Unai Emery’s team selections have divided Arsenal fans opinions this season, but never has he been under greater pressure to get it right than this Thursday. To clarify, no matter who who he picks we should have enough to beat BATE, but if the worse was to happen and he continues to field a back 5 and 2 DMs for the sake of an attacking player, we have a right to be angry.
All managers should stick to their principles and clearly he needs more transfer windows to find individuals who fit into his ethos. He also has a duty to do the best he can in the short-term . Like any coach, that means getting the best out of the tools he has. Long term he might not rate Ramsey or Ozil. At the very least he doesn’t feel they justify salaries he could use elsewhere.
He’s being paid though lots of money to make Gooners happy. The Europa League remains our most realistic route back into the Champions League and an early exit would mentally affect our campaign. To win football matches you play your best talent. This is not to say Ramsey and Ozil don’t have faults. The question should be are they better than our other options?
I refuse to believe that our boss truly believes that in a fixture where the away team will park the bus, that Ozil is not ‘tactically’ a better option than Iwobi. That’s where I think some fans are confused. Defending Ozil is not a knock on Emery. Nor should the Spaniard be immune from critics just because he’s only been here for 8 months (he has the same points as under-fire Sarri). It’s more a case of the current system not working, so why keep doing the same thing, expecting different results?
How many chances does Iwobi need? How many times do we need to see he hasn’t the final ball for this level? When we were going 22 games unbeaten you couldn’t argue with his team selection but when you have only won twice away since November, and have one of your most humiliating defeats in Belarus, it is fair to expect change.
When we are lacking creativity, it is not out of order to ask for a man with the most assists in Europe since coming to England to be given a chance. If Ozil doesn’t start this week, we know Emery is putting his personal view of Ozil ahead of what’s best for the team. He now needs to show his ego isn’t so big that he can’t admit he’s made a mistake.
If Emery doesn’t pick Ozil and we go out of Europe, he deserves to be questioned.
Dan Smith
I will have a serious meltdown ?
???. Please Sue baby stay unmelted.
?
Melted Sue! No I cannot allow that and so I have instructed Arsenal to win , just so you can stay as sweet as you are . We will get through with a bit to spare, i firmly believe. I think the peroid we are in right now is a little misleading and that soon things will improve. I agree the style is, well pretty awful but with all those injuries and no decent fit defenders still left , I think it a marvel that we are just a single point from 4th place. The shambles Wenger left behind was always going to be a long job to put right. But we fans must have faith in our manager. It saddens me a lot to see how soon so many fainthearts already doubting his credentials to manage us. He will come through, so have faith Sue.
Thanks Jon ? you know what it’s like, the heat of the moment, everyone’s annoyed & frustrated at another poor game… all it comes down to is our love for AFC & we just want them to be successful & it hurts when they’re not
Emery has to select the best players that fit in his system
Ozil can only play as no 10 and was unfit, hence he was often excluded
Emery would be forced to use 4-2-3-1 with a no 10 this time, but his staffs and him deserve to pick their own strategy and players
Football Managers ultimately live or die by the decisions they make and Emery is soon to reach the point where he will be judged.The side were humiliated by last weeks result in Belaraus and the previous performances against Cardiff and Huddersfield were every bit as bad.No obvious tactics.No sign of this high press game plan.And zero creativity from midfield.
He has continued to sideline Ozil for reasons that just do not make sense and he is now left with no option other than to play him on both Thursday and Sunday.
I’m convinced that Emery will leave the Club before Ozil.The Managers obvious reluctance to play his most highly gifted player will be the reason he loses his job and he will have only himself to blame.
I don,t think emery will be gone before ozil for the reason that it is both the board & manager who want him out of the club,I think they finally realized that it was a mistake to give him such a contract!!
Really?Well it was the Board who signed off on paying Ozil £350k per week so they will have to find £36.4m to pay up his contract if they cannot sell him or the player refuses to leave.What would YOU do if you were Ozil.He is the one holding all the cards not the Club and certainly not the Manager.
You sound really desperate now Phil saying Ozil has all the cards… what cards? lmao ?… Again with Ramsey, the club has shown they aren’t scared of letting players go even for a perceived loss which will be the case of Ozil. Do you know how much Oscar, hulk even Alex witsel earns in China? Paying Ozil wages isn’t going to shake any top club there. In fact the first Chinese club to table 30mil will gets him next season. Stop your delusional thinking. Ozil at 30 isn’t going to win
I disagree ,ozil does not have to go anywhere ,the choice is his and his alone and if I were him I would stay and collect my money ,after the way he has been treated (and not moaned once )I wouldn’t blame him one bit .
Ofc you want him gone anyway because of this delusional thinking that iwobi is going to have the number 10 spot to himself (???????????????????????????)remember there’s more than 1 player in a football team .
“My Delusional Thinking”?From somrone who believes Iwobi is the second coming of Pele?
Arsenal Football Club handed the cards to Mesut Ozil the second he was allowed to sign his contract.Ozil now decides when and where he goes.NOT EMERY.NOT THE BOARD.
And if OZIL does go to any Club that pays a fee AND/OR covers his wages he could still demand his contract being paid off be Arsenal before he goes anywhere.THAT IS A WHOLE DECK OF CARDS IN MY OPINION.
If Ozil did dig his heels in and decide to sit and do nothing while collecting three hundred and fifty grand a week, I’m sorry but that is just disgraceful behavior from someone who has already made an absolute fortune for his footballing abilities. Any true footballer worthy of high praise would choose to just go and play elsewhere and not let the lower salary stand in his way. Whenever you hear about squad players leaving a club so they can gain minutes on the pitch, while accepting less money, there is a reason why that resonates with fans. Fans love when players put their football first, we all love it, because that’s what they’re supposed to do, they got into football for the love of the game. And though some do look at money first and foremost but I always believed that they would not be fit enough to lick the boots of a footballing lover, like Ozil.
Dan you are forgetting – or perhaps overlooking – the emotional element to OZIL. He is being frozen out of the team, in my view correctly too, to make him want to go. On the narrow legal ground , we would need to pay up his contract to get him to leave but life is never as black and white as that. Older people know this from our own experience. I am old and so know this. Take it from me, he will NOT be here next August. I do not see him as a trouble maker and there is evidence from his past to support this opinion. It is sad but ultimately he does not wish to work as the others do, at 100% and anything less is unacceptable, WHATEVER his wage be. Even were it only one hundred pounds a week. It is about honour NOT MONEY, though from the clubs view , of course they wish to save money and so they should.
So do I and so I firmly agree with you. I have backed my firm view, as I often do, by putting substantial money on OZIL leaving this summer. I see ZERO chance of Emery leaving for the foreseeable future. I also think Phil is fooling himself and refuses to see the clear truth about OZILS LACK OF CHARACTER. Emery sees it only too clearly and is doing something about it. I never thought for a moment that we would make top four this season with or without Ozil. OF COURSE I HOPE THOUGH AND WE ARE FIRMLY IN THE RACE, BUT OUR SQUAD IS A SHADOW OF UNITEDS , EVEN CHELSEAS. That is plain to anyone who is self honest. Some never are honest ,sadly.
Jon Fox if Ozil is LACK OF CHARACTER and he is so successful in his chosen profession then I think lack of character should be included in the definition of success. If you have a child that is not aggressive, but very intelligent in what he does with seal prove results will you consider that child less successful because he/she doesn’t kick other children. This man has trophies even my country footballers can not boast of. He is a World Cup winner, laliga, champions league, 3 Fa. He is so lack of character he leads the assists table in Arsenal, he is so lack of character he was nominated the best footballer in his country more than twice, he is so lack of character he is the ambassador for Mercedes Benz. I guess you are FuLL OF CHARACTER. My point is this you don’t have any right to criticise people for what you yourself can not do. And you have not earn the right to label People name when you don’t have personal relationship with them. Quit the name calling and speak truth and facts.
Sorry to correct you but ozil hasn’t won the champions league. Also, i don’t think you have to be a footballer to be able to criticise especially being fans who devote time and money to support.
Jon Fox-I am not fooling myself as you suggest.But I am being realistic in that atcthis time more than ever this season Mesit Ozil will improve the side whether he performs well or not.
My opinion is totally different to yours so we will have to agree to disagree on this.But if you are content watching continual toothless and uninspired performances that remind me so much of 1981-83 under Terry Neil and 1993-95 under George Graham then you are living your own dream.
I prefer the attacking game with flair players over the line up we have been putting out for weeks. Do I’m not fooling myself.I just long for the chance to compete against the Top sides.At the moment we haven’t done that against Cardiff Huddersfield and Bate.
It seems my standards are higher than most who would disagree
“Mesit Ozil will improve the side whether he performs well or not” is just the type of foolish comment you expect to see from Ozil fanboys… You want us to compete with the top sides again and you believe a 30 years old Ozil is the answer right? Wake up! Wake up!!
But iwobi is ??
I would actually welcome back Walcott to take his place that’s how bad of a player he is .
When it comes to stats I don’t really take that much notice ,but I did have a look at iwobis attacking wise stats ,they were embarrassing to say the least
Serge Gnabry and Kinsley Coman are also 22 and 23 yrs old respectively, these are wide players you yourself has suggested you’d rather have in our team to Iwobi.
Since you have shown how much of a statistics man you are, Do check their stats and do your comparisons with Iwobi, then maybe you will appreciate the talent we possess. Again I repeat, Iwobis stats are very good compared to his peers
I would not welcome Weed Walcott back if he was the last player on Earth. He is a plague of idleness a decade long, removed. Personally, I AM EVEN NOW REJOICING HIS ABSENCE.
Lupe I agree he as not won champions league, but he as other trophies which I have not mentioned. Good trophies both at youth level and senior level. I am not against criticism but name calling is absolutely wrong. If Jon Fox is criticising him for his football am alright, and that can be debated but to call him lack of character is abusing him. His professional abilities and achievements also disagree with such comments.
Football is a team sports, you cannot dare attribute the success of a club down to one player rather it is the collective effort of the team. Yes we won 3 FA cups with Ozil in the team but it was Ramsey and Giroud popping up with the goals and assists in the finals.
Concerning Ozils lack of character I totally agree with Jon using the instance of his unreliability. When you sign a MASSIVE contract with an employer to do a job and consistently don’t show up to do that job, you are displaying a lack of character. Ozil is known to feign illnesses to miss games, he has played less minutes but has ended up in the sick room more than the likes of Iwobi and Auba who has been on the pitch much longer than him. A person of character honors his agreements, including the agreement he made to perform work for a salary. Unreliability in the workplace places a burden on the coach and on his fellow players, who have to step in to do his job. A person without character cannot be counted on as with Ozil, Emery cannot simply rely on him to turn up and perform.
Th14, can you please give me a reliable statistics that shows he lacks character because if the way he plays his football. People say he doesn’t run enough and statistics have proven that to be wrong. Or just because of what we see on the tv. So please I will like learn from you as I might not be properly informed. Back your claim up with a reliable statistics. Body language is not enough to quantify work ethics. I am a student of science (not literally) so learning from you will be welcomed. But if you cannot provide a reliable statistics then you, me or Jon Fox can not reliably say he lacks character. And he has more trophies than any other player in Arsenal currently team. That is a testament to the man’s football abilities.
TH14-Are you SERIOUSLY saying Iwobi compares to Coman and Gnarby?So you are saying Iwobi would be a contender to play in this current Bayern Munich side?
You really do need to wake up PAL.Your Iwobi is And always will be a Clogger of a footballer.I would like to see the stats with the number of times he has run down a blind alley.The number of times he has failed to take the right option.The number of times it would be easier to score than miss.
Being Nigerian I accept you have very little in life to get excited about but your continual lovefest with Iwobi embarrasses you each and every time.
You come across as a bit of a sad and pathetic person with pretty much nothing in life worth saying.As you continue to prove.
Just stop embarrassing yourself.
And let’s not forget you trying to “Hit” on OUR SUE.
EMBARRASSING OR WHAT
I just love the way TH14 ignored you when you tried infusing personality and nationality into the discussion. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Does any opinion to highlight Ozil’s workrate expressly means love for Iwobi? Does his exclusion means others advocate for Iwobi’s inclusion into the team?
Just cover your face man, Iwobi and Ozil are cool mates, Gunners, loveable colleagues and charitable humans. Stop playing that dirty cards to increase…
TH14 ignores everyone when it comes to giving rational answers as to Iwobi.
But then again he hasn’t got much to defend when all he resorts to is his undying love affair with the most average player we have had at this Club for many a season.
Pat, Perhaps you would kindly point out where these stats for laziness you keep wanting me to provide, actually ARE published. Your naivety continues to astound me! I have several times told you and others that using sharp and normal eyes is ALL YOU NEED TO SEE CLEAR LAZINESS. Since you will not accept that, then I cannot help you more. Try Ozillazy.com perhaps! I have often seen stats for sprints, accurate passes, goals , assists, etc. No one has ever seen published stats for “can’t be arsed to move himself by sprinting or trying hard”! If you manage to find them, then join the inner MAGIC CIRCLE AS YOU WILL HAVE ASTOUNDED US!!!!
Jon Fox are you an illiterate? Am asking you because I have provided you with genuine information accessible to everyone and you still say I am naive, while you have no information to back your claim and you want me to believe in your subjective mind.sorry baby things don’t work like that in my world because you see football is an absolute fact based business. So you need a renewed and open mind to see things clearly. Passion and facts are two different things and both are allowed in football but one has a better grounding than the other. None of the information I have given was compiled by me. So if you say you have no information to back you claim then you are a work of fantasy. This is how education works.
Jon Fox can you imagine if we were in court to defend our various opinions about Ozil, and you appear with your opinion and you say JonFox: my lord I am here to explain to you that Ozil is a lazy, effective, lack of character player. Judge: Can I have your evidence, Jon Fox: judge I have no evidence, I couldn’t get any evidence to support my claim. Jon Fox the judge will simply throw away your case. ????? you are arguing about what you cannot support and you call me naive. ???? you are a joke.
Pat , I have just now read this post. I think it best that I no longer even read your future posts and that I certainly don’t engage directly in conversation with you. However, if you try to involve others or go behind my back , so to speak , to continue your insulting comments, you will swifly find that I can do likewise but far more effectively,so let us no longer communicate , not even indirectly. As for “illiterate,” I have an English language degree.
Pat, you sound very young to judge by many of your posts. They are not the posts of a life experienced person. Such a person would never say , as you have , that “you have no right to criticise people for what you yourself can not do”! Even a moments thought would show that statement to be laughable. If you employ a builder, plumber, dentist, car mechanic to do what you yourself are unable to do, and then they mess things up OR don’t turn up to work on time, are you seriously suggesting you have no right to tackle them on it? Much of what you outline about OZIL IS NOW SOMEWAY INTO THE PAST. HOW ABOUT this season ; the one that MATTERS RIGHT NOW? FACT: HE HAS HAD JUST ONE OUTSTANDING GAME THIS SEASON VERSUS Leicster at home , out of approx 20 apopearances. NOW THAT IS RELEVANT,not what he did years before. Do keep up to date please!
Am glad you really feel very bad about what I said. Did you see your comment up there where you called me naive. I never call anyone by miserably names but I choose to deal with your comments exactly how you like (insulting) it will amazed you how old I am and I am a woman. But you calling people names is totally not acceptable. As to responding to comments I will choose to avoid you if you so wish. You and I don’t share the same opinion anyway. I prefer to talk intelligent but you like thrashing people and you calling me naive was absolutely unacceptable. A little dose of your own medicine. Learn to not call other people stupid names.
??
Phil, Whatever happened to your “free pass” for Emery this season. Soon forgotten eh? Or perhaps it was just rhetoric and not to be taken seriously? Do tell which it is, as both that comment and your above post cannot be right, being so contradictory. Unless by “soon to be judged” you meant at end of this season. I do not think you did though by the way you phrased your comment.
Yeah Jon-sorry to say but he no longer has a free pass with me.Not with the ridiculous decisions he is making in team selections and tactics.
Do you remember when Wenger came to the Club in October 1996?Pat Rice had us playing with a back 5.Wenger went the whole season with that system before changing to a flat back 4 in 1997-98.
Emery has tried to introduce a new system without the players to make it work.I can see it.Everyone else can see it.Emery chooses not to and that is why we have no pattern and pathetic performances.
So NO FREE PASS from me now.He will live or survive on his decisions
Well now we know then Phil , it was just rhetoric after all. At least I know -or at least I hope I do for my own sanity – that your many past comments on Wenger , all of which I much agreed with were HONEST. Shame you did not mean what you said about Emery. You will be proved far too hasty, IMO. I will remind you of this further down the line.
Jon-we can only wait and see.At this time he needs to find answers and it is his own responsibility to get the team to perform.As we stand there has been ZERO improvement for him to report.We see it with our eyes every game.
Well Phil, I am one of those who ARE content to wait and see. Glad to see that you are NOW content to do likewise. That is all I ask, Fairness! You of all people well know as I do too, what a bum steer Wenger left him to work with. God Phil, you have said so enough times your self! We do not have a SINGLE outfield of proven top quality in his prime ,as you well know. What do you expect a normal human to do; he is not a miracle worker and needs a fair time to bring in ALL his own people. That is simple justness! All I ask is that you go back to your free pass this season; THAT was fair!
I should have said, “outfield DEFENDER”.
Well Jon-I’m not defending Wenger at all but he st least had an offensive mindset.To set up as we are now doing with OFFENSIVE players not included,especially against the quality of teams we have faced in the last three games,shows Emery to be very insecure and unsure.
Let’s not forget he arrived with an in-depth dossier on (apparently) every player in the squad.He began the season offensively but as soon as we had a few bad results he reverted to a defensive set-up.
That’s not the sign of a manager in control in my view
Team cheq
Amn kos sok monreal
Torre ramsey
Squarez ozil kolas
Auba
First off, is it 100% Emery’s decision? I like to think it is, because only the coach/manager should be picking whoever he wants. Although I also understand that if the only way of getting Ozil out, is to force him out with no game time, then so be it, if that’s a decision coming from above Emery. Either way, Emery will get a lot of flak for not playing him and we lose.
I am not a fan of Ozil, but I would play him in this game, as I think he may perform well, which highlights why we need to get rid of him asap. For a lot of fans, they can only trust Ozil to perform in these type of games (home fixture against a weak opponent). If you cannot pick your most expensive player for ANY away fixture, or ANY fixture against a top team, then that is worrying. If Ozil is fit, then start him against Bate, but he needs to put in a WC performance, because every time Emery gives him yet another chance, he just gets worse.
ThirdMan, I’m curiosity to know what kind of match is Arsenal vs Liverpool 3-3 at home,Ozil gave us the lead before pool equalize. What kind of match is Arsenal vs Chelsea 3-0, Ozil scored a sumptuous goal and made an assist. Again what kind of match was Arsenal Vs Manchester United 3-0 2015/16 season he scored a goal and also assisted. He has had 5 goals and 8 assists against epl top5 in 31 matches. And for reference sake he wasn’t involved in our game against pool and city away where we lost heavily to pool. Also he wasn’t involved in Westham and Soton where we also lost both maximum points . My point is we need to look at the failure of the team wholistically and not adopting the narrow approach of blaming one play. Who was blamed in those big away matches that we have lost. Let me tell you ,Nobody! not even the coach as it was expected we cannot win those matches but when Ozil plays in those matches he would crucified for those defeat. As a fan I expect all our players and not only Ozil to give their highest performance in every matches and not only on the kind of matches we are having tomorrow. On second thought I will want his utmost game in that match if he plays because I want to qualify as the boys could not do it without him in the first leg.
Mobella, very intelligent analysis based on facts and I know there are more facts out there. But the little you have provided shows how broad your views are. I have always said we should look at things from a broader viewpoint and we should consider our various results. With Ozil we can not play any worse than we are playing right now, but with him we can be improved by his input. I rest my case.
Well you’ve certainly cherry picked a few performances where Ozil played well, and you’ve had to really dig into the archives to find them. I could easily name way more games where he has done absolutely nothing, but I don’t judge players on only a handful of games, as it’s more constructive to look what a player has done throughout an entire season.
Why did you not mention Ozil this season in big games? 4 games, 3 rubbish performances and an average performance against Liverpool, which resulted in 3 defeats and zero wins. Without him we have looked so much better in big games this season, and that is a hard fact. We thrashed Spurs without Ozil. We beat Chelsea without Ozil. We drew at Utd, in game that we easily should have won…without Ozil.
You also got a fact completely wrong. Ozil not only played in the defeat to Southampton, but he played a key role in their winning goal.
It may appear to you that I cherry picked the matches where it performed well. No I didn’t. I was pointing to wrong the myth that he doesn’t perform against big club hence the stat that I provided. Yes 5 goals and 8 assists in 31 matches against top six club is poor and that is different to him not performing at all. There are matches where he had a good game but he didn’t score or assists against the so call big 5. The 2-0 against spurs come to mind. The fact that most people don’t talk about is when we played poorly against those top clubs Ozil wasn’t the one on the pitch. Other players were there. Sanchez that we all loved so much was there as well. There are stat out there if you care to find that shows that Ozils out performed him in most of those matches. He ran more, covered more ground, made more intercept and created chances that were taken. But people seem to be fixated on Ozil. Whenever we lose it is because he doesn’t play well. Once again I say defeat should be seen as team failure. When Ozil is not performing others should step up there games. This is what we are seeing with other clubs like city, pool, psg, why should ours being different.
I agree with you that many others play poor as well as Ozil in big games, but is that not expected from so called ‘average/rubbish players’ such as Xhaka, Mustafi, Giroud, Arteta, Iwobi, etc? Whereas I keep getting told Ozil is WC. So of course I then expect more from a so called ‘WC player’, than I would do from an Iwobi for example.
And I also don’t just look at stats. Just because Ozil doesn’t get a goal or an assist, doesn’t mean he had a bad game, but too often, especially against quality teams, he disappears! I’ve lost count the amount of times I’ve watched us play, and wondered if Ozil was even on the pitch. Ozil doesn’t dictate play or the tempo of a game like proper WC playmakers do like Modric, KDB, Silva, Pogba, etc.
This season has been great because the Ozil critics have been proven right by Emery. We’ve scored loads of goals, created loads of chances, and thats whilst Ozil has barely started, and I think only made less than 20 appearances in total. Clearly we’re not struggling in regards to creativity without Ozil. The defence is our main problem, so it doesn’t make sense to use your least defensive player…who can’t even run!
For Ozil to play, Emery must use a 4231 formation to accommodate a no10. We all know Emery isn’t a fan of that formation and would rather use a 433 or 343. Don’t ask the coach why, it is criminal to ask a coach to change his style he is accustomed to, a style that has tasted 3 Europa league success and won the French league and other trophies because it is keeping 1 player out of the team..
Ozil is useless if not played as a no10, over the years he modeled his game to suit this position and at 30 I’m not surprised he is finding it difficult to adapt to his new coach’s system and style that doesn’t involve a no10.
What we should do as fans is not to question Ozil absence rather support to coach and his methods
Mobella and Pat, what you have to realise is that FACTS bear out the truth.
Opinions are just that, opinions.
Try and discuss the FACTS and you will always find that they will veer off onto something completely different in order to run from those FACTS.
No matter what FACTS either of you produce, they mean nothing to guys like TH14.
His argument that UE has won three europa cups and a french league is a FACT, we can all agree with that.
But he refuses to acknowledge the FACTS regarding Ozil’s stats as proof of the player’s ability and class.
Sky bring out stats showing the ground covered during a match and that would be UE’s favourite, as it shows who runs 100% during a game.
What he seems to ignore is the result of that running, the ability to create and read the game from other stats that really show the importance of Ozil.
I have no doubt whatsoever that Iwobi, as an example, runs around more than Ozil, but what is the end product and how does it affect the result of the game?
By the way TH14, signing a massive contract and then being ignored in order to force that player out…does that show class form our club?
Just WHY did the club sanction the contract in the first place?
Stats can always be very misleading, especially that ground covered/amount of running one that often gets used in defence of Ozil. Is it effecting though?
How often does Ozil sprint to catch an opponent, or to get back in position, or create space? Very very rarely. I hardly ever see him sprint. How often does he press? How often does he bust a gut for a loose ball? And so on. As a free roaming playmaker, he should be moving around a lot, and finding little pockets of space, so I do give him some credit for that, but again, that’s not enough though.
A fantastic example of this stat and how easily it can be interpreted either way, was that goal Germany conceded against Mexico at last year’s WC. If my memory serves me correctly, it was the also the winning goal? Please correct me if I’m wrong. Anyway, Germany got hit on the counter, Ozil ran back with the attacker, who easily got the better of him, and then scored. Now some put no blame on Ozil for that goal. He shouldn’t have been there, where were the defenders, it isn’t Ozils job, etc. But Ozil was to blame, because of his pathetic attempt at a tackle (lazily dangling a leg out) at a vital moment, which directly lead to goal. It so easy for the attacker to get past him. And that’s my point about his ineffective running stats at times. He covered a lot of ground trying to stop the attacker, but what was the result of that running? It’s irrelevant what your position is, or your responsibility, if there’s danger, and you make such half hearted attempt to stop it, then that’s unacceptable!
The Ozil ‘press’ is another one that makes me laugh. Half hearted token gesture of a jog towards an opponent is NOT an effective press haha!
Uhh … What system is that? Have come to the conclusion he doesn’t have one … And that seems to be confirmed by Spanish colleagues who suggest Sevilla didn’t have a system either … His brand of football pragmatism works ok for cup runs but not where it matters in league or against top CL teams … He’s basically a Spanish version of van gahl and board needs to work that out sooner rather than later or we will be languishing in and around 6th spot for foreseeable future … On ozil I guess it’s a matter of taste … And like wenger Emery seems to have a problem digesting the good stuff … More comfortable with the bargain basement at tesco
I agree with every word.
This was in reply to Third Man JW’s original post
UE has the right as the manager to field *his best 11*
All i want as a gooner is good results spiced with entertainment. If his prefared 11 can’t deliver the goods then, if he gets the boot, he will have himselve to blame.
‘How many chances does Iwobi need?’ Why do people keep thinking that it is Iwobi that is keeping Ozil on the bench or out of the team? They two don’t even play the same wing. i think we should put all the blame on the coach as he is not getting results. However, he has the right to chose those that fit his philosophy.
3-4-2-1 for me like this if papa is fit
Leno
Kos Sokratis monreal
Niles torreira Ramsey kola
Ozil mkhitaryan
Aubameyang
Cech, Jenkinson, Suarez, xhaka, Guendozi, iwobi, nketiah
Mustafi in if papa is not fit.
“He’s being paid though lots of money to make Gooners happy.”
First mistake. He’s not being paid to make us fans happy, he’s being paid to make Kroenke happy.
Wrong. He is being paid to coach Arsenal football team. Kroenke does not select the team or the tactics. KROENKE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY THINGS,but this is one area where he is not.
Emery is such a stubborn coach that put Arsenal team is so boring to watch now….
Emery gave Ozil 1 or 2 games to prove his fitness ,but he expect Arsenal to give him more to prove his worth…!
Why do you feel the need to compare Ozil with Iwobi who has been one of our better players this season and has no illusions of being a “playmaker”You may as well compare Ozil with Mustafi , a useless extra defender we can do without .Ozil and Iwobi should play, Mustafi and Xhaka should not.If we fail to go through against a team which would be fighting relegation in the Championship there will be calls for Emery’s head.A defeat would have repercussions all the way up the food chain and might just be the catalyst for Kroenke to consider whether his investment in Arsenal is worthwhile.In essence a defeat , God forbid, might actually be the first step towards a change in ownership, which most fans are looking for, myself included.
Grandad, Ah ! If only you could be right about us losing Kroenke quite so easily. Not a cat in hells chance, IMHO. I agree that defeat in the tie would cause Emery huge fan problems, but Kroenke would not care less. You know that as well as I or anyone else on here too.
Surely Unai Emery would be steering down the barrel
Iwobi, one of our better players? You can’t be serious… I am so tired of his “taking the ball, running, and either losing or shooting 3miles wide!” (OK he scored during the last game, but it felt like it was just by chance!)
And, Ozil and Iwobi don’t have the same playing style (if Iwobi has a style), but they play in the same position: attacking midfielder. Emery chooses Iwobi over Ozil: so yes, we can compare them.
For sure, we can’t compare Ozil to Lichteiner, even if I sometimes wonder if Ozil wouln’t be better at right back…
As Mourinho and can testify, star players can cost a manager his job. It happened to him at Real, Chelsea and more recently at United.
As I have pointed out before, Ozil has his shortcomings as a player and should not play every match. However with proper management by selecting the best possible team to cover for his weaknesses, he is capable of creating many scoring opportunities for Arsenal.
A good coach not only focuses on on-field attitudes and results. One has to really know and understand their player and empathise with and reassure them.
I believe Ozil needs this.Look at how Germany treated him. Now we are doing the same to him. Some people on this site have no heart. They argue that Ozil deserves to be treated this way.
Look at Paul Pogba. Dont tell me Ole’s on-field coaching genius has transformed Pogba overnight. Ole simply understood Pogba’s need to feel appreciated, recognized as the main man and freedom to enjoy social media. A genius coach will at times tolerate player ego to achieve the collective objective.
Take Guardiola’s double Champions League success at Barca.The guy made Messi look like a God alongside Xavi and Iniesta and look what he achieved.He has since not tasted that success yet.
I do not mean to rate Ozil in the class of Messi et al. My point is that Emery is proving unable to manage players efficiently. He has to temper his tough stance with empathy and love or else he will end up like Maureen
What if Emery pics Özil, and we go out???
Why so muss fuss over Özil?
He needs to pull his weight for the team, or he can stay out and hopefully leave, if he doesn’t want to work hard for the team.
On the point that ozil puts in less defensive effort we agree.
But this idea that ozil is lazy while others are hardworking is pure nonsense.So now that ozil is lazy and has not been playing, what have the hardworkers got to show for their hardwork? Losing against Bate? Is there any proof that if ozil had been featuring in most of these matches we would be worse off?
I will critique any player fairly and Ozil has to do more just like other players have to be told. But victimising Ozil this way is being blind to the real problems at Arsenal.
Exactly Henry-the position Emery has put us and himself in allows some to make this all about Ozil.Well if the Manager doesn’t pick him then it can hardly be the players fault when the team fails to perform.
It suits the agenda of far too many to allow Ozil to be critisised as much as he is.
“Why so muss fuss over Özil?” Maybe because he is the single most creative player in all of Europe’s top leagues since arriving in England and can’t even get onto the bench in a squad that is so desperately crying out for creativity?
“if he doesn’t want to work hard for the team.” You say “if”, yet you quite clearly talk as if he doesn’t, completely ignoring the fact that he consistently comes in with the highest number of km’s covered per match.
It’s hilarious how the magnitude of unbelievably ignorant comments on here can so easily be totally refuted just by looking at the actual evidence and stats.
Exactly d-see reply to Henry.
I’ve looked at the Ozil scenario severally and I marvel at the thinking of those in charge at Arsenal.
At this stage, what do we really stand to lose by playing Ozil? Will the team be any worse, if he plays? No. Can the team be better if he plays? More likely. You give him a run of games (even if it’s not all the games), if he plays well, (1) we win more matches and hopefully qualify for the UCL. (2)His value appreciates and even if we want to offload him, he’ll get more suitors knocking at the door. (3) Fans are happy. If he doesn’t perform, end of debate. Everyone will see that he’s not needed in the team.
Sarri has spent same time in Chelsea as Unai has spent in Arsenal. He’s already feeling the heat from trying to stick to a style that clearly isn’t working, rather than adapt his game to the players available. The moment we crash out of Europa (I sincerely hope we win it), Emery will feel double that heat from the fans.
It is clear Emery doesn’t want to play Ozil, because of his apparent workrate.
It could make sense if he had an equivalent player with a better workrate, but it is not the case!
Ramsey might have been able to fill the void, but he will leave soon. Iwobi is (or is expected to be) an impact player, but even on his best days, he doesn’t have 1% of Ozil’s talent and technical abilities. Emery brought in Suarez: for now, he just looks like a joke.
Lacazette and Aubameyang are obviously striving to get more passes to score: who else in the team is able to deliver them? We know Ozil is not the best at defensive tasks, but he is one of the best for the attacking ones and one of the best passers in Europe!
It seems Emery told Ozil he was expecting more consistency if he wanted to get back to the team: on that point, Ozil might have a chance: he has been very consistent sitting on the bench, looking lost in his thoughts and writing positive (still!) comments on social media.
I could understand he was not playing in Jan, as they were trying to sell him. But now, this is just crazy!
What a waste…
I don’t get it when people say we were humiliated by Bate. Come on it was 1 nill. Folks sounding like it was a hammering. I believe we should be good through with or without Ozzy