If I was the Arsenal manager….
Everyone at some point in their lives think they can do a better job tactically and decision wise then what their teams’ manager has done or is doing. Well here is my team thoughts…
If we want to defend all game from midfield, then having Xhaka, who only really knows how to pass the ball from left to right as we saw yesterday, would be the best option, but when you come up against teams that keep possession and you struggle to score, Partey and Ozil would be the perfect midfield duo to have in the team. Even overtaking Dani Ceballos, who, although he can create chances with a pass every now and then, does not do it enough.
Mesut Ozil is an assist king who can also get goals every now and then and did begin to defend in the latter part of his games played. Thomas Partey can also assist and get goals, but in turn he also defends. So, having these two in our midfield where one can do the job of Xhaka with defending and both can do the job of creating chances and scoring in the shape of Ceballos, then why would you not use them?
I know Partey has just arrived but given how both players are similar and yet so different, I think Arteta should experiment with both players for a game or two. And I am not saying Xhaka should not be played at all but for some games you have to be smart about who plays where, depending on opponent of course.
So, here is what my line-up would be, something along those lines anyhow:
LENO/RUNARRSON
BELLERIN LUIZ/MUSTAFI GABRIEL TIERNEY/KOLASINAC
PARTEY XHAKA/CEBALLOS SAKA
OZIL
LACAZETTE AUBAMEYANG
Arteta has the players and the squad strength to be able to try all of this out, but instead he chooses to isolate Mesut Ozil for whatever reason. Again, that is probably why I am not a manger because I don’t know what I am talking about, right (WELL I KNOW SOME FANS WILL THINK THAT ANYWAY) but that is my opinion and last time I checked, everyone was entitled to one!
We have the players, yet the tactics don’t fit sometimes. If we don’t have enough players, fans moan about “if we had this player, we could do this” etc, well we have Ozil and now Partey, so…
Heres to dreaming hey Gooners?
Shenel Osman