Mesut Özil

[The Skipper 20,609]

4 hours ago, Jason said:

Ozil has given no indication whatsoever over the last year or so that he's willing to commit long term to Arsenal. If he's really rated by the top European clubs, we would have seen a few of them lining up to try and sign him like they are with Sanchez. Maybe he will sign a new contract in the coming months but the fact that no one has been queuing to sign him speaks volume.

We said that about Fabregas and how has that been going?

Looks great on paper but would it really work out that way on the pitch? We have dreamed of so many partnerships over the years, thinking when Player X combines with Player Y, they will rip the opponents to shreds but how often has that happened? How many passengers, defensively, can we afford to carry in the XI?

No.10 or not, the point still stands. He will still have defensive responsibilities in the front 3 of Conte's 3-4-3 or 3-5-2. Do you think someone like Conte would really tolerate someone strolling around the pitch? He may not have to track back into deep areas but he will still need to press and put pressure on opponents. His time Arsenal - or indeed at previous clubs - suggests he's incapable of doing that. And what happens when our next manager decides to play a back 4 system? He will have even more defensive responsibility playing as the wide player or as the No.10.

Here's another thing - if there are already question marks over his defensive capabilities in a team that likes playing on the front foot, how do you think then he would fare in a team that's pragmatic, a team that tends to play defensive and on the break in the big games? Can you see him tracking back and defend when we play the likes of Spurs, Man City etc? It will just be another Fabregas situation all over again.

Why are you pretending like he’s never played in a more effective system defensively than what’s currently going on at Arsenal with him. He looks much better playing for Germany where he isn’t that much of a liability defensively. Or under Jose at Real - how did he cope there? Have we forgotten how effective Özil was in one of the best counter attacking teams in recent times? Why can’t that translate into Conte’s system? Why can we only have two or three legit technicians in our team at a time? 

We’ll never evolve as a team with this attitude. Özil would’ve been much more effective against City imo - as I mentioned he’s far more comfortable in the final third than Fabregas - never mind that Cesc has a personal disaster class. You need to understand that although they have some similarities, they play in different areas of the pitch. Why does he have to track back so astutely when we’d play Bakayoko and Kanté in the team? Let’s not pretend that playing Fabregas was the main reason we got dominated against City, it goes much deeper than that. 

Mesut isn’t the hardest working player but you’re completely overstating how poor he is defensively when he’s shown numerous times in his career that he can work in a less adventurous system (Germany, Real). What exactly do the two 10s in Conte’s system do that Özil can’t defensively? 

[Jase 43,479]

4 hours ago, The Skipper said:

Why are you pretending like he’s never played in a more effective system defensively than what’s currently going on at Arsenal with him. He looks much better playing for Germany where he isn’t that much of a liability defensively. Or under Jose at Real - how did he cope there? Have we forgotten how effective Özil was in one of the best counter attacking teams in recent times? Why can’t that translate into Conte’s system? Why can we only have two or three legit technicians in our team at a time?

Who said anything about having only 2-3 technicians in the team at a time? It's a question of finding the right player - both offensively and defensively - to fit into the squad. Otherwise, we'll end up having the same Fabregas conversation down the road again.

4 hours ago, The Skipper said:

We’ll never evolve as a team with this attitude. Özil would’ve been much more effective against City imo - as I mentioned he’s far more comfortable in the final third than Fabregas - never mind that Cesc has a personal disaster class. You need to understand that although they have some similarities, they play in different areas of the pitch. Why does he have to track back so astutely when we’d play Bakayoko and Kanté in the team? Let’s not pretend that playing Fabregas was the main reason we got dominated against City, it goes much deeper than that. 

Yes, Fabregas and Ozil play in different areas and are slightly different players but their strengths and weaknesses are near identical. You mentioned Fabregas has a potential disaster class, like Ozil doesn't have that in him? How many times have we seen him go AWOL at Arsenal when they really need someone to step up for them? He only plays well when everything is progressing smoothly. Otherwise, he's nowhere to be seen and becomes a passenger on the pitch.

4 hours ago, The Skipper said:

Mesut isn’t the hardest working player but you’re completely overstating how poor he is defensively when he’s shown numerous times in his career that he can work in a less adventurous system (Germany, Real). What exactly do the two 10s in Conte’s system do that Özil can’t defensively? 

Overstating? How so when his lack of defensive work is clear for all to see week in week out? Showing he can do that NUMEROUS times doesn't mean he's competent in that aspect.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

He’s never hit the heights he did at Real for Arsenal or Germany since his move there, he’s still a good player but think he’s regressed. Not sure he’d even start to be fair if we persevere with 352 with Morata and Hazard, although he’d make a good alternative and if we got him playing like he did at Real we’d have a top class player on our hands. Think playing at Real as a creative player must of been a dream for him though, his stats alone from there for chances and assists were so impressive but he was playing with a 40+ goal a season winger in Ronaldo, 15-20+ goal strikers in Higuan and Benzema too in a team than spanked everybody bar Barcelona most weeks.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Not sure how true but like I said in OP, we should be looking, especially at that price. 

[Jase 43,479]

 

 

[Pizy 18,858]

Özil, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford, Mata, and Lingard to play in those positions supporting Lukaku. City have KDB, D. Silva, B. Silva, Sterling, and Sané to support either Jesus or Aguero.

We have Hazard, Willian, and Pedro.

😂😂😂

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Spike 12,049]

Ahhh, Ozil. The bloke that every calls 'lazy' despite running 10km+ a game. Not lazy, but bloody invisible, there is a reason people think he is 'lazy', it's because despite all his running he doesn't involve himself.

[Pizy 18,858]

When you think about it, he's Arsenal personified. Capable of the sublime but when it really, truly matters he often shrinks under the spotlight. Does do well against us, annoyingly, because we allow him to play in those areas he loves most.

Hope he stays at Arsenal as opposed to moving to an actual top rival like United.

[LAM09 7,043]

When you think about it, he's Arsenal personified. Capable of the sublime but when it really, truly matters he often shrinks under the spotlight. Does do well against us, annoyingly, because we allow him to play in those areas he loves most.
Hope he stays at Arsenal as opposed to moving to an actual top rival like United.

He seems to deliver on a regular basis for Germany, so the right manager might be able to get the Bremen/early Madrid player out of him.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

We've already got one supposed superstar who only plays when he feels like it, why buy another?

[the wes 7,212]

Mesut Ozil is "close to signing a new contract" to stay at Arsenal, according to Sky Sports pundit and former Gunners striker Alan Smith.

[YorkshireBlue 3,264]

17 minutes ago, the wes said:

Mesut Ozil is "close to signing a new contract" to stay at Arsenal, according to Sky Sports pundit and former Gunners striker Alan Smith.

Id take ozil in a heartbeat