Chelsea display convinces pundit that Arsenal missed a trick with Ozil

Paul Merson has claimed that Thomas Partey’s arrival should have reopened the door for Mesut Ozil at Arsenal, after watching Chelsea impress on Saturday.

The Blues were convincing 3-0 winners over Burnley at the weekend, despite lining up with a back four plus N’Golo Kante, while the rest of the players were given the freedom to attack up the field.

Their display has led to Paul Merson to believe that Arsenal in fact missed a trick in leaving Mesut Ozil out of their playing squad.

The German will not be playing outside of domestic cup competitions between now and the winter transfer window, having not been registered to play in either the Premier League or Europa League currently.

The signing of Partey has convinced Merson that Ozil’s ommision was a mistake, with the midfielder giving Arsenal enough to accommodate the former Real Madrid star.

“I think there was a stage for Ozil now Partey’s in the team,” he told SkySports. “I watched Chelsea play against Burnley, they played a back four, they played N’Golo Kante in front of the back four, and let everyone else get on with it. They ripped Burnley to shreds, I haven’t seen too many teams make Burnley look bang average.

“Because Kante was playing in that holding role, it gave Kai Havertz and Mason Mount the freedom to do what they want, they didn’t have to spend most of their time on the edge of their own box tracking back.

“With Partey in there now who’s so dominant in there and doesn’t lose the ball, I think there was a place for Ozil now. I think there was.

“Then if they do drop someone in to pick up Ozil, you’ve got someone like Partey who’s very comfortable on the ball and can hurt you. Then that frees a midfield player up. I think there’s a trick being missed here, but that’s just me.”

If Ozil’s ommision was only on football terms, should Partey’s arrival have brought Mesut in from the cold?

Patrick

Tags Mesut Ozil Paul Merson Thomas Partey

24 Comments

  1. Paul Merson is still living in the past. Time for Ozil is over. The sooner he realises that, the better

  2. Utter nonsense from Merson, yet again.Mount and Havertz not only have skill, but an abundance of energy which is required in the game today and which Ozil has never had.

    1. Havertz has an abundance of energy? How funny it is that whenever someone expresses an opinion that we don’t agree with, then that person must be talking “nonsense”…lol

      1. Shelving Ozil was a premature decision made by a rookie coach. You can’t go into a football season with one strategy, one style of play and one formation. You need flexibility as shown by the blues. Some other teams that are now struggling ,like City and United, will also show a variation of that strategy while we remain predictable.

    2. Well put Mr. Paul Merson, everything you said I 2nd, we are in need of a creator, it can be seen every time we play. You n Gunner, we all can see what’s needed, Ozil, how much more effective and efficient our stikers would be, the ball will always be in front of the striker never behind them.

  3. Oh 🤧Here we go again with the Ozil saga.. which is why I don’t know why the man did not leave in the window I swear he must have been told he will not be featuring he stay is going to be a soured egg I guess we will have to perceive until his contract runs out.. what a way to ruin your legacy in a club that the fans are willing to challenge the board and divide because of just you.. Merson should shut up my thought.

  4. Ozil Ozil Ozil, it has reached the point, for me at least, where simply hearing, or in this case reading, about Ozil is becoming nauseating. I’m damn sure even before the season kicked off, Ozil knew what the situation was, he made his choice. He knew he was finished at the club. He just chose not to go quietly, and cast his net of sympathetic bullshit and is catching a lot small fries.

    1. +-30 million pounds, why the f___must he go anywhere. All that for training. That’s why he is so generous. Giving something he’s not earning makes him happy.

    2. Being dropped after the resumption of football should at least have been an indicator to MO that game time was going to be limited. Going only on the way Arteta has conducted himself, I am fairly confident that Ozil would have been made aware of that. However, we all know that Ozil loves the club and will honour his contract because he and his agent have frequently told us so and he seems to be prepared to do just that regardless of getting any game time at all. If that is seen as Ozil showing his inner strength against the club I have supported for 55 years then it makes me want to scream
      As for Paul Merson’s comments, Arteta obviously didn’t think he’d missed a trick

      1. If I may ask what’s your take on Paul merson comments do you think he’s right or wrong let’s leave arteta

        1. I think that Arteta is his own man. If he omitted Ozil it was because he didn’t think his involvement could improve the team.

  5. DanK, I loved to watch Ozil at a time when he had time and space to show his wonderful ball skills at the highest level.He still has great creativity, but, and it’s a big but, he is no longer capable of meeting the physical demands required of players in the age of the high press where every member of the team has to bust a gut, on and off the ball.If he was capable of fitting in to the hard worth ethic demanded by Arteta and all Managers in the EPL why is he considered surplus to requirements?Perhaps you or Maxis could tell me why you apparently agree with the spoutings of Merson who is not the brightest star in the “Sky”.

    1. Fans need to forget Ozil, Just Arsenal needs to forget Ozil,everyone needs to get over Ozil. Arteta has made it obviously clear that he isn’t in his plans, will everyone just move on and stop trying to put spanners and stupid ideas out there that can only have a negative effect on a positive impact Arteta is trying to create. Lets all move on and up and stop trying to derail the progress. He is gone!

        1. I will if everyone else does, Sue. LOL
          Seriously as far as i am concerned it is now just click bait and we all jump on board. He is never playing for us again, so why are we bothering?

            1. SueP, I’d rather call them “cunning” old JA. Or more accurately, JO! I do not think its “clever” to alienate this site’s members, as they are choosing to do!

      1. Reggie that’s your take and I know you haven’t moved on on this matter as well cause if that’s case you wouldn’t be commenting anymore

    2. Sometimes in the field of play you don’t need energy but experience and that’s what MO brings in

      1. Surprise, unless you haven’t noticed Arteta binned him, he aint got it anymore, get over him and stop meddling in an improved en environment at the club. Arteta needs support with Ozil not back stabbing.

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