Who can replace Ozil for Arsenal against Bayern Munich?

I know that Arsene Wenger has a well deserved reputation for backing his players and that certainly goes down well in the Arsenal dressing room, but with the Gunners all but mathematically out of the race for the Premier League title, our Champions League exploits are more important than ever and with Mesut Ozil in poor form and suffering a crisis of confidence, an away match against Bayern Munich is not the right time for the manager to stick with him.

The fact that Wenger mentioned the self confidence of our German play maker this week tells me that he is worried about him and his potential impact in Europe tomorrow. I also think the boss was preparing our number 11 for a place on the bench at the start of the game in Munich.

If the Frenchman does drop Ozil then the big question is who will take his place. We could go with two up top and change the system but I do not see that happening, so I think it will be a straight swap and there are a few candidates.

Alex Iwobi is the most obvious choice and has played the number 10 role quite well already this season. Arsenal have plenty of forward options so there would be no problem on the flanks and Iwobi has the same sort of passing ability and awareness that we are used to from Ozil.

Another option would be to drop bAlexis Sanchez back there and I feel that the Chilean could have a great impact, with Welbeck or Giroud going to centre forward, but for me the best option would be to give Oxlade-Chamberlain a chance and play a solid central midfield of Xhaka or Elneny with Coquelin.

What would you do Gooners?

Bob.

12 Comments

    1. The way he has played for the last 6 games,anyone in the squad. This guy has been on everybody’s lips as a poor buy, Any other manager would have dropped him earlier but Wenger is weak, nice man to his players but week on big names who don’t perform. Would love just once to have him pick players that have shown they have more to offer in 90 minutes., and to sub those who are just ordinary. The Southhampton game 5nil and a joy to watch has gone out the window. Now we struggle to get 1goal a game 2 if we are lucky on a penalty. This is not Rocket science
      CB

  1. No need for this. We all know Ozil will start the game tomorrow. A draw will be a good result..i have a feeling. that we will knock bayern out

    1. We need to:

      A) Score at least once
      B) Not get mauled

      Then we will be in good position for the home bout.

  2. We just have to get to the quarter final this season. One thing we should know is to think how Bayern would play. They would go guns blazing in the first 30 mins of the game. So we need to be very compact and maintain a good shape in the first 30mins. I would have loved Wenger to play a 433 formation. 3 Man midfield of Xhaka, Ozil and one of Iwobi/AOC. Front 3 of Sanchez Welbeck and Giroud. Welbeck has a winning mentality. he has pace for counter attacking football. We need Xhaka and our full backs to send more crosses into the bayern box. Iwobi is a player who is very comfortable with the ball. he has a good ball retention skill. Can dribble and switch from defence to attack. Walcott, Elneny and lucas as subs. We habe to have good game management. Good shape. Composure and calmness. We can knock bayern out.

  3. you have to be optimistic this time. but one thing that makes think. will robben knock us out this time with his trickery to win penalties and having a player sent off? = gooner for ever

  4. Wenger dropping Ozil, against the German champions, in Germany, on a huge European night…not in a million years!

  5. Iwobi is a perfect replacement n has been playing well…
    but I feel we should use 3 CMs or 4CMs in form of

    Ox-Xhaka-Coquelin or Ox-Xhaka-Coquelin-Iwobi

  6. I don’t think Ozil will be dropped. But then Giroud was dropped for Sanogo (against Bayern coincidentally), so who knows.

    In the odd chance Ozil is dropped, OX, Sanchez and Iwobi can all do a job there.

    ______Giroud
    Perez Sanchez Welbeck

    Bayern certainly wouldn’t like this front 4!!

  7. No way Wenger drops Ozil for this one but I’d try Iwobi there if I had to choose someone. Hopefully Welbeck can play and show us what he can do. We need to make sure we’re in the tie still after tomorrow.

  8. Theres more chance of a rule change allowing us to play with 15 players on the pitch than Wenger dropping Ozil or Wenger making a tactical adjustment, which could help us defensively.

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