Emery will be fired by next season if he keeps this nonsense up because Ozil will not be sold in the summer. He is guaranteed his 350K a week even if he doesnt play why would he agree to be sold?

      2. I want to assume that we are all educated and can read between the lines, just please do me a great favour and do the research, and bring the results to this forum for all of us to see. Because i firmly believe that there are a lot of information that can put the question of Ozil’s ability to rest. And like Eddie said most are obsessed with his salary. The unfortunate thing is that no one can do anything about it now, especially Emery.

  10. The former regime’s decision to keep Özil “at all cost” has backfired so far.
    His huge salary is a problem, as he hasn’t been worth it, and as I understand it, because of the UEFA Fair Play regulations, it also limits our options to sign other top players wanting high salaries, as we can only increase the wage bill to a certain limit.

    So basically, Emery has 2 options.
    1) Get rid of Özil to make financial room for other players, or
    2) See if Özil somehow can be more like the important players, he really should be

    Özil has skills that are among the very best players in the world. But honestly, he hasn’t performed consistently over the years, and we should expect more, especially in big matches.
    OK- the next few games are against opponents, where he potentially could shine, so in an ideal world he is given the chance, takes it and builds on it.

    1. But in reality the “world is not ideal” so a sensible person accepts that and plans accordingly. Which means we should offload Ozil ,which I am certain will happen next summer, even if it means us continuing to pay a portion of his salary.

      1. Jon, you well may be right. But as I understand it OZIL does not want to go.I think I have said this before that contacts and believe me has the most watertight contract that money can buy, are a binding agreement between player and club. I also think that as long asmanagement see a value in BRAND OZIL it will be difficult for the manager to move him on. It could be that the club buy out the remainder of his contract but that would not be cheap but could save money in the long run. I also think that Ozil is not as mentally fragile as some seem to think and I think with the advise of his management team he may well chose to tough it out with Emery. I would not like to predict the outcome of that scenario. I think the best case would be for OZIL to decide he wants to play regularly and come to an agreement which would suit both OZIL and the club, but once again bearing in mind his contract he is in a strong position to dictate the terms and conditions.Only the club and OZil know the contract terms, but I believe that if those terms were anyway in the favour of the club OZil would have been gone already.

        1. pat H, I agree that Ozil does not want to go. Why would he at his age, having already won all their is to win in his carer, living in vibrant London area on a huge salary without the necessity to even try working hard, as others do ,for it. No of course he does not want to go and I never written differently. BUT nor is he a feisty character and a trouble maker,. It is in fact the very absence of such a character and personality spark that makes him such a liability given this huge wage and very little in return coming back. I fully accept that and always have, though it may(or may not) surprise you. I have already on here struck a well publicised £100 bet with Ken 1945 about me saying Ozil will certainly BE LEAVING THIS SUMMER AND NOT HERE AT START OF NEXT SEASON. The loser sends his £100 to The Willow Foundation, which will be verified. I willingly offer YOU the same bet. You have only to accept on here. I am sure Bob Wilson will be very grateful to you too. It boils down to which do you think the club will back, a lazy player or a dynamic and energetic manager not long here who doesn’t rate OZIL, SIMPLY BECAUSE HE WILL NOT WORK HARD. That won’t be changing. I say the club will back Emery as should all right minded fans. Remember how Ozils large salary is holding Emery back from bringing in much needed fresh and hard working blood.

          1. Tell you what Jon, if poor old UE is being held back by Ozils salary, why doesn’t he donate some of his own grotesque salary?

            The issue of Ozil’s salary doesn’t impact on UE’s selection of him for certain games though does it?

            Your reasons as to why UE does this and furthermore gives him the captains armband, when this lazy,overpaid, mentally fragile, weedy wimp ( all your own words Jon ) would not be able to run around for longer than 15 minutes, will be a joy to see explained.
            So over to you Jon for the explanation of all explanations.

              1. I have nothing I wish to say to you until I get an apology for your false comment about my character yesterday.

                1. What are you on about now Jon?
                  Give me the subject, the time of my indiscretion and I will try and see how I’ve upset you.

                  Jeez Jon, for someone who loves giving it out with capital letters, you really are thin skinned sometimes.
                  I don’t have a clue what it is,but whatever it is, if you can’t take it, then don’t give it out!!!

  11. I take the managers side when it comes to choosing players, the buck always stops with the manager and that is why he has the right to do what he thinks is best. Having said that, I would’ve liked to have seen more of Ozil this season. The way Auba and Laca can be crucial in one moment during a game, Ozil too can be like that. We have too many important players out, Sokratis, Holding, and Bellerin ..such a huge blow, that is basically our starting defence. Then without Xhaka and Ozil, they too have been first team starting players, so that is our defence out and our main creativity out. On top of all this we don’t have the most balanced team in the league, it’s no wonder the team looked poor. We all know that we haven’t got a big enough squad, our quality in depth just doesn’t exist. We are back to using our old rear guard and they are rusty, we are relying on two young CM players who just arrived, to be rock solid and be creative, against the reigning champs, that is not fair on them two, too much responsibility. I think it is fair for fans to ask why didn’t Ozil come on in the last game.

  12. Support who the coach chooses to play……his expectations are we support the team….Ozil is only good for some games as are some of the other players in the team ……at the end of the season we can then debate our team and individual performance…….. we are in a transition…… so far has been better than my expectations……

    1. Emery is going the wenger way iwobi is one of his favorites and gets Play time whereas ozil is being frozen due to tactical reasons. UE should be flexible and not have any inflated egos. There was no creativity in the last match. Ozil would have been good in counter attacks. Now the team is clueless. Now everyone is dropping points we could have gone closer.

  13. Ozil will always polarise opinion at Arsenal just as he did with the German national team.He is without doubt a immensely skilful midfielder who unfortunately no longer fits in to the high energy requirements of top teams in the EPL .For Germany his languid style was accommodated because of his creativity and football intelligence.He was part of a side which was well balanced and strong defensively whereas at Arsenal he is in a team which has lacked top quality defenders for at least 5 years. In the Arsenal set up every mistake or failure can result in our conceding a goal and fans will blame him for losing possession .If Messi played for Arsenal we would still not make the top four because defensively we are a bottom four side. I get the impression, and I may be wrong,that someone in authority upstairs at Arsenal has indicated that it would be appropriate to move Ozil on if possible to free up his wages so graciously sanction by Wenger and Gazidis.They are the guilty parties.There is no easy solution to this problem but I for one sincerely believe Ozil is good enough to make our first eleven.Our real problems on the playing side lie at the back.

  14. Sorry I’m one who was delighted when we signed ozil the then kong haired maesteo but now he miles around and doesn’t put in the effort consistently. He has immense quality when he chooses to use it but even then he may start or come on and do nothing! I use the example of William he misplaced a pass the other day and sprinted back with the opposition player and won the ball back. Ownership and responsibility along with extreme quality.
    If ozil loses the ball typically it’s a sigh and slumped shoulders.
    He’s drive me mad to have around he just seems to mopey and laid back.
    Emery clearly wants him gone but problem is ozil is like fine I’ll sit on the bench.
    It’s only the team and Emery that suffers.

  15. ive never been an ozil fan , lol. but i say stick him in the team now. let him prove himself for once and for all. this would be a great time for him to pick up some form. the truth is we need him to give 100% in every game he is picked to play in.i still have my doubts about him, i think he is so over rated, to say the very least. but needs must, if he strings a good run of form together then i will be the first one to say well done and fair play. lets just see what occurs.i never mind being proven wrong, being proven wrong means one has an opinion.

  16. Fans like Jon fox and Gotnoidea have hate in there hearts for Ozil it’s as simple as that because there is actually no debate. It doesn’t matter what you do when someone hates you they cannot be pleased. I personally want the player to see out his contract because Emery is a darn fool freezing him out like that.
    The situation is simple play Ozil, scream at him on match day when he doesn’t produce and get the fans on his back. This way he will be forced to leave but Emery is scared as he just might prove him wrong.

    1. But Emery did play him at the beginning, and Ozil wasn’t doing anything. Ozil even started our first 3 big games, and yet again…went missing! Since he took Ozil out of the big games, we’ve been doing so much better.

        1. That awful game at Old Trafford, where we scored 2, missed 2 absolute sitters, created many other chances, didn’t lose, and pretty much controlled the game, with the defending being what let us down again. How would Ozil helped out the defence, and we were very creative without him.

          Or did you want to talk about us smashing our bitter rivals 4-2? And how many other chances we missed? Or beating Chelsea?

          How would Ozil have stopped us conceding 5 at anfield or 3 at the etihad?

          If you look at the overall picture, scoring and creating isn’t our problem, even with Ozil missing over half our games. Everyone knows what our problem is…defending! How is Ozil going to help our defence improve when he’s the least defensive player we have, and the fact he has also no stamina any more?

          1. I was only saying TMJW you make it sound like it’s EVERY game against the big teams, but it’s clearly not!!
            I think you’ll find Rojo scored an own goal.. Yes but we didn’t win either.. never get a better chance to go & win there & we still couldn’t do it!
            Yes I’d love to talk about us smashing the spuds – was actually talking to some spuds about it earlier ? let’s just hope we do it at Wembley. I’m not saying the results would have been different if Ozil had played…not saying that at all! We’ll never know will we??
            I have to beg to differ on the scoring & creating lately… especially the creating…maybe I’m watching different games to you!!

            1. Well I can say is that Ozil rarely turns up in big games under Emery, or be it Wenger. In fact, when did Ozil last turn up in a big game?

                  1. That’s because the other players carried Ozil Sue, you know that. He never does anything, remember?

                    So much better Iwobi flapping around, doing little and gifting Laporte that chance. Ozil would have lazily cleared the ball while Iwobi was busy creating chances ( For Laporte)

                    1. Silly me I should have known Durand!!
                      Yes give me Iwobi any day… if he carries on the way he is, it’s only a matter of time before Barcelona come knocking ?

  17. During Wengers time people were blaming lack of super stars for Ozil to pass ball too now we have Lacs and Ab and I still don’t see the passing.Ozil is lazy just admit.He acts like he doesn’t care and tired of playing.

    1. Yes, now we have Laca and Auba, but rather than play Ozil behind them, we shove him out to the right wing and expect him to run like the Ox. Rubbish. Some say he was only getting assists from set pieces. I ask, since the job was given to Xhaka, how many assists has he gotten?
      If Unai cannot find a way to use Ozil in his team and we somehow miss out on top4, he’ll be swimming in deep water. He won’t get get enough money to sign players and it’ll be downhill, cos other clubs will definitely strengthen. Won’t be long b4 the fans turn on him.
      Let’s see how this drama ends… Fingers crossed.

  18. Unai is vendictive and disruptive .thr club is becoming the new Stock City. so disgusting. no big player would want to join aclub that treats it’s players the way Unai is treating Ozil. the owner should save his investment from this manager. he is not good for the image/brand Arsenal.

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