Arsenal will need a replacement for Mesut Ozil sooner than later.
Arsenal is currently in transition. Years under Arsene Wenger and 18 months under Unai Emery has made the club one of the worse among England’s historical big team.
The Gunners have struggled this season with several of their previously key players underperforming.
Mesut Ozil remains one of the most divisive members of that team and his time is probably coming to an end at the Emirates, either next summer or at the end of his contract the following summer.
These five players are worth considering as a replacement for the German playmaker.
Jack Grealish
Grealish singlehandedly brought Aston Villa back into the Premier League last season and he has been instrumental in their first season back.
Grealish is a creative force that I believe just needs the best players around him on the pitch and he would thrive.
Emiliano Buendia
The Spaniard has been very instrumental for Norwich this season. He was relatively an unknown before the season started but he has provided six assists already this season.
Filip Kostic
Kostic has been one of Germany’s consistent performers in attacking midfielder over the past two seasons.
He notched up 11 assists for Eintracht Frankfurt last season and he has seven already this season.
Luis Alberto
Luis Alberto flopped in England, but he has thrived at SS Lazio. He has already provided 11 assists for Lazio this season. He had five last season and shows he is improving.
Papu Gomez
Papu Gomez was the top assist maker in Italy with Atalanta last season. He assisted his teammates on 12 occasions and he has already provided six this season, he could be the best replacement for Ozil.
Lets get real and stay up before talking this stuff.
We are in relegation trouble.
Hey what all this talk of relegation? We are above Burnley on goal difference! Above Brighton by a point!Above Southampton by 2!Cheer up Gunners! We have Ozil to take us to the top 4 or title contenders (as per his fan club)next season.We need to build a team around him and pay him above Messi. We need to change all other 10 players to get the best out of him and this article is about replacing him?
We need players with EPL experience the other players are alright in their league look at PEPE he is not firing yet because he has come from a team that is not in the EPL. How many times do you people want telling we are in trouble so we need players with EPL
After 8 rounds Arsenal was a point off 2nd.
Many fans were saying second was ours for the taking.
This was the team which played the 8th round v Bournemouth on Oct 10th.
Leno
Chambers Socritis Luiz Kolasinac
Guendouzie Xhaka
Pepe Ceballos Saka
Aubameyang.
Subs
Tierney Torrera # AMN Holding Martinez Willock# Martinelli#.
So who did not start this game?
Mustafi Tierney Torreira Ozil and Lacazette.
Who has played a lot since?
Torreira Ozil and Lacazette.
And how has our form been since their reintroduction?
Absolute pants that’s right.
They have the odd decent patch but they are just not cutting it.
And who demanded their reintroduction.
Not Emery anyway.
The fans made the call that’s who.
Be careful what you wish for.
Are you saying playing Torreira, Ozil and Lacazette instead of Guendouzie Xhaka and Ceballos was the cause of the bad performance since Bournemouth? you need to re jog your memory on the circumstance that forced EU to start using Torreira, Ozil and Lacazette again. True these 3 didn’t improve anything but its idiotic to say Guendouzie Xhaka and Ceballos were any better. All of them are bad and none them are specialist or good at any aspect of the game. Cant tackle, pass, dribble or assist.
The facts don’t lie.
After 8 games Arsenal was a point off second.
Whether any one thinks Xhaka Guendouzie and Ceballos
can tackle pass dribble or assist is irrelevant.
The fact remains when Ozill Torreira and Lacazette were introduced
Arsenal’s fortunes went to hell.
You would have to be an idiot not to see the obvious connection.
The real points to address are buying an experienced central defender as the current group should be only backup dancers (sell mustafi ASAP)
Bringing in a ball playing midfielder (a young cesc/David silva) who can feed the forwards and complement Torreira.
Drop Guendouzi to U21/U23 Squad. His Play in Not of PL level and his stats bear this out. Please Arteta see the light. No attacking threat,no defensive intelligence, goes down every time!
I think a big part of the problem is asking players to play in positions they are not used to playing we need to use players in their best position otherwise they don’t know how to play were they are being asked to play. We need to use specialists dm in that position, specialist wingers out wide specialist r&backs and specialist cb in that position that’s were they perform at their best.No one would consider putting a cf in goals and expect him to keep a clean sheet every time so why are we always surprised when players are under performing when they are asked to play in a position which they are not used to playing in?
You’re a total donkey agu eman. Told myself a couple of days ago not to respond to terrible posts but I can’t help myself.
Emery was going nowhere. Undoubtedly a good manager, just not working out at Arsenal. Your persistence in posting comments that champion him is pointless now he’s been removed. Please get behind Arteta and the team as they need all our support. I’m confident in 18 months time things will have improved dramatically and we will have a competitive team.
I has no idea camels ever sang…
Can any of them play as a central defender?
Wow, after seeing the title, I assumed Ziyech has to be one of them….. and after reading the article, I learnt a couple more, or so, of footballer’s names.
But seriously, Ziyech is the best Özil replacement I can think of. And he even openly admitted he’s a big fan of Özil, I don’t see why we can’t get him if the club means business.
I don’t think Arteta would want to get another no 10 like Ziyech
Arteta just came from Man City which have been successfully employing 4-3-3 formation with two mezzalas and one lone CDM in the middle
I bet Arteta would want players who can play in that system
Hey Gotanidea, please can you call Arteta up and tell him to reconsider coz clearly you are in the circle or in the know. Also can you tell us what Arteta is doing for NYE tonight? Is he celebrating or busy calling Rabiot up to join Arsenal?
No need for another no 10, because Arteta might want to use 4-3-3 like Man City. We also already have many players who can play as no 10, such as Ceballos, Smith-Rowe, Nelson, Pepe and Willock
Using a no 10 also forces the team to play with only two midfielders, which can’t cover the gap between our two CBs. If we use 4-3-3 instead, the lone CDM will sit in front of the two CBs and the team will be more combative with three midfielders
We have been using 4-2-3-1 for more than a decade and we got conceded many times, due to that formation vulnerability of quick counter-attacks. Arsenal had better replace Ozil with a lethal and skillful winger, who is hopefully more of a team player than Pepe
don’t get fixated too much on the number# rather look at if the player is able to play as CM. example D.silva and De bruyne can play classic #10 especially Silva started as #10 but converted to CM. We just need someone who is multi talented and can slot into other position when needed. They need to avoid one dimensional players like Ozil.
I think we need all the planets to be lined up to get a quality central defender, but as usual Uranus only has to be out of sorts and the shit will hit the fan(s)!
Lol seriously can’t believe Uranus will start the new year with a bang! Hope you enjoy it Coq Monster!
😆 cheers Jim!
Grealish for me!
Sue – are you talking in football sense or based on his hair lol
Strictly football, Jim…. although I’ve never seen calves like his before 😂😂
Arteta wants to build the team around Ozïl, so forget about a new number 10….
Anyway, happy new decade everyone.
A DM and CB should be priority this Jan. I would go for Kalvin Philips of Leeds for DM/CB or Sander Berg or both and then Upmancano for CB if he can be bought cheaply. Then try to get Hwang Hee-chan and Richarlison to replace Auba and Laca and then martin odegaard as Ozil replacement and then max aarons for RB in the summer. On paper this should be a very competitive team IMO. Again DM and CB are the major priorities for Jan.
Arsenal should consider sgning one of this south African national team midfield player:Tau,Daen furman,Pacy or Lorch. Either of this players are fantastic and one or two should be considered to strenthen the midfield.
Think short term… two years.
We need CD x 2 and a DMF. That is what is likely coming.
👍 Provided Arteta gets the funds and has a say in transfer targets.
Isco, Suso, James Rodriguez, Kai Harverz
I don’t think Ozil is the problem we are having at this moment but rather our central midfield pairings. Injuries has forced that tall donkey called Guendozie on us. All he does all day is to run around the field for the whole 90 minutes doing nothing to support in attack, defense or creating anything. He can’t tackle, can pass the ball accurately or shoot the ball. But if injury allow us partner Dani Ceballos and Lucas Toreira in the middle of the park and the guidance of Arteta as a former midfield mastro most of our problems we be sorted out. Because Toreira we play the role of a destroyer which he suited for and Ceballos we be the deeplying playmaker like Santi Carzola used to do for us back is the days assisting Ozil with the creative side of the game and also putting his fair shift of defensive duties.
As for the attack it will be sorted out out our midfield start functioning as a unit.
Lawrx, Mikel Arteta was a solid midfielder, but a “former midfield maestro”? I just hope he becomes a maestro of a coach, given support from Kroenke and the Board.