Paul Ince has revealed that Mesut Ozil is the reason why Alexis Sanchez has struggled since he left Arsenal.
The Chilean had the best time of his career when he starred for Arsenal but he forced through a move to Manchester United in January 2018 and his career has gone downhill since that time.
He is currently on loan at Inter Milan, but he is still struggling to recapture the form that made United alter their wage budget to bring him to Old Trafford.
Several pundits and fans have slammed the Chilean for his lack of output since he moved to Old Trafford, especially in light of the £500k he gets per week.
However, Paul Ince has opined on why the player has struggled. The former Premier League star claims that Sanchez is no longer as productive as he was because he is missing the link-up play between himself and Mesut Ozil.
Ince said as quoted in the Express: “It’s a strange one when you talk about Alexis Sanchez because, when you look back at his Arsenal days, you’re talking about one of the Premier League’s best attackers. He was a great player there.
“We all know what happened next, but something that a lot of people overlook is Mesut Ozil – the reason Sanchez was so good at Arsenal was because he had Ozil next to him.
“As a pair, they just had this telepathy with each other, they instinctively understood each other, they knew the runs the other were going to make without looking.
“Most good things that Alexis did at Arsenal were connected with Ozil.
“And it works both ways, they made each other better – look at Ozil since Sanchez left, he’s not been the same player. Neither have.”
Good analysis Ince. I pray Inter Milan and Manchester United are listening so as to sign Ozil from arsenal in the summer and unite him with Sanchez.
Interesting take from Paul Ince. You could also say that Ozil has not been the same since Santi Cazorla left, and that would not necessarily be wrong. Sanchez left for the money and no other reason. His career is finished at the top level because of greed and he has nobody to blame but himself
To blame players leaving, for Ozil’s lengthy down turn in form is absolutely ridiculous! Cesc didn’t seem to have any issues performing at a consistently high level, and he was playing with some awful players. Obviously if two players have a great partnership, one leaving will disrupt things in the short-term, but we’re talking years of poor performances from Ozil. He was poor even when Sanchez was here!
Yet another reason that is a joke of an excuse, is the fact we have improved the team in recent years, especially in attack, and Ozil has only got worse!
I’m sure if Ozil missed an open goal, his fans would somehow blame someone else haha!
TMJW-so you are determined to argue re Ozil every opportunity you get PAL. So tell me this -yesterday you spouted the Posters on here who believed Ozil was a better player than Bergkamp. Yet when asked to Male who they were you clammed up PAL. Why was that PAL? Simply because it was another fabricated attempt to make yourself look a big boy. Guess what? Your not PAL.
And the constant attacks on Ken prove this. You can’t answer him so you tell him not to reply to you anymore. Pretty pathetic that PAL.
You say we have improved in attack in recent years-and Ozil has got worse.
2015-16 scored 65 goals + 29 GD Santi 14 games
2016-17 scored 77 goals + 33 GD Santi 11 games
2017-18 scored 74 goals + 23 GD
2018-19 scored 72 goals + 22 GD
2019-20 scored 52 goals + 6 GD. ( averaged from games played x 38 ).
You will clearly see how Arsenals attack improved without Cazorla. Of course Ozil played most games up until Emery came, but Arteta soon put him back in the side that is now undefeated. Can’t wait for your answer PAL seeing as you know it all, but never seem able to back it up.
Hahaha! No idea why you keep calling me PAL?
In regards to the stats mentioned, how delusional are you? So you you’ve mentioned some stats, and somehow that means Ozil must be class, and we’re fine without Santi! As I keep saying, you clearly have no idea whatsoever how team sports work, and what a quality performance looks like!!
So by your on logic, Hart must be a WC keeper given the trophies he won at City. Luiz must be class given what he won at City, and so on…
For the hundredth time, you can be poor, but be part of a successful team
. Just because a team is successful, or rubbish, doesn’t mean all players are contributing equally. You really really need to learn about team sports, because your statements are just clueless!
P.S. And if you think Ozil is better than Santi, then that says it all!
And are you going to continue attacking everything I say Phil, or are you going to start acting your age? Because it really is playground stuff from you and ken1945.
Well said, and I wish to remind those with memory loss that the contribution this season is one useless goal (when the game was almost won) and one assist (of the corner kick! OMG) The rest is all blah, blah, blah. Throw in some stats, make some noise, Ozil is unwanted by all the clubs around the world and we are stuck with him for the next 14 months. Let them enjoy those sterling moments while Arsenal bleeds on and off the pitch.If Ozil was a man, he would have won us the Europa either with Wenger or Emery or Arteta.
You seem to bash Ozil a lot more than any other player. My opinion is Ozil productivity has dropped of, but he’s still very useful to a team which is void of ideas in the middle of the park. Back when we had Ramsey/Sanchez/carzola/him/ rosicky we had a team that can play football. With 1 / 2 touch max. Sanchez was the one player we had who Wenger allowed that license to dribble at his will because he was damn good at it. Santi obviously was gem at the base of that midfield and was able to release Ozil quickly in the pockets. The problem why are attack is so poor now. Is because one we got too many players that want to dribble with the ball at there feet. Not enough vertical running into the channels. Which players like Walcott and Sanchez were good at. The only player that we have at the moment that is capable of this is aubameyang. And our passing is simply not a the speed of teams like Liverpool and city etc. I still think Arteta sees Ozil as a person he can rely on and he’s happy with him. So I very much think he will be here till his contract ends
Those were Paul’s opinions good! IMO Auba is a far better player than Sanchez. We upgraded Giroud to Laca,on paper fair! We can always blame everyone for the vanishing wizard’s stand up performances. We can also blame the turf, the wind, the lights, the English rain, the European break.Can someone tell me something new?
Well here’s something you missed out on – this team game, which some of us obviously never realised football was, has to have a group of players who work together, follow the tactics of the manager and, in so doing, get selected on a game to game basis.
Why would a manager, in his first foray in that position, continually select any player who does not follow that easy to agree with assumption as to how a team game works?
As a successful professional footballer, Ince would know this of course, but it seems he hadn’t grasped the meaning of the words “a team game” along with Arteta.
The sooner these frauds stop trying to tell us what actually goes on in the team game of football the likes of TMJW can take his place at The Arsenal and run the club from his TV down in never never land.
Phil, after all these years of watching the game, you must feel humiliated not knowing that eleven men, running out onto the pitch, wearing the Arsenal shirt, weren’t involved in a team sport – wise old TMJW has put you on the right path.
Now all you have to do is watch it on TV and judge each player from thousands of miles away and not work with them every day – it’s so logical Arteta needs to understand that football is a team game – now I understand why it takes eleven men to form a team – we should thank TMJW for his infinite wisdom and partaking it to us mere fans.
PS Still waiting for the list of those who rated Ozil in the same bracket as Bergkamp or the detailed profit and losses you so desperately felt was necessary TMJW.
Any likelihood of seeing either of these in the near or far future?
You see Ken this is the issue I have with TMJW. He now says I’m delusional and have no idea how a team sport works. But that’s it-it’s a TEAM which he clearly fails to understand.
If you look at the 1970-71 double winning side, Geordie Armstrong was never the best player, never scored that many goals, and without knowing exactly how many direct assists he had that season, was not likely at the top of those stats. But was he an important member of the team? Absolutely. As was Eddie Kelly. As was every member of that team.
My point, which is obviously too difficult for “some” to understand, is that Ozil is being allowed to play in a system, within a team, for a Manager, who had within a very short space of time, transformed the TEAM both individually and collectively. As for Santi Cazorla, a fantastically gifted player, who, when played in a more deeper role, produced his best form since he came to the Club. The assists were fewer, his goal scoring was less, but he was used by a manager in that position for the TEAM.
Let’s not forget Emery didn’t play Ozil until he realised Arsenal were a better team with him in the side than when he wasn’t included. This season, personal events had him missing at first and it was only when results went against Emery that he played him.
The facts are, whether TMJW cares to admit it or not, Ozil is the ONLY player at the Club who is able to provide the transition in midfield and attack. Unless of course he knows something Arteta doesn’t, and in which case he can provide the manager with the solution. But there isn’t one, which is why Arteta manages Arsenal and TMJW does not.
This is the first thing these doom merchants are never willing to answer – we have eight midfield players listed as such by the club.
Arteta has selected one of these for every single premiership game this season.
We are told that by selecting this player, he is really only putting ten men out in the games.
So, those of you who came up with the revelation that its a TEAM game, obviously something Arteta didn’t know, why would he select ten men, have a passenger who does nothing, when there are numerous other players to choose from???
Please give sensible answers, not one such as the other clubs want us to win eh TMJW!!!
Of course, it could be that Arteta hasn’t a clue what he is doing, but the fact that we are no longer discussing relegation, but talking about top 5/6 seems to indicate that he actually knows it’s a TEAM game, is selecting a TEAM of players who are working together as a unit and are enjoying Artera’s leadership skills.
Now, of course, sitting in front of a screen thousands of miles away, just might give a better insight into things, rather than being with this TEAM of players. Who knows? Perhaps we have found the new way to run a TEAM – by following the ball and not the game?
I’m just grateful to now know that it’s a TEAM game, we can actually field ten men, have a manager who hasn’t a clue what he’s doing and come on to “just arsenal” and be educated as to why being part of the TEAM doesn’t apply to one particular player.
Anyone seen that list of fans who compared Dennis to Mesut yet – or the information about profit and loss so vital to know??