Arsenal News

Germany lose and Ozil gets blamed again – Why?

This debate about Mesut Ozil rages on. He was dropped for Germany’s second game (the only one that they won!) but was reistated for yesterday’s defeat to South Korea, which saw the Champions knocked out of the tournament coming bottom of the Group.

The coach Joachim Low even mentioned Ozil after the game, but said that he wasn’t the only one to blame. He said: ‘Today, because of a number of bans and injuries, we had to make changes,’

‘In 2014 and 2017 that was also the case, it happens. A team only begins to gel later at the tournament, so it makes sense to bring some [players] in and let it go easy on them.

‘It wasn’t only Ozil, a number of other players didn’t perform as they normally would. ‘I take responsibility for that and stand up for that, but I thought it was a good team.

It wasn’t only Ozil?? In fact it wasn’t Ozil at all! Look at a few of these tweets that came up after the game…

Is it his fault the German strikers didn’t convert the chances? Why on Earth does he get the blame for everything?

Darren N

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56 Comments

  1. He lost the ball a ton of times. Totally slowed the speed of play down only to FINALLY play a lateral ball or turn it over. After so many turnovers and super slow lateral passes one might ask oneself “ok if he is going to play like this at least he can make an effort to defend, right??”
    Of course he either makes no attempt to defend at all not even watching play or he acts like he is going to defend but actually is on the wrong side of his man the entire time and when the opposing player gets the ball Ozil disengages effectively tricking his own teammates and leaving the opponent completely undefended.
    The guy has no heart whatsoever. The last 10 minutes the Germans were running around trying to affect a turnover and Ozil was just standing by himself barely even watching what was going on.
    Yes he creates chances – night for his own team and I say for the other team even more. His teams midfield always gets bossed because he simply doesn’t defend even a little bit.
    I am done with this clown.

    2. It’s an absolute joke what gets levelled at him. Creates more chance than ANY other play in the WHOLE tournament in one game “Slowed the speed of play down only to FINALLY play a lateral ball or turn it over.” Honestly couldn’t make it up.

      Ozil was Germany’s best player and it wasn’t even close. Key passes 7 next was Reus/Werner with 3 each (2nd/3rd together had less.) Dribbles 4 joint 1st with Kroos. He was dispossessed twice on the ball which was the most but so was Werner/Khedira (57min) and Gomez/Brandt had 1 each in small cameos. His defensive contribution was totally in line with the other 3 attacking players and attacking subs. It’s total nonsense what gets thrown at him. He never covers the least ground or close and his sprints are always up there too (more important measure of effort.)

      It simply comes down to his body language and the fact it look languid even when he is sprinting.

    3. Agree, Ozil was easily got robbed, as always. His ball control is not like Cazorla, Modric or the other Spanish playmakers in World Cup, which are more technically gifted than Ozil

      If you paid attention to how Ozil and those more skillful players played, you would see that it is easier to take the ball from Ozil without fouling him. Because Ozil’s first touches are usually not good

      His thinking is getting slower as well. It is good to produce more touches on the ball, if Ozil plays for Barcelona. But Arsenal and Germany simply cannot play like the Catalans

      1. as if you have any idea whether his thinking is getting slower. Just more bullshit speculation from haters. When Ozil makes his signature wonder passes all the pundits scream about his talent and technical proficiency, but in games where he creates tons of chances that don’t get put away he’s blamed for everything from the team’s poor defense to its poor finishing. Ozil is not a defender, he’s not an “enforcer”, and he’s not a striker. If you know how to use him then he helps your team get bags of goals. If your criticism is that he isn’t every player on the field, then sorry, but what are you talking about? If you watched the Germany Korea game you would know he was basically running the team, coming back deep to get the ball, running it forward and threading dozens of dangerous passes for strikers to use. Beyond creating more chances than anyone, he probably ran more than anyone. But by all means, keep spouting your ridiculous dispatches from upside down world. it’s always amusing to see someone claim that a player with 90% passing accuracy is the worst passer in the world or that a striker should be breaking up plays like a central defender. Perhaps keepers should be taking throw-ins and corner kicks too?

    4. Whats worse than a hater ? A blind hater plus a media sheep. you should watch the game for real this time and maybe actually learn how football is played. Those stats are proof he played a great game and i saw impossible shit finishing by the german. Ozil was shit the 1st match but the real culprit is low since you can’t have both kroos and ozil in the same team unless you have a kante style player to cover for their slow speed and weak work-rate especially in defence.

  2. He also made 4 tackles, which was more than a lot of the others, but hey, haters gonna hate.

  3. He created clean chances and If Hummel’s and Werner had converted the chances.. None of you will be holding Ozil responsible for them qualifying. Thomas Muller throughout the competition was shít but no, Ozil gets all the blame.. For the i incapabilities of Kimmich, he gets the blame, for not making runs into the box 18 because he’s busy doing Toni Kroos’s job deep down in the midfield he gets the blame.
    Yes his body language is something else but just stop holding him responsible for every bad thing that happens to his team.
    Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar.. Their performances yesterday was shit, give Ozil the little credit he deserves

    1. Most Germans played last night lacked the spirit

      It happened to the previous champions as well (France and Spain), so it was normal

      Therefore Arsenal should be more careful before buying new players. Apparently some players became too complacent after winning World Cup

  4. Well said Declan, he’s there to to create chances, not defend, but I think he could get in the box more as he does have an accurate shot in him. As you say, they have to blame someone when their efficient machine breaks down. There were a lot worse than him. He will flourish in our team next season.

    1. The thing is his defensive contribution is not poor compared to other attacking players that is the crazy point. It’s bang average for an attacker which is fine if your attacking is so far above average. I think the real issue with Ozil is he doesn’t shoot enough or score enough for his talent that would be where I would focus with him and imagine that is what Arsenal have been doing. Think Wenger mentioned it at the start of last year.

  5. Ozil delivered but the rest of his team mates didn’t. And all of the South Korean team delivered. Instead of blaming Ozil, Low should look in the mirror. That beautiful overhead pass to Hummels around the 87th minute… Even Giroud would have nailed that one! Blaming Ozil for this team’s failure is giving in to racial hatred, pure and simple.

    1. Not everybody hates how Ozil plays because of his race. I hate how he plays because he often does not produce anything worthy in tough away matches

      In fact, most German first team players are under media spotlight currently, not just Ozil

      Ozil’s critics like Keown and Basler know football better than a mere football fan like me. Ozil should have taken any criticims to increase his performance, whether the criticisms are negative or positive

      1. gotanidea, I would hope no one’s hates him for his race, what on earth that has to do with football is anyone’s guess.
        Same as Bellerins hairstyle or Ozils body language.
        I agree with your views regarding the criticism should be used positively, but can you imagine the stress and pressure the guy must be under?
        Much harder than sitting in a studio anayliising everything with the aid of slow motion from different camera angles.

      2. His race eh? Oh yes, I know what you mean. The HUMAN race, as distinct from an alien from a distant planet. But all people on earth are also from the human race. So why mention the human Ozil in this context , I wonder? I really do.

  6. Because everything is always Ozil’s fault… doesn’t matter about the other 10 on the field (& the GK being a complete spaz) that was all obviously down to Ozil too ? it’s the same when he plays for us too… the guy can’t ever win with some people!!
    Chin up Mesut, I still ❤ you

  7. According to stats from the game,he was the best player the Germans had to offer yet he was the scapegoat all due to his “body language of a frog”

  8. – Created 7 chances (1/3 of team total), 3 of them absolute sitters:
    His “chances” are too predictable and obvious for the opponents, hence it is difficult for the strikers (that he worked with) to convert them into goals

    – More successful take-ons than anyone:
    If what they called “take-ons” are running sideways ala Alexis Sanchez, instead of dribbling forward, Alexis Sanchez made those “take-ons” many more than him at Arsenal

    – Had 5 successful tackles; more than Kroos managed:
    Could not remember those, but I always remember how Wilshere and him faced the ten-men Atletico Madrid at the Emirates. Lack of creativity and no guts to skip past the opponents

    1. These stats are calculated by professionals who are obviously better than you or me so if they say 7 clear chances it means 7 chance where the player should have scored. Stats like passes and pass completion or shots can be easily accumulated by sideway passing… xhaka anyone but you have to actually play to get the 3 stats you have posted. Can’t fake a take-on or tackle and chances are when a player gives a relatively easy chance to score and they do a higuain.

    2. If his chances were predictable why did Hummels have a free header, why was Werner open in the middle of the box when Ozil cut the ball back from the end line? I suspect that both Lacazette and PEA would score more often than not if they were in the same position as Werner and received the same pass from Ozil.

  9. Most of the hate coming at Ozil is due to the negative press which stems from his visit to Turkey and declaring that this PM or President was his, so Germany crappy performance is just additional ammunition to crucify Ozil.

    I would wish for Arsenal to sell Ozil, but not because he is not a good player but not what Arsenal needs, we need a number 10 which dominates by scoring, tackling and assisting, also must be the man for the team being dependable for most occasions and not few occassions

    1. Yup, there are many younger playmakers or no 10 that might be more suitable for Arsenal

      But he would stay for a long time at Arsenal after this World Cup mess, because no big teams had real interest in him in the previous transfer windows and he has a big long contract

    2. I question your assertion that criticism, which is someones opinion , is actually “hate”. People are fully entitled to disagree with you about Ozil, without being accused of “hating” him surely? So many , you included, use the term “hate” for people who are merely disagreeing, as is their perfect right. THINK ON! And ” crucify” is a way over the top description too. Too much hype of words!

      1. The Ozil fan-girls remind me of TRUMP supporters. Any criticism of their Cult hero is labelled as HATE or FAKE NEWS.
        Same with the Ozil fanbase, they expect us to just keep licking his face just because he is Ozil and their cult hero. Smh

  10. I think Ozil needs to put in some work in the gym. Everytime anybody gets physical with him he meekly goes down and cries to the referee for assistance. Needs to be stronger.

      1. Agree with you Quantic Dream. Sue obviously noticed the results of the time he spent in the gym in his first off season after coming to Arsenal.
        For his height he should bulk up, which would make him more able to ride challenges. I also agree with GB that Ozil needs to be more selfish, make drives into the box and shoot more. He is an excellent finisher and the option of going alone rather than passing will put the defense in too minds.
        For Sue’s benefit, the best physique I ever saw on an Arsenal player was Malcolm Macdonald (Super Mac) – awesome!

  11. Generally when any player divides fan down the middle, as Ozil does, I find there is truth to be found in BOTH opposing camps. He can hardly be described as a dynamic game changer when against top teams though, can he? Honestly now, can you, if you are firmly on his side?
    I see both sides of him, to be truthful .

  12. It was Korea against Ozil last night. I thought Ozil had a great game and all the other zGerman players were non existent. Strikers can’t shoot or do anything. 3 easy chances set up by Ozil which were totally wasted. A record 7 chances created. What more must the guy do. But because he was the only player playing for Germany he gets blamed. No other players turned up

    1. Gunner since 71, can you imagine the media in this country if our attack missed those chances?
      I don’t think they would and that is why we should be so optimistic for the coming season.
      If Ozil can do that in every game, every single team in the premiership would fear us!
      I think the political angle mentioned by Ruelando is the real reason for this witchhunt, let’s hope he comes home with a point to prove.

      1. Well said Ken and would he be getting the stick from his home country if Hummels and Werner had scored? No, he would be the hero!!

        1. AndrewE, exactly just like he could be the hero at the Emirates if our scenario comes to fruition!!!!

  14. I think it’s not difficult to see it’s the strange decision to field Werner that resulted in the defeat.

    If you didn’t pay attention to the line up, you won’t know this guy is playing as a striker for Germany.

    No threats at all, yet he finished the match.

  16. Why? Because stupid buffoons think they sound intelligent when they regurgitate whatever retarded trope pundits are saying. The fact that they can even muster enough brain power to repeat a full sentence is a minor miracle for these twats.

  17. By mere looking at the stats, it shouldn’t be difficult for anyone to discern that Özil in the very least, had an OK game. How fans lay the entire blame at his feet is just beyond me……. in my opinion, there were a couple of times or so, where he’d have been better off taking a shot….. but there is no denying he did what was required of him…… I mean, more chances than any one player has managed to create in a single game in this tournament!!!….. heck, Isco, KdB, Iniesta are also participants in the tournament FFS!…. If u dislike him for some other good reason, fine, but u just can’t go around being needlessly critical of his performance.

  18. It’s so funny when I hear people say ozil is not in the team to defend.. Modric Is not in the Croatia team to defend but he does it.. James Rodriguez does it, countinho does it, iniesta does it.. Heck even Messi defends.. AND Secondly have you ever seen ozil turn up for a major game for Arsenal.. When the going
    gets tough he raises his white flag…. You can defend ozil all you want but if he doesn’t fix up this season he has to be sold..

    1. Modric is a CM player, so yeah defending is actually one of his main duties. He doesn’t have to be as effective as a CDM player, but he has responsibility defending. With Ozil, you could compare a strikers efforts defensively against his, or players like Hazard, Greizmann, Dybala, players who perform behind a striker or out wide as a different tactic from time. As long as these players get back to form a shape, or takes up an area that the manager ascribes, then his main duties are final third duties & link between CM to final third.

      1. no way can you compare Ozil’s position with Grizemann and Dybala’s. You can only compare the responsibilities they are expected to perform. Those two can play as out and out strikers and are always advanced, never drop deep like Ozil does frequently. Mesut is exclusively a midfielder and in EPL CAM’s are expected to have a bit of defensive qualities. But ozil is absolved of this responsibility just because he can’t be bothered. Isco and Cazorla are no stronger than Ozil yet still did the dirty works at times. How many times have we seen players just run past ozil while he does a light, fake jog towards them? It’s not good enough, and even Hazard can fake workrate better and as you mentioned keeps Chelsea’s defensive shape better than Ozil does. (to be fair, everything about Arsenal’s defensive coaching is garbage though).

        Anyways, my main problem with Ozil is not his workrate, it’s quite simply his consistency and his no-shows in big games. Hazard avoids a lot of criticism simply because he’s carried Chelsea over the line so many times unlike Ozil. If you are going to not contribute at all defensively you have to make up for it in other areas. Ozil does not.

        1. RSH, Ozil should have carried Germany across the line in this specific game; competent international players should have buried at least 3 of the chances he created. He was let down badly by his team mates on this occasion.

    2. Wow…how many of those players are actually CAM’s. And messi defends??
      I guess you cant remember the 3-0 we beat man u…

  19. The German’s lacked pace and finishing. They looked uncharacteristically unsure at the back, no leadership which is strange for a German national side. But they had more than enough chances to make it to next round, which is when teams get better so says Leow.

  20. Really people!!! At this point in time I would think everyone is big enough to draw their own conclusions and not get drawn in by the masses…but what do I know!?
    I mean someone here said the chances he create are way too obvious hence hummels should be given his pass for his miss.
    It’s all really starting to get old..damn if he tries damn if he doesn’t …another said he should hit the gym at 29 like that’s suppose to make him a better player…oh you should also tell isco.coutinho.dybala.silva etc players who contribute next to nothing defending…anyways nothing will change..you all would still bass your judgement on what your read than what you see..fickle fans

  21. he stinks. Everyone keeps saying 7 chances created, but can only name the Hummels chance. This is what happens when you only rely on stats. Ozil isn’t the only one getting blame either. Arsenal fans just go through crazy lengths to make him look good when it’s obvious he was average at best. It doesn’t need to be mentioned every time that the rest of the germans also stunk, but if you dont then suddenly people assume you only think Ozil was bad. Positive, he gets more rest for coming season and this will be his chance to prove he has a place here and can be consistent. If not he’ll be riding bench

  22. RSH, you are entitled to your assessment of Ozil’s performances generally; however for this particular game I have to disagree with your assessment. Werner was responsible for bad finishing as well as Hummels, when Germany should have been at least 2 goals up before South Korea scored.

  23. I don’t think is fair for Ozil to carry the flag of Germany alone.

    The attacking part was terrible. Werner was not moving into good positions and I can tell you he was easy to deal with that day.

    Even Reus needed to shoot from distance, Werner not making good run.

    The attack on Ozil is solely racial base, let’s stay behind Ozil from the attack of those racists. The ex players who attacked him are a disgrace, talk is cheap.

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