Taking Off Ozil – Bad Management by Dan Smith
During Arsenal’s 22-game unbeaten run many Gooners were patting Unai Emery on the back for freezing Ozil out of the team while supporting the decision not to offer Ramsey a new deal. If you criticised our new manager, you were told to look at the table and be told how Unai Emery was doing what Arsene Wenger didn’t have the guts to do. The theory here is the Frenchmen was too loyal to his players, with Ozil in particular always picked no matter his form. This was seen as weakness by some.
Yet could it not be as simple as the greatest manager in our history (who therefore must know something) simply recognised that Ozil is by far the most creative individual we have. Equally the reason why he was happy for Ramsey to get a pay rise was his understanding that; take the Welshmen away and where do the goals come from in midfield?
When your winning it’s hard to argue but our new boss is either trying too hard or is running out of ideas. I’m sorry I much rather those two starting each week compared to 3 defensive midfielders. By doing that it put extra pressure on Ozil to be our sole creative spark. When that didn’t happen enough after 45 minutes at Brighton, he was subbed for Iwobi. Not for one of the sitting/holding midfielders but a straight swap. I’m sorry I don’t care if you think he hasn’t run enough or don’t like his body language you don’t take off someone with the most assists in Europe for Iwobi.
The Nigeria lacks confidence most of the time, what makes anyone think he has the mentality to carry the sole burden of making chances?
Was Ozil any worse than his peers? Why not change the people responsible for the soft equaliser? Having coached at PSG Emery knows that common sense suggests you keep your best talent on the pitch. Ozil is not perfect, far from it, but while Emery is worrying what the German can and can’t do, he’s ignoring the fact that the alternatives are so much worse. Enough now. He shouldn’t be immune from criticism. Today he started without Ramsey and took off Ozil, and it didn’t work. Maybe that’s why Wenger played those two all the time?
Today was simply bad management.
Dan
Posted a simular comment earlier. Agree with this article 100%
There is a growing band of Gooners on here criticising Emery. I think you are in fantasy land. Wenger had 22 years and STILL after years of stale dross, there were SOME, admittedly few, who wanted him to have stayed. Emery has had 4 and a bit months since the season started with a load of way sub par ” so called defenders” left behind by Wenger and about “fourpence halfpenny” in transfer funds given by Kroenke. What the hell did SOME of these dullards expect? The treble by Christmas? Seven consecutive titles ? I mean guys, GET REAL! PUT THAT NONE TOO BRIGHT BRAIN OF YOURS IN GEAR AND THINK , IF YOU CAN , FOR A FEW MOMENTS! Emery has inherited a God awful defence but despite that major handicap, actually averaged TWO POINTS every game so far. Just digest that FACT! True, he has made a very few selection and shape, even sub mistakes, but for Gods sake you moaning minnies, get real and give your brain an airing. If you are FED UP ALREADY with a half season of two points a game with THIS squad, think what he can do if Scrooge KROENKE EVER SWEEPS AWAYS THOSE WALLET MOTHS AND GIVES UNAI HALF A CHANCE. Frankly, SOME of you sicken me!
The impatient fans had better give Emery one or two seasons before protesting
Wait until he can get rid of the old players and get his own marquee signings
??
Many people mentioned how Emery finishing team should have been the starting one but this was said in humor, now it is becoming a real question, we are no longer in the honeymoon period. Not saying where is the silver, just… Some consistency from the coach.
We demand consistency from the players so why not from the manager?
As for your comment about Silent Stan, how many people are going to ignore the terrible work from Ivan Gazidis? The years of costing us. Play it safe for small gains was his way. Silent Stan hasn’t used our profits to buy the club. All Ivan is good at is maintaining something during a sale and any wonder he has ran off to oversee another sale?
Over the last 5 years, transfermarket has Arsenal at -£281 million.
Chelsea is at -£163 million. We have a bigger expenditure that Chelsea who is bankrolled.
Liverpool is at -£235.5 million. We have spent more in total than Liverpool who splashed the cash on VVD and made us lot cry.
Yes we have spent less than City but also UTD who are not bank rolled.
-£550 million for UTD.
Maybe if we had a better CEO for all those years then we would have invested with belief and gotten better business deals due to having ambition, in turn allowing us to have competed with UTD in their spending. I highlight the CEO with massive hope for our future, we no longer have that bald git, we have someone who knows what it is like to be part of a winning football club.
Things will take time but our self sustaining model can work, it can allow us to spend and I honestly do not think Silent Stan will say not to spending money that is generated by Arsenal. We have needed someone with skills in the business side, all the time we had baldie then that was time we was losing out on profiting from sales and being efficient.
Excellent post with costings, Midkemma.
Jon, some interesting thoughts you make, least of all being Kronkies transfer kitty.
1. Isn’t that the same value that he’s given every manager at Arsenal since he had the majority shareholding..fourpence halfpenny?
2. You know those “so called defenders” your talking about, why on earth were they offered IMPROVED contracts, when they still had current deals running, especially one to a player who they then proceeded to loan out for a season?
It’s not as if they were in a “Ramsey situation” was it?
3. Wasn’t we told that Unai had presented a unique and in-depth evaluation of every player and that’s why he was offered the position?
4. Maybe us dullards accepted from that glowing cv that he knew what kind of defence he was inheriting, would act accordingly, improve the positions he felt were suspect and ensure he spent the fourpence halfpenny wisely.
5. He obviously didn’t see it as quite the handicap you do and, as I remarked earlier, quickly signed four of those God awful defenders and introduced another four defenders.
6. He also decided to keep on Steve Bould as his defensive coach, a decision that suprised the dullards amongst us after watching the previous two years of his professional coaching of the said God awful defence.
7. Now, taking into account the above, why would you not expect us dullards to expect some kind of improvement in the defensive play?
It seems that most, (admittedly a few might not) knew this was the area that would have to be improved on and yet it hasn’t happened.
8. I believe you actually stated that the performance yesterday was the worst you have seen since the 1950’s.
9. So while us dullards were not expecting to see trebles, cups or even Invincibles, we were surely not asking to much to see simple defensive improvements?
10. Despite the average two points per game, we could have lost every game because of our defensive play and that’s why some of us dullards are fed up!
11. Now I don’t want to get into a discussion about AW, it’s pointless, but why when we put our bright brains into gear and question Emery does this sicken you?
12. Finally Jon, as a realist, why do you think he would give Unai half a chance when he hasn’t done so before for others?
13. Perhaps he will want to wait and see if his cv was that good and perform the miracles that became so mundane , normal and undervalued under previous managers?
13. I have thought this through for longer than a few moments and taken into account the injury crisis, the new team spirit and the real improvement of players that Unai has brought to the club in six and a half months. I still believe he will bring success to the club and January’s window will be the clue to kronkies ambitions for the club. Unai needs two – three years to prove himself.
But why he should not be questioned and scrutinised by fans after a run of games that were no better than last season’s “dross” I fail to understand.
My Ken , how soon you have changed your tune on Emery. Only mere weeks ago you were saying much as my post did, albeit without the insults to “dullards”. One tsunami of an injury crisis later and all inside about a month or so, you are singing from a very different hymnsheet. And despite averaging two points a game for a full half season and with no proper defence, which I consider near miraculous. So WENGER WAS NEAR PERFECT FOR 20 OF HIS TWENTY TWO YEARS DESPITE NO TITLE SINCE 2004 BUT AFTER ONLY 7 MONTHS Emery deserves criticism? Well excuse me, while I have a private snort of derision, before continuing this post. I had always admired what I saw as your misplaced loyalty but still loyalty, to a manager who had been a true great in his best years, But now a man also given fourpence halfpenny by Scrooge – though not wasted on the dreadful and pricey likes of Mustafi and Xhaka(Licht being on a free, which makes a difference) and no time to ditch the poor defenders left behind, even the few fit ones still standing, and with a dozen holes to fill with that pittance, rather suddenly deserves criticism? I FEEL ANOTHER SNORT OF DERISION COMING ON. SO WILL NOW WISH YOU GOODNIGHT, AS IT IS NOW LATE! One does not expect hero worship, esp not at our age. But fairness is not beyond us. Is it?
I agree with Ken. Emery is a good manager but he didn’t get it right yesterday. He made three changes after the break yet our performance was worse in the second half. It seems to me that fans who are unwilling to accept any criticism of Emery, however justified, are still trying to convince themselves that it was right to get rid of AW.
Steven, I agree with you that we have the right to praise the achievements of Unai Emery as well as express concerns at perceived shortcomings during his short tenure, just as we had the right to express criticism of Arsene Wenger, while appreciating his many achievements during his 22 years.
ozziegunner and Steven, I am glad YOU BOTH read my post carefully as you are seeing exactly what I am trying to express to Jon.
1. Jon, IF you had read point 13 and the final sentence, you would also have seen that I have, once again, stated my support for Unai Emery.
Surely Jon, there can be no question of that IF you read my post properly…so please READ IT AGAIN and acknowledge what I said.
2. I don’t consider Lichsteneir being signed on a free as an excuse not to criticise the signing and the wages he is getting,
3. Nor do I see that questioning Emery’s obvious mistakes during the Brighton game as being disloyal. Didn’t YOU say that it was the worst performance since the 1950’s and didn’t UNAI say he had got it wrong as well?
I have criticised AW’s last two years (as you well know) for therubbish it was.
4. With regards to football and hero worship Jon, that was a little silly wasn’t it, along with the name calling of those who hold a different view to you?
AFC is the nearest I come to being branded as a “hero worshipper” and when have I EVER SAID Wenger was near perfect?
5. Of course Unai deserves criticism, just as you said when you stated the “1950’s” example.
6. I guess I can only put your response down to the lateness of the day and snorting at that time of night is not good for one, so I am told Jon.
7. Perhaps you might NOWbe able to address my points from this post and the previous one in a rationale way, as I REALLY do value your views, despite your need to try and belittle others.
Ken, I re read both your point 13 comments and am glad to see that you do think Emery will in time bring success. That is my view too; in TIME! I am also curious to find out what you consider WERE the “miracles that became so mundane, normal and undervalued by previous managers”. Plural “managers” too, somewhat surprisingly I noted. I will give you some of my own . Chapmans total transformation of a relatively poor achieving club til his start in 1925 to the best team in the world by his death and the most forward looking and innovative club too. Then the miracle at Anfield 26 May 1989. The two doubles and also the Invincible season under Wenger. Not miracles though were any of the last 5 years FA cup wins. Now to your Point 12 (which I presume is the one to which you would like my answer) I do NOT think Kroenke will ever release sufficient funds to enable ANY manager to win the title or even seriously challenge. Not while City , United and possibly a newly energised Abramovitch at Chelsea , (IF he ever regains residency, which I much hope he does not), are still spending without any real restraint. Relative success for us, until we force Kroenke out, lies in cups, top four, possibly top three and flowing style football. I never expected Emery to work miracles under these handicaps and with the left behind “defenders” and the new “pittance” spent new ones no better. I SAID SO STRONGLY AT THE TIME AND COUNSELLED AGAINST EXPECTING TOP FOUR. I did this in August and again in Sept and even very recently. As a realist, which you DISAPPOINTINGLY pooh- pooh(since you are far from the only one who thinks deeply about Arsenal matters) I always think carefully before stating my position on our future hopes. I am not set against any sensible and reasoned criticism of Emery and have myself said he has made errors. BUT some of the comments about him on here -NOT yours, obviously – have been ludicrous, crass and plain thick. So I thought it my duty to defend the club that we all love, something you personally have done and been glad to do and will doubtless do again and again. I CLAIM THAT VERY SAME RIGHT, KEN! I also pointed out the FACT that he has averaged two points per game thus far, despite a way sub standard defence and an injury crisis and said that SOME (and I emphasise “SOME”) only of the comments on here were from those in “fantasy land.” I stated that two points per game was “near miraculous.” Obviously , and as you surely would expect, I STAND BY EVERY WORD I WROTE. Over to you for any further comments on which I AM ALWAYS ONLY TOO WILLING TO FURTHER ANSWER OR EXPLAIN.
jon, thank you for re-reading my comments and I am pleased you realised that pro Unai Emery support is also found amongst us dullard supporters!!
I actually typed managers to emphasise the fact that kronkie has only dealt with two managers, giving them the same criteria for success under his very tight wallet.
It is not exclusive to Unai Emery and as you then go on to say, kronkie will never release the funds to ANY manager that would enable that person to challenge for the title…yet you bemoan AW for not doing just that!!
So my “miracles” that became mundane, normal and undervalued was the fact that, despite the kronkie issue, we as a club finished in the top four, obtained CL status and won numerous fa cups.
The proof is your criteria for “relative success”Unai under the same owner, so what more did you expect AW to do?
Your “relative success” criteria for Unai is EXACTLY what AW DID achieve during your “BARREN YEARS”, but you fail every time to acknowledge that fact.
I call that double standards Jon, what do you call it?
PLEASE JON, sit back and digest your comments and my answers, because THEY ARE the reasons you and I clash over the AW issue so many times…changing the goalposts.
By the way, I of course know you are as passionate a gooner as I am…that’s never been an issue has it?
fINALLY, If Unai left tomorrow, how would you class Lichsteiner and Socratis to the new manager…top defenders?
No one is criticising Emery for his overall performance since May, we’re only saying he could have done better with the substitutions against Brighton in the second half
We didn’t struggle to create chances cos we didn’t have the right defenders, we could have done better with the midfielders and strikers we had, we have one of the best attacks in England cos but we struggled to create chances against a team that had lost their last three games.
Because somebody couldn’t fix things in 22 years doesn’t justify someone’s wrong decision making in a match.
And pls stop insulting people that don’t agree with you, irrespective of how meaningless or unreasonable their point is.
Sammie, that is exactly how to look at the game against Brighton…thank you.
I have read a lot of Arsenal fans call out for a right sided attacker who can score goals, if we could get someone to do that (letts say Pepe for example) then think about our attack, the pace from Pepe, Auba and Laca along with tidy finishing…
Who do you want in between that 3?
Ozil or Iwobi?
Ozil or Ramsey?
While Ozil is not a def minded player, I do feel that as a team we should counter this and play tactics which allow for a free creative player, someone who can unlock a defense when the battering ram of training ground drills fail.
Yes Ozil can do better at pressing and he could work on that, I do believe Emery needs to plan tactics with the players in mind and not force them into whatever role he has dictated.
This also applies to AMN. Has Emery once used AMN in CM? I feel sorry for AMN, if he does well then he can end up playing more in roles that isn’t natural for him, never settling… The Ox anyone?
Don’t like how Pepe plays and I want Ozil/ Ramsey/ Iwobi to be replaced. Probably not with another no 10, because many top teams often use 4-3-3 than 4-2-3-1
Maybe Arsenal don’t have to get a right-sided wide player, because Aubameyang and Nelson can play there. Unless if they want a left-footed attacker to cut inside and shoot, in the mold of Messi and Salah
So you want to get rid of Ozil because other teams play 433 and we should just copy them.
I can’t agree with that.
Conte didn’t copy what was in fashion when he won the EPL.
Pep wasn’t a copy cat and he is used as an example.
Klopp isn’t a copy cat, he has his high octane style which is different to Peps.
SAF wasn’t a copy cat.
Wenger wasn’t a copy cat in his 1st decade.
I can not agree with something just cause other teams do it. Sorry.
AMN is not even Championship quality. He’s more like league 1 quality, it is Iwobi who should be at home at Championship. Perhaps, it speaks volumes of the dearth in talent currently at Arsenal, that such a player is seen as an option in a game we needed a win. How has the mighty fallen.
The intensity of the EPL don’t give room for a player to play without contributing to overall Team defense. Infact, no top team will accommodate such a player and hope to win titles. No such player with no defensive responsibility exists in Barca , Real Madrid or Bayern. Back home in EPL, no such player exists in top teams in England. De bruyne and David Silva are very defensively astute players who would always track back, press and put in tackles for the team, when the team lack posssession.
Ozil fans live in alternative universe where rationality is turned on it’s head on account of emotional sentiments .
We were told Giroud was the problem of Ozil, that Ozil needed a fast world class striker in front of him, to perform.
Well, we have Aubameyang now, yet Ozil continues to underwhelm.
Ozil can not take a game by the scruff of the neck when team mates are struggling, he cannot dribble, he has no speed, he is not a regular goal scorer, not a freekick specialist, he is too frail and easily dispossessed of the ball, even against Volska in Europa league, Ozil couldn’t boss the midfield against those farmers, he has easily dispossessed by being physically outmuscled by the Volska midfielders. Yet such is a player, folks want Arsenal to play 10 man football for, by relieving him of defensive duties.
There is nothing whatsoever in Ozil game, attack wise, to justify his exclusion from defensive responsibility of the team. Not even Messi gets such privilege in Barca.
Cant understand why he would take off lacca and ozil when we needed a win to keep up on 4th, i know im not ozils biggest fan,but he is there to create not flying into tackles, also why do he not use ramsey more he is or only goal scoring midfielder…
Of course they can afford to play without him, proven by the 22 game unbeaten run
The problem is whether Arsenal can live without Ozil or not, because Ozil seems to be the biggest jersey seller at Arsenal currently. His cool playing style and his identity have been attracting a lot of fans
Regarding the bad management, Emery is just a newcomer at Arsenal and he can’t change the club’s whole system yet. Wait until the old people like Bould, Mertesacker and the other staffs leave, then maybe we could see the new people’s ideas
Vinai Ventatesham:
“I have got to say, I am absolutely blown away by Per. It is almost impossible to believe it is only a few months since he retired playing football. He has been extraordinary already.”
Per also appears to be fully backing Emery and his style, saying we (Arsenal players) need to learn.
Is he the problem?
I would like to see Ozil leave asap, Emery knows hes good but Ozil has no heart left ,dropping him wont work as we are still paying him. Make him play as we know he can if not drag him off. Iwobi bless him tries but not good enough and lacks confidence especially shooting. Emerys doing a fine job , hes only been here 6 months and inhereted a team and woefull defence. Jan to bring in another midfielder or two, class like Tor and Geun. Judge Emery this time next season. He shows he cares hes up and about the box like Klopp. Did you see Wenger and Bould do this….no…the passion had gone stale. Why is Bould still here sat snoozing on the bench???Another defence coach this summer too. In Emery we trust!….what have we got to lose?
My only take on the Steve Bould situation is that he was retained to provide some continuity between Wenger and Emery. I personally thought that once he came out from Arsene Wenger’s umbrella he would assert more influence in coaching the defense. However I have been greatly disappointed and believe (based on his apparent lack of impact on Arsenal’s defending) that Bould is getting “money for nothing”.
I know the likes of Conte came in and won the league in their first season, but don’t forget that he inherited a title winning team that refused to play for Jose “the sacked one” Mourinho.
Emery’s case is different. He inherited a team that finished outside the top4, for 2 straight seasons. I cannot judge him within 5months of working with such a team. Where I can judge him, is in areas where he has control eg team selection, substitutions etc.
He hasn’t failed, but I think he needs to be wiser. You don’t remove your most creative player and a striker, when you’re in need of goals.
Having said that, I think we as Arsenal fans need to lower our expectations for this season. Top4 may be achievable, but we will need to do 2things.
1. Strengthen the defence and midfield/wings in January.
2. Hope for Chelsea to slip up.
If not, our final hope remains the Europa League…
As I keep saying over, and over, yes! Ozil has missed around half of our games this season, and exactly half of the games against top sides. We’ve lost only one game all season without Ozil, and three with him. We look better in the big games without him, and we’ve been more creative without him. Facts are facts.
Ozil’s last three games sum him, and his fan boys up perfectly!:
Makes a dreadful cameo against Southampton, playing a key role in the defeat, and offering nothing else. Not a WC display against Burnley, but a very good one, contributing greatly to the win. Absolutely pathetic half from him against Brighton. He looked disinterested, and only offered simple 5/10 yards passes that even Denilson could pull off! So that’s one good performance in these three games.
After the Burnley, and Brighton games, was where we saw the Ozil fan base in full swing. After his good display against Burnley we were being told how great Ozil was! No one could have pulled off some of his passes. We can’t live without him, that’s what he gives us, etc. Yes, he played well, and yes, you can only perform against whoever you’re playing on that given day…but it was a really out-of-form Burnley, at the Emirates. Ozil SHOULD be expected to perform very well in that situation. Yet some are making out as if it was Bayern, Real, Liverpool, etc, that Ozil destroyed! And his fans are also forgetting that that was Ozil’s first decent performance within the midst of how many average/poor performances? One good performance doesn’t make any player good or bad. How are they performing over a longer period? Is there any consistency?
Finally, you then have his woeful display against Brighton, and this where the fanboys really come into their own. Apparently, it wasn’t his fault? It was Emery’s! If Ozil had stayed on, he may have been brilliant the second half, I have been hearing. That’s purely conjecture. What if Iwobi had started, he may have scored four! What if Ozil had stayed on, we might have lost the game given his lack of work rate. What a ridiculous excuse. You cannot base an argument on ifs and buts! Do fans still not realise that unlike Wenger, Emery substitutes his players based on their performances. Ozil was dreadful in that 1st half, so Emery brought him off. There was ZERO indication that Ozil was going to offer anything in the 2nd half.
Why is it that some can never except that Ozil himself, might actually be responsible for what you’re seeing on the pitch?
“Finally, you then have his woeful display against Brighton, and this where the fanboys really come into their own. Apparently, it wasn’t his fault?”
Right now you got me.
Who was the player who headed the ball central and made a schoolboy error? Ozil?
Go on, say it… It was Lich. So Lich makes an error and it is Ozil fault?
Hear is another one, how many times did their GK have to make saves in the 2nd half? Compare that to the 1st.
Emery himself has said the 1st 45 mins was the key to that game, we created and controlled the game better in the 1st half with Ozil than the 2nd half and no Ozil.
When the manager himself admits the tinkering didn’t work then are you going to say Emery was wrong?
We had more creativity with Ozil on the field than not, we lacked a creative force to create goal scoring opportunities, we failed to trouble their keeper FFS!
Yet Ozil offered nothing right?
Now for the S’ton loss, the fault was Ozils? Really?
Kos the boss made errors and cost us. Go watch the game again.
This is a typical bandwagon bash post which just lumps all blame on Ozil as a scapegoat, blame which defenders would have taken last year as some kinda evidence that Wenger needed to be sacked, ignored now as Ozil is the scapegoat.
Midkemma you know everything is Ozil’s fault… it’s even his fault Iwobi is ?
I was wondering whose fault things would be after our ex manager got sacked.
I should have guessed it will be Ozil 🙁
If Ozil is sold in Jan then what’s the betting all the fault will be Bould cause he can’t chew gum correctly?
HAHA love it ?
I didn’t mention Lich, because this is an article about Ozil, but yes he was poor as well, and I personally would have swapped him for AMN at half-time, and Ramsey for Ozil also.
But it’s very interesting you don’t mind talking about his mistake is it? Off course errors that lead to goals are the worst kind of mistakes to make, but defenders and keepers are always going to make those kind of of mistakes more than attacking players, because of how near they are to their own goal. There’s always far more responsibility on their shoulders because one mistake could cost you the game. But if his mistake is worthy of criticism, then shouldn’t Ozil be heavily criticised for not offering anything in the final third? That’s his responsibility isn’t it? Another point is that Lich, and others in the team are not WC, yet apparently Ozil is. I expect them to make mistakes. But if Ozil is WC, shouldn’t his performances be far better, and much more consistent? Shouldn’t he be turning up in big games fairly regularly?
That’s why Ozil gets more criticism than most. Because people keep defending him, saying that Arsenal need him, when clearly we don’t! This debate was always hard when Wenger was around, because Wenger refused to pick his teams based on form, Ozil always played. But this season has been great because Emery has proven that we are better without him. How can there even be a debate as to whether we need him or not anymore?
That’s the fact his fans refuse to see. When Ozil has played, how often has he played really well? He went completely missing against Chelsea, and City, and was average against Liverpool, and he’s been inconsistent against the lesser sides.
I don’t mind talking about mistakes, everyone makes them, I believe Emery did with the swaps and tactical change but I am not going to call for him to be sacked because of it 😛
Ozil could have done better, I will not deny that, to say it was his fault though I feel is ignoring what defenders are for! They are their for when mistakes happen, same for a GK, if we never made a mistake then would we need them?
It would have been nice to have watched Ozil bust a gut to win the ball back but I have watched him long enough to know he isn’t that type of player, he will look to position himself ready for when his team mates win it back, to be a creative outlet. This I feel isn’t him being lazy but trusting his team mates, even when he maybe shouldn’t. As for his appearance, not everyone is the pump your fists into thin air to show dedication, Guendouzi smacks the floor… I dunno what the grass did to him XD From what his team mates have said, Ozil encourages them and in his way, he is a big factor. Just because it isn’t on camera for all to see doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
I am not saying he is perfect. He doesn’t press hard enough which I can agree with. To lay the blame for Lich error as his is wrong. We fans should be able to trust in our defenders to mop up when things do not go to plan.
Lastly, Ozil creativity being questioned, it is obviously easier to stifle creativity if you remove the outlets. Auba and Laca are not many outlets to stifle. Playing 4 at the back meant Kola wasn’t bombarding down the left to be an outlet as much either. Lich was forward a lot but he was having a poor game, Guendouzi had to yell at him at one point to move and to offer him an outlet. When we don’t isolate Ozil and put him into the context of the team then the answer I feel becomes glaringly obvious.
I completely agree that Emery had a very poor game as well, but criticism for him should really be reserved though. He’s only half way through his first season, this is Wenger’s squad, and he’s had so many injuries as well. I personally reserve any major judgement on Emery until the end of next season.
Ozil on the other hand should be judged. He’s been here 5 years now, a World Cup winner, masses of club/international experience, one of our most expensive signings, and not only our highest earner, but one of the highest earners in the entire division!
I also agree that it is a team game, and sometimes it can be tough to isolate just one individual, and say he’s rubbish, or he is the problem. But it isn’t just Ozil that gets criticised. Iwobi, Bellerin, Xhaka, Mustafi, etc, get a lot of criticism as well, but Ozil gets more because of what I stated in the previous paragraph. I also expect the likes of Iwobi, Xhaka, Mustafi, etc, to have many poor performances, because they’re not top quality players, but apparently Ozil is. So shouldn’t he be performing a lot better then? Wenger’s gone, so we cannot use that excuse. Ozil has had a lot more quality around him since January, so that excuse is also gone. He can’t be tired because he’s retired from Germany, another excuse gone. And the final excuse of him maybe being unhappy about his pay, is also gone.
My take on it is this: Ozil has no motivation to perform any more, or to even care. I honestly think he’s more worried about his reputation than what’s best for the club, given he’s fallen out with Emery after getting dropped/subbed. Ozil has no motivation to perform well to get into the German team, because he’s now retired, and has won the World Cup anyway. He now has that final monster pay-day from Arsenal, so there’s no motivation to play well to earn that big contract. I suppose the only motivation left could be how much he wants to play football? Will he fight for a place in the team? Because I have been reading the autobiography on Emery, and if you’re not doing what’s right for the collective, then you’re out. And sometimes he’ll be extra hard on a player, because he wants a reaction from them. Well I haven’t seen any reaction from Ozil whatsoever, and given his age, the money, etc, I don’t think Ozil will regain his form. It all reminds me of the Torres situation, and how his career just dwindled away after Liverpool. He was still successful within a collective, but not as an individual.
What a superb post. Thank God for us people WITHOUT rose tinted specs. Some of us still exist, though you might think differently, by reading some of the Ozil fan club and their arrant nonsense on here.
jon, I dont think that it is “errant (not arrant) nonsense” that opposition teams realize that all Arsenal’s play goes through Ozil when he plays. Therefore he is heavily marked in games. Also the service to him from other players is often poor; exemplified in the Brighton game where Ozil had to drop deep to try and collect the ball.
The big issue with Ozil (not his fault) is that the £300k+ he is paid in wages would equate to Arsenal signing 3 very good players to address deficiencies. He has been priced out of the Club.
Ozzie, Firstly, I DID mean arrant (notorious, downright, unmitigated, complete), not “errant”( wandering , roving, rambling) , which can at times be similarly in used in speech but usually means different things. I suggest you look up both in your dictionary. I am a highly educated man in language and in English and used the correct word advisedly. I also like your regular sensible posts but am disappointed that even you , among many other intelligent Gooners, refuse to see the lack of spine in Ozil. I respectfully suggest you read the excellent part of the post by Third ManJW, (just above this) and take note of his pertinent comments about Ozils lack of motivation to perform anymore. I could not agree more with his post.
jon, I take your point, and also being careful with my use of the English language I will go back to my crosswords.
With respect to Ozil’s spine or lack thereof, I have only commented on his technical ability and what he offers to the team given what he is paid.
I will make one projection for you and that is that without playmakers like Ozil or similar Arsenal’s goals will dry up. Aubameyang in particularly requires players to track his runs and play balls into space. Lacazette is a more rounded striker, but if Emery keeps subbing him off, i see a transfer request forthcoming. His good friend Antoine Greizmann wants him at Atletico Madrid.
Without productive midfielders Arsenal’s strikers will wither on the vine. We have called out for strikers of this ilk since Van Persie left and there are plenty of big spending clubs which will be happy to take them off Arsenal’s hands. Arsenal needs to cherish them and buy decent CAMs to keep them supplied.
Guys, Ozil, Ramsey, Kozy, Nacho and Cech their time at Arsenal is past, arsenal need wingers and creative MD and new GK and CB in january, if we keep Kozy we gonna have Mert situation i am afraid!!
I agree bad management , we have no one better in midfield other than Ozil or Ramsey not good enough for managing Arsenal in France or spain etc yes you can get away with it will be sacked writhing two years I no he is trying to prove a point but to much being negative we need a more creative manager and a board to back him it will be ten years before we win the league and that is when we get a new board who is willing to make AFC the best club in the world ( I mean who the hell is Brighton we should be wining buy 4-0 we Sv gone from one extre to another
What we need is 4/ or 5 good new players or play the nelssons or the other reserve kids it will take another 200 million hard work or a fantastic manager to even start give him at least achance two or three trancefer windows
@ ThirdmanJw
My fellow arsenal compatriot instead of writing at such length to bring across your point why not give some statistics to back your point. PLEASE
I agree. Short term (this season) we need him
And he should play more regularly in the middle
However, unless he starts playing well consistently we should off-load him in the summer.
I have a feeling that Emery feels the same way because of Ozil’s lack of playing time. Someone with such a huge salary should be playing regularly and I think Emery has a different mind set to Wenger and he will get a new CAM In the summer
Fans are getting greedy now…… how many games have we lost since Emery took over? …..3 really 2 games. Emery wants to win but more importantly he does not want to lose. Brighton came with a scripted tactics and they were effective….. so Emery did what a good coach would do…….,not lose the game if we fail to win…..let the coach do his job….. we will beat looser pool this weekend…..
I wish I shared your enthusiasm John… right now I can’t see anything but a complete stuffing & I’m dreading it!!
Ozil may be inconsistent and overpaid but he is certainly better than Iwobi, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan and Guendozi. He sees things nobody else does, like Fabregas used to. He creates chances and you are always GUARANTEED that he will give a perfect final ball when you need a perfect final ball like on a counter attack. Of course the ideal situation would be to rid ourselves off his preposterous wages but it’s unlikely anyone will pick up his contract. Maybe PSG or the Chinese could come for him but until then it’s best to support him and play to his strengths. He can be an asset or a liability depending on how Emery will use him. Ultimately we are stuck with Ozil.
QD, exactly and I agree entirely about his preposterous wages, in fact ALL players in the premier league get preposterous salaries.
The one thing that I find admirable about Oziil and his salary is the amount of charity donations he reportedly gives out from them, but so he should, along with every other overpaid individual in my opinion.
There is rumour that Rabiot has refused to extend his contract which expires th is summer just like Ramsey’s situation. I think emery used him in psg so it’s a win win for both parties swap them. Also hear it here first I think banega will be an arsenal player come January. I will like that deal and don’t tell me about his age. Remind me again how old ronaldo is? I would also look to sign a winger preferable zaha, home ground,knows the league well,stays in London. And also a cb preferable Harry Maguire him with sokratis will be one he’ll of an animal.
Players to get rid/loan. I have said this before between Maitland niles and willock who is the better suited midfielder I would say willock. AMN for all his appearances both last season and this season hasn’t improved for me compared to the likes of other young players. I would like Iwobi to be sold along with elneny,Jenkinson,ozil.
I think we have over achieved because when u remove the wages of ozil,miki,Ramsey players on high wages who aren’t performing you will see that this squad is pretty cheap compared to the top 4.
Maguire is £50-60 millions and he’s extremely overhyped!
Banega has played really well this season. However he turns 31 next summer and he will be deadwood inside a year. Paying +15 mils for him would be idiotic.
Swap Ramsey with Rabiot and be done with it.
Would love to get Rabiot, but the word is that the big sharks with money are circling.
Of course we can. He won’t press. He won’t help out in defending even the most dire of situations. He can’t really change games. He is not a great changer. He is a lazy player in the sense that he will not mark players, he will not go in for duels, etc.
Obviously fanboys and fangirls will overlook the fact that his contributions don’t outweigh the humungous amount of crap he offers.
I can’t wait for this fraud player to be sold.
MY THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS
What I saw from our players on that Match day between Arsenal and Brighton was a total replay of what we saw from the later years of Arsene Wenger. Insipid display, lack of guts, thinking about the next game even when the latest game has only begun.
We had total control as soon as we had scored by the bank opener, and that was when we should have gone for the jugular; instead they backpedaled to the old way: passing sideways; and the few chances that came our way, they miss used them or spurned them (whichever one you think). The nothing-to-write-home about contest went on, and the players carried this newly created mentality, which I do not support, that they would win it in the second half, at least that was what I saw in them.
And when the second half started, they were out worked, out thought and bamboozled by their opponent. I won’t blame the players alone, I think Emery over tinkered the team, and his substitution were nowhere near its usual level. As much as l have lauded his substitutions and game management before that game, I will also blame him for doing more than necessary.
First half, we seemed to be playing 4-4-2 formation, and Auba and Laca were playing in tandem, only for Laca to be taken of when we needed him most. If you take off your striker against a small team like Brighton what would you do against a big team like Liverpool. And I hope what has sprouted on my mind does not come to happen. With the way Unai is going with Laca’s substitution lately, his confidence is not too far away from being shattered, and he may ask to be transferred from the club.
Laca works very hard, and he doesn’t look, to me, as a selfish person. Did you see how he worked that goal for Auba, and when he was taken off Auba had no potent partner.
Talking about Kroenke is beginning to be a burden and a waste of time for me because this guy is bent on having a growing and fattened bank account to the detriment of team performance. The best thing to do, as Fox suggested, will be avoiding of games by those who are in London. He doesn’t want to open his wallet.
Well summarized Kingojode. With Scrooge Kroenke as owner, based on the performance of his US sporting franchises, Arsenal will huff and puff but won’t be competitive above 5th or 6th. Ultimately the lack of spending may cause Emery to look elsewhere and who would follow him into coaching/managing the Arsenal.
If we are to improve as a team, all our available financial resources should be deployed in bringing in a top quality centre back and left back.Every football manager makes mistakes.Emery has and will continue to do so but since he took over he has done a very decent job considering the poor quality of defenders he has to work with and the unfortunate injuries to the likes of Bellerin and Holding who had been performing well.The fact that we continue to leak goals to average sides means we have to chase games which creates pressure on our midfielders and forwards to break down deep defences such as those from Southampton, Burnley and Brighton.Stop the goals and confidence spreads throughout the team and players like Ramsay and Ozil will flourish.Look at the change in Liverpool since they acquired a top class goalkeeper and centre back .We simply must sort out our glaring defensive weaknesses first before we consider other less urgent problem a reas.
Grandad, If I may, I would like to ask a personal question but please feel free not to answer if you wish. Are you indeed a grandad and esp of an age where many Grandads grandkids are not even very young? Your posts are so wise and so mature and I JUST MUST ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND THE GAME AND OUR BELOVED CLUB FOR DECADES, unless told otherwise. Needless to say, your above post was of your usual intelligent standard.