The Wizard of Özil

[Santi]

GOATzil described by the goat manager, things you love to see

[EliteKiller]

Speaking to Der Speigel, Wenger said: “He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte. But you can deal with that if you put some more defensively minded players by his side. The main thing is to get the balance between attack and defence right.”

Wenger did hint, however, that the way the game is played now is perhaps not to the liking of the former Real Madrid man.

“Players have lost their technical quality over the past 10 years,” Wenger argued. “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness. And it's also about being a showman.”

Ozil joined the Gunners when Wenger was still in charge in the summer of 2013 and in the 2015-16 season recorded 19 assists in the Premier League – the second most on record at the time behind Thierry Henry’s 20 in the 2002-03 season, a tally since matched by Kevin De Bruyne.

He was also the quickest player in Premier League history to 50 assists – although De Bruyne has since beaten that record – but he continues to hold the distinction of being the only player to top the assist charts in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League.

From Goal

So even his mentor concedes he's a lazy f**k "He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte" and that his time has passed “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness"

Yet still the Ozil fan boys will demand we rip up our successful current strategy just to find a place for their hero - you can't fix stupid

[swipe right]

Speaking to Der Speigel, Wenger said: “He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte. But you can deal with that if you put some more defensively minded players by his side. The main thing is to get the balance between attack and defence right.”

Wenger did hint, however, that the way the game is played now is perhaps not to the liking of the former Real Madrid man.

“Players have lost their technical quality over the past 10 years,” Wenger argued. “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness. And it's also about being a showman.”

Ozil joined the Gunners when Wenger was still in charge in the summer of 2013 and in the 2015-16 season recorded 19 assists in the Premier League – the second most on record at the time behind Thierry Henry’s 20 in the 2002-03 season, a tally since matched by Kevin De Bruyne.

He was also the quickest player in Premier League history to 50 assists – although De Bruyne has since beaten that record – but he continues to hold the distinction of being the only player to top the assist charts in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League.

From Goal

So even his mentor concedes he's a lazy f**k "He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte" and that his time has passed “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness"

Yet still the Ozil fan boys will demand we rip up our successful current strategy just to find a place for their hero - you can't fix stupid

What successful current strategy?

[EliteKiller]

What successful current strategy?

Buying a quality midfield player so we can play 4-3-3 using our attacking front three as the threat and having three midfield players who can all put in a shift to protect the vulnerable back four ... the same strategy Arteta's been working on since we came back from lock-down. Have you missed that?

Same strategy most of the top sides now use - simply no room for a creative non-scoring non-defending player in that set-up.

[swipe right]

What successful current strategy?

Buying a quality midfield player so we can play 4-3-3 using our attacking front three as the threat and having three midfield players who can all put in a shift to protect the vulnerable back four ... the same strategy Arteta's been working on since we came back from lock-down. Have you missed that?

Same strategy most of the top sides now use - simply no room for a creative non-scoring non-defending player in that set-up.

Oh I see. Sorry I misunderstood your post. Yes, 433 is the flavor of the month and I can see Ozil not having a role in that. But let’s be honest, we don’t have the players as yet to successfully play 433. A first step is Partey but we need two more midfielders to play 433 well. In the meantime we are struggling to create chances. Why would we not take the practical step of using Ozil when we are chasing a game by shifting to 4213? He’s not as good as he once was but he’s still our most creative player by a distance.

[EliteKiller]

What successful current strategy?

Buying a quality midfield player so we can play 4-3-3 using our attacking front three as the threat and having three midfield players who can all put in a shift to protect the vulnerable back four ... the same strategy Arteta's been working on since we came back from lock-down. Have you missed that?

Same strategy most of the top sides now use - simply no room for a creative non-scoring non-defending player in that set-up.

Oh I see. Sorry I misunderstood your post. Yes, 433 is the flavor of the month and I can see Ozil not having a role in that. But let’s be honest, we don’t have the players as yet to successfully play 433. A first step is Partey but we need two more midfielders to play 433 well. In the meantime we are struggling to create chances. Why would we not take the practical step of using Ozil when we are chasing a game by shifting to 4213? He’s not as good as he once was but he’s still our most creative player by a distance.

Because he's gone in eight months and we might as well develop players for the future than play a player who hasn't produced much when given the opportunity in the last eighteen months.

I'm sure we will see Partey - Xhaka - Ceballos as the midfield three, unlike a lot of posters I think Xhaka is a much better player than people think, with Partey (assuming he lives up to the hype) taking half of the defensive duties off him we just might see a much better version of Xhaka this season ... we can but hope.

If Xhaka continues to be a liability then Elneny, AMN, Saka, and Willock probably all start before Ozil ... not because they're better players but because they are the potential future whilst Ozil is very much in the past.

My guess is it's moot - Ozil won't be in the EPL squad, not for footballing reasons per see but because at least that way Arsenal kill the endless distracting media circus that sadly Ozil has become ...

[VCC]

I still think crossing a corner should not be an assist,
A assist imo should come from open play

[swipe right]

What successful current strategy?

Buying a quality midfield player so we can play 4-3-3 using our attacking front three as the threat and having three midfield players who can all put in a shift to protect the vulnerable back four ... the same strategy Arteta's been working on since we came back from lock-down. Have you missed that?

Same strategy most of the top sides now use - simply no room for a creative non-scoring non-defending player in that set-up.

Oh I see. Sorry I misunderstood your post. Yes, 433 is the flavor of the month and I can see Ozil not having a role in that. But let’s be honest, we don’t have the players as yet to successfully play 433. A first step is Partey but we need two more midfielders to play 433 well. In the meantime we are struggling to create chances. Why would we not take the practical step of using Ozil when we are chasing a game by shifting to 4213? He’s not as good as he once was but he’s still our most creative player by a distance.

Because he's gone in eight months and we might as well develop players for the future than play a player who hasn't produced much when given the opportunity in the last eighteen months.

I'm sure we will see Partey - Xhaka - Ceballos as the midfield three, unlike a lot of posters I think Xhaka is a much better player than people think, with Partey (assuming he lives up to the hype) taking half of the defensive duties off him we just might see a much better version of Xhaka this season ... we can but hope.

If Xhaka continues to be a liability then Elneny, AMN, Saka, and Willock probably all start before Ozil ... not because they're better players but because they are the potential future whilst Ozil is very much in the past.

My guess is it's moot - Ozil won't be in the EPL squad, not for footballing reasons per see but because at least that way Arsenal kill the endless distracting media circus that sadly Ozil has become ...

I am not suggesting Ozil start. I am saying bring him on in the last 20 mins if you’re chasing a goal. Xhaka operates too deep to effect a goal scoring opportunity. The others you have named are not the quality to be playing at the top end of the league. Even Cebalos is mediocre compared to a top class Spanish midfielder. He can’t break into a Real team that is rebuilding. Probably Almeria level. Sorry but the harsh reality is even a finished Ozil is better than these guys.

[theHotHead]

So even his mentor concedes he's a lazy f**k "He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte" and that his time has passed “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness"

Yet still the Ozil fan boys will demand we rip up our successful current strategy just to find a place for their hero - you can't fix stupid

Only to your idiocy EK.

It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt through match stats that Ozil is consistently in the top 25% of Arsenal players in distance covered.

Let me guess, its the wrong kind of stat for you.

Like YOU said, you can't fix stupid!

And because you have nothing but hate/contempt for Ozil your ability to digest sentences is twisted/warped.

Not the greatest discipline on the pitch.
Not the greatest without the ball
Explosiveness, intensity and physical characteristics.

Anyone that has seen Ozil play knows the comments above in bold are absolutely true, you choose to use the word lazy when in fact thats just lazy commentary itself, with the sole aim of destroying the player's reputation. Ozil is an artist, he is not a battler, he can't tackle or get stuck in. That does not mean he is lazy. He trains, he runs, he is not mad dogs and Englishmen.

That is why Ozil topped creative charts in the 3 countries he played in

[EliteKiller]

So even his mentor concedes he's a lazy f**k "He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte" and that his time has passed “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness"

Yet still the Ozil fan boys will demand we rip up our successful current strategy just to find a place for their hero - you can't fix stupid

Only to your idiocy EK.

It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt through match stats that Ozil is consistently in the top 25% of Arsenal players in distance covered.

Let me guess, its the wrong kind of stat for you.

Like YOU said, you can't fix stupid!

They're not my words that's what Arsene Wenger said in his latest diatribe .... did you miss the quotation marks?

But we at least do agree that Arsene 2020 is now stupid ... finally something we are agreed on ...

[Losmeister]

I still think crossing a corner should not be an assist,
A assist imo should come from open play

THIS

throwing a ping [ong ball into a sea of goldfish bowls at the carny

[Power n Glory]

So even his mentor concedes he's a lazy f**k "He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch. And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte" and that his time has passed “Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making. It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness"

Yet still the Ozil fan boys will demand we rip up our successful current strategy just to find a place for their hero - you can't fix stupid

Only to your idiocy EK.

It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt through match stats that Ozil is consistently in the top 25% of Arsenal players in distance covered.

Let me guess, its the wrong kind of stat for you.

Like YOU said, you can't fix stupid!

They're not my words that's what Arsene Wenger said in his latest diatribe .... did you miss the quotation marks?

But we at least do agree that Arsene 2020 is now stupid ... finally something we are agreed on ...

Second time I've seen that mistake from dude.

Wenger's right about the athletic and physical side being important but he's wrong about about decision making and technique being less important. Top teams need all three from their players. The evolution of football. It's all over the pitch now and even includes goalkeepers.

He seen it happen with strikers where you needed to have the three core components to be the best. Little number 9 types and poachers like Owen, Inzaghi, Van Nistelrooy...all fizzled out because it wasn't enough to just score goals. Wenger should know this hence why he'd opt play small strikers out wide and he didn't switch formation to a two man striker system to combine the physical and technical.

Wenger's suggestion of putting two defensive players next to Ozil may get the best out of Ozil but it doesn't mean we get the best from the team. Also, the two players behind Ozil will still need to good technically as well as physically otherwise you get a situation where they can't get him the ball as seen in the past.

With Partey coming into the side, it's possible there could have been a way back for Ozil as some have suggested but he's only just burnt that bridge with the Gunnersaurus stunt and embarrassing the club.

[swipe right]

Becks should reunite him with Higuain in Miami.

[Santi]

I still think crossing a corner should not be an assist,
A assist imo should come from open play

THIS

throwing a ping [ong ball into a sea of goldfish bowls at the carny

And what exactly is a cross? You two sound like right old codgers lmao


‘Oh back in my day, over yonder, we didn’t count an assist unless pele scored. Did you see that lad jairzinho? Bit soft ain’t he.’

[UFGN]

I can see why Ozil identifies with Gunnersaurus.

Annoying, slow, relic of the Wenger era..... not very good at football and generally only popular with intellectually less endowed fans