With such a lack of creativity in our team it seems astonishing that Ozil can’t even get on the bench.
I just hope Arteta’s stubbornness isn’t going to backfire on him because we really need some quality in our midfield.
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While I agree that Ozil’s displacement of Willian would be a no-brainer in ANY formation we might decide to play, I just can’t see Ozil suited to counter-attacking play.
In order to commit to that, you’ve got to be like a coiled spring. Player and team. Alert, attentive and ready to pounce once we get an inkling of an opening.
Part of me thinks that in such a scenario, Ozil would be brilliantly wasteful (there’s a juxtaposition if ever there was one) like Bale was today
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Out of curiosity, in what sense do you think Ozil is not suited to counter attacking football? Is that defensively or offensively? Ozil made a career out of his exquisite play on the counter because of his timing.
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Good question. It’s probably a question of pace and misplaced passes now.
Where we’d need a strict and disciplined approach to counter attacking football, Ozil may let the side down
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Yeah, Ozil won’t let you down on the offensive department either on the counter or when against a deep block. That’s his bread and butter.
He can also do a job defensively by closing down spaces.
The issue with Ozil defensively is that you won’t see him committing a challenge very often.
This didn’t use to be concerning back in the day but Arteta loves that out of his players.
It’s very much a requirement out of players now to not only close down but attempt a dispossession when possible.
His passing is why I say he’d be better suited for the counter actually. I mean Özil was deadly on the counter with a plodded like Giroud playing up top. Imagine if he had Pepe and Auba to latch on to his through balls.
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Can’t say Ozil would misplace the ball more than the other midfielders, man.
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You’re right, he definitely wouldn’t compared to our current crop.
Someone with Ceballos’ ball retention but Ozil’s passing range (i.e. a Cazorla) would be perfect for a counter attacking game
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We all know, his benching is not about his football ability.
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Yeah it’s his shit attitude and questionable fitness for modern day football.
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Let’s not act like it doesn’t play a part either. He wasn’t the same after Arteta reinstated him into the team at all.
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Fitness, who knows what’s going on here?
He is for enough for training.
Attitude?? I said it before. If he did violate the team rules or instructions, the team could suspend him without paid.
@SDGooner
He played all the games before Covid… And none after it?? What a huge change and decline… In just a few months.
That’s what I’m saying. He wasn’t convincing in the games he played before covid. That on top of whatever happened between him and the club.
not convincing, I am fine with it.
not convincing to a point that not good enough for a squad place?
I am closely monitoring how convincing Xhaka, Elneny and others are, to prove that right.
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Sigh. I’m saying that there are other reasons that he is kept out of the team for however he wasn’t playing good either. He didn’t gave Arteta any reason too look away from any conflict they had with his on the pitch performances.
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We’ll just have to wait until Arteta writes his book aged 70 to find out the truth.
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Time for the club to burry the hatchet with Mesut and find a way to motivate him and integrate into the team.
Throwing away 250-350k per week to freeze a guy out of the team is really bad management.
Arteta is spiting himself for money here.
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It’s clearly not just Arteta making this decision. It’s not time to “bury the hatchet” it’s time to pay Ozil off and get him out of the club.
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Paying him off is clearly not an option otherwise the club would have done so long ago. Ozil doesn’t want to take a payment now because
(1) He can find a club in 6-10 months.
(2) He won’t have any facilities to train and keep in shape, which jeoppardizes his chances of getting a better contract over time.
Paying him off also means we’re depriving ourselves of a playmaker who still has a lot to offer.
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Yeah especially when you have a team that’s simply allergic to chance creation, to not even bother try using Ozil at times is just sad.
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