Mesut Özil: Time to Move Ön?

[JimmyTheMac]

Interesting comment this, apply this to the Özil situation and you see the problem as this way of thinking is not unique to South Africa either.
We have a player who is not performing, happens to be Turkish/muslim and people are complaining about his performance for Arsenal and Germany. There is a common theme there, actual racism aside (ie some of the stuff reported from german fans at the WC) this isnt about racism or where he is from, this is about his performance and attitude which is not currently good enough for Arsenal. He is not judged by a different standard to anyone else at Arsenal, whatever German fans/management do.
Most Arsenal fans wouldnt have any problem with say Mo Salah doing his thing for us (I certainly wouldnt) for example and most dont have a problem with Elneny either (purely performances aside hes a good squaddie who serves his purpose and aside from being a bit of plodder seems a good sort) so there really isnt this different set of rules that is being implied, its all on Özil and his performances. None of the Erdogan/Germany stuff would matter to me one bit if he was bossing games for us.
The suggestion of racism towards him from Germany being chucked out there by Özil and posing with Erdogan is periphery to Arsenal, whatever the rights or wrongs of it.
It just annoys people who want him to play football to the best of his ability and getting involved in that stuff rather than solving anything for Özil. It's had the inverse effect that now he appears to have completely lost form and gives the impression of a player either sulking/struggling for confidence or both but that appearance actually isnt a new thing for him at Arsenal imo, its just sunk to new lows recently.
For a 350k week a player his actions all smack of ego, entitlement and lack of respect for his club, I wonder if the "R" word will be trotted out if Arsenal fans truly get on his back as well, you'd expect at least a bit of resilience from him for that sort of money surely?
If he is struggling mentally and thats what is going on I genuinely feel sorry for him but the place to sort that out is on the pitch for Arsenal and if you cant take a break. Not on twitter and certainly not with the application and effort he is currently showing for club.

Couldn't have said it any better

 

[Maybe]

Absolute rubbish. In 14/15 he put in a MOTM display against Liverpool, scored at WHL, played an important role in winning at OT in the FA Cup. The following season he had a goal and assist in both games against United, created a bunch of chances against Sp**s at home, 2 assists v City, goal against Bayern. The following season is when his struggles really began but even then he had two quality performances v Chelsea, one of which was the cup final.

This Özil goes missing in the big games narrative is ridiculous.

You could also make a fine list of big games where he was absolutely horrible. Considering the number of big games you play in PL and CL, your argument in his defense doesn't count for much. What I don't understand is why our managers play Özil in every match. Many times before the game you could tell that Özil will struggle and yet he still plays, making things even worse for him and the club.

 

[KrissKringle]

What I don't understand is why our managers play Özil in every match.

It was a pleasant surprise when I was checking the score online and read that Özil was coming off against Chelsea.
That says he's not going to be pampered anymore, like under Wenger.

 

[A_G]

I really don't think it is. Sure, he'll put in a shift every now and then, but for the most part, you'll find him being a passanger in big games.
Just as you gave examples of him showing up, there can be given just as many, if not more, where he was anonymous.

Why a final third specialist like Özil to dominate every single big game? The best AM's don't always put in performances against their top 6 rivals, you look at his stats compared to the rest and they're pretty much on par.

City
Özil 4 assists in 10 games
Coutinho 5 goals, 1 assist in 7 games
Eriksen 5 goals, 4 assists in 11 games

United
Özil 2 goals, 2 assists in 9 games
KdB 1 goal, 1 assist in 5 games
Coutinho 1 goal in 7 games
Eriksen 2 goals, 4 assists in 12 games

Chelsea
Özil 1 goal in 13 games
KdB 1 goal in 7 games
Coutinho 2 goals, 1 assist in 12 games
Eriksen 2 goals, 5 assists in 11 games

Liverpool
Özil 2 goals, 2 assists in 8 games
KdB 3 assists in 7 games
Eriksen 1 assist in 9 games

Sp**s
Özil 1 goal, 2 assists in 9 games
KdB 3 goals, 1 assist 4 games
Coutinho 2 goals, 1 assist in 10 games

Arsenal
KdB 2 goals, 2 assists in 9 games
Coutinho 4 goals, 1 assist in 8 games
Eriksen 0 goals & 0 assists in 11 games

Özil maybe struggles against City and Chelsea compared to his peers but does better against United and Liverpool than them. He gets targeted for criticism in every NLD it seems like but Eriksen hasn't made a single goal contribution in nearly a dozen fixtures.

Of course we want Özil to play better in the big games more consistently, no one would argue that but this idea that he goes missing in every big game and none of the other top AM's do is simply preposterous. Just a few months ago City fans were digging out KdB, viewed by many as the best player in the league, for his big game displays.

 

[A_G]

You could also make a fine list of big games where he was absolutely horrible. Considering the number of big games you play in PL and CL, your argument in his defense doesn't count for much. What I don't understand is why our managers play Özil in every match. Many times before the game you could tell that Özil will struggle and yet he still plays, making things even worse for him and the club.

The whole team has usually been poor in the big games during his time here, if you're expecting him to single-handedly raise the team's level then more fool you for your unrealistic expectations. Not many can do that, even the darling of AM Cesc Fabregas didn't.

 

[KrissKringle]

Of course we want Özil to play better in the big games more cosnsitently, no one would argue that but this idea that he goes missing in every big game and none of the other top AM's do is simply preposterous. Just a few months ago City fans were digging out KdB, viewed by many as the best player in the league, for his big game displays.

I personally don't give a rat's ass about the other AM's in the league. I only care about Özil's performances for us, which are wildly inconsistent.
The only time last season when he showed up was for a few months at the beginning of the year, before he got his raise.

He was doing defensive work and generally playing well in a **** team, but that all went out the window after he signed a new deal.
There are way too many times in games when he's absolutely invisible and you realize he's on the pitch because the commentator says his name.

Why should such a player get preferential treatment if the team feels like playing with 10 men more often than not?

 

[Garrincha]

I personally don't give a rat's ass about the other AM's in the league. I only care about Özil's performances for us, which are wildly inconsistent.
The only time last season when he showed up was for a few months at the beginning of the year, before he got his raise.

He was doing defensive work and generally playing well in a **** team, but that all went out the window after he signed a new deal.
There are way too many times in games when he's absolutely invisible and you realize he's on the pitch because the commentator says his name.

Why should such a player get preferential treatment if the team feels like playing with 10 men more often than not?

The type of player that makes a good team great but not an average team good.

 

[KrissKringle]

Type of player that makes a good team great but not an average team good.

Well, yeah, because that would mean others have to do the dirty work for him and he can just spray passes forward.
Unfortunately for us, we have defensive liabilities in our whole squad, so there's no one who can offer him that privilege.

 

[A_G]

The only time last season when he showed up was for a few months at the beginning of the year, before he got his raise.

He was doing defensive work and generally playing well in a **** team, but that all went out the window after he signed a new deal.

That's just not an accurate representation. You can break his season down into three parts:

He had a poor start to the season, maybe because of that back problem but generally he was disappointing.

He played himself into some form when he came back, the performances against Sp**s, United and Chelsea being the particular highlights.

This was the point at which he signed the new contract. He played well against Everton and was very disappointing against Sp**s/Brighton, but there was nothing he could do in the two games against City in that period. He also had 1 goal and 5 assists in the EL during this period, which had taken priority over the PL. Could he have done better? Of course, but the idea that he only played well at the start just to get the new contract isn't grounded in reality.

Why should such a player get preferential treatment if the team feels like playing with 10 men more often than not?

I never said to give him preferential treatment. If he's not putting in the effort for Emery's pressing system to work, he shouldn't play. I already conceded that he hasn't hit the heights consistently since the first half of 16/17, my issue is with singling him out as anonymous in the big games is odd because it makes it seem like the whole team is playing at a high level and he's the odd man out. As a #10, if the team is struggling and on the back foot you're not going to see much from him.

 

[KrissKringle]

That's just not an accurate representation.

What do you mean it isn't an accurate representation? He started bad and found some form at the beginning of 2018, as opposed to the team, ironic enough.
Then he went limp again in the PL after the new deal, but you're right, he was decent in the EL since we had the Milan tie.
Now how isn't that accurate considering he's been 65-70% crap last season?
We're talking about a period between January and March-April where we was playing decent/well.

 

[bingobob]

When he signed that contract, he didn't become better player so asking more from him on the field doesn't make sense. Silva was always better player than Özil and that contract doesn't change that.
His contract is result of terrible management for the last 5+ years, so you should blame management, not Özil.
He is still valuable asset in terms of sales and marketing, I can't see too many people buying Mustafi or Xhaka shirts.

The whole Özil project was flawed from the very beginning. I'm fed up telling people this. We had Cazorla (who oddly enough has shined consistently in the same team as Özil has failed to shine in). We actively pursued Suarez and Higuain and then Wenger got a call that someone he said along time ago to if you ever leave Madrid let me know and he simply couldn't turn down the chance to sign him. Even though it wasn't what the team needed. Any notion of planning went out the window and it's a mistake we have been paying for to this day.

 

[KrissKringle]

We actively pursued Suarez and Higuain and then Wenger got a call that someone he said along time ago to if you ever leave Madrid let me know and he simply couldn't turn down the chance to sign him. Even though it wasn't what the team needed. Any notion of planning went out the window and it's a mistake we have been paying for to this day.

And to think that when Cesc left Barcelona, he wanted to come back here, but Wenger said we had Özil, so he went to the chavs.

 

[bingobob]

And to think that when Cesc left Barcelona, he wanted to come back here, but Wenger said we had Özil, so he went to the chavs.

Precisely. Of course we weren't to know Fabregas would be available so soon but we must have held out some hope given we put in a first option clause. And ultimately Fabregas was a star for us in a team that has fewer stand out players. There was a reason he moved to Barcelona. Which makes the whole Özil needs x y and z more bizarre.

 

[Sanchez11]

This squabbling is becoming tiresome he needs to get his backside in gear simple as that.

 

[KrissKringle]

Precisely. Of course we weren't to know Fabregas would be available so soon but we must have held out some hope given we put in a first option clause. And ultimately Fabregas was a star for us in a team that has fewer stand out players. There was a reason he moved to Barcelona. Which makes the whole Özil needs x y and z more bizarre.

And the difference between him and Cesc, which is something I want to see the most in a player of this sort, was that he made the team move in a fluid manner. He'd see an opening and he'd pass to his team mate.
Özil seems to hog the ball and his passing range isn't as good as Cesc's, but we're talking about what ifs right now, so no point in going deeper into the subject.

 

[James Bond]

Why a final third specialist like Özil to dominate every single big game? The best AM's don't always put in performances against their top 6 rivals, you look at his stats compared to the rest and they're pretty much on par.

City
Özil 4 assists in 10 games
Coutinho 5 goals, 1 assist in 7 games
Eriksen 5 goals, 4 assists in 11 games

United
Özil 2 goals, 2 assists in 9 games
KdB 1 goal, 1 assist in 5 games
Coutinho 1 goal in 7 games
Eriksen 2 goals, 4 assists in 12 games

Chelsea
Özil 1 goal in 13 games
KdB 1 goal in 7 games
Coutinho 2 goals, 1 assist in 12 games
Eriksen 2 goals, 5 assists in 11 games

Liverpool
Özil 2 goals, 2 assists in 8 games
KdB 3 assists in 7 games
Eriksen 1 assist in 9 games

Sp**s
Özil 1 goal, 2 assists in 9 games
KdB 3 goals, 1 assist 4 games
Coutinho 2 goals, 1 assist in 10 games

Arsenal
KdB 2 goals, 2 assists in 9 games
Coutinho 4 goals, 1 assist in 8 games
Eriksen 0 goals & 0 assists in 11 games

Özil maybe struggles against City and Chelsea compared to his peers but does better against United and Liverpool than them. He gets targeted for criticism in every NLD it seems like but Eriksen hasn't made a single goal contribution in nearly a dozen fixtures.

Of course we want Özil to play better in the big games more consistently, no one would argue that but this idea that he goes missing in every big game and none of the other top AM's do is simply preposterous. Just a few months ago City fans were digging out KdB, viewed by many as the best player in the league, for his big game displays.

Again his best form in an Arsenal shirt was last season while he was playing for his contract and he wasnt assisting and scoring. What are the point of these stats? If you judged Xavi and Iniesta on goals and assists you'd think they were awful midfielders yet they are at the heartbeat of everything good as Özil was last season.

 

[James Bond]

The whole team has usually been poor in the big games during his time here, if you're expecting him to single-handedly raise the team's level then more fool you for your unrealistic expectations. Not many can do that, even the darling of AM Cesc Fabregas didn't.

Wait you're not expecting the far and away highest earner on the squad, second highest paid player in the league, to be a difference maker/match-winner? What the **** do they pay him so much for?

What do you feel the expectations should be then? Play well when everyone else is playing well? Because sure as hell nobody else past or present is judged by that context, just Özil somehow. Again he doesnt have to score or assists every game to be a difference maker, but I dont think many were shocked by his City and Chelsea performances or by seeing him fall off the rails for large stretches of the season. Sorry but I want him to prove to be decisive in the league week in week out regardless if its a top team or not, he's paid like he should be, not every once in a great while vs the Bulgarian champions in the EL.

Also not sure how you believe that Cesc in his prime here wasn't raising the team's game and proving to be a match-winner.

 

[vijay]

really wish we could have had one season of RVP and Özil

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Think the main point is that given the wages he is on and the time he has been with the team, we should be able to expect more than what we get now in the form of inconsistent performances. From wage structure etc. he clearly is our "star" player.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I think we may have ****ed up with his new deal. We've now got a near 30 year old creative midfielder who's constantly being questioned over his consistency and ability to produce in tough moments, which are two things which should be guaranteed for a player earning the money he's on.

Then you have Ramsey and his people looking at the wages he's on and thinking "why should I settle for around half of what Özil is on when I'm just after a better season than him" (that's before even considering what he's contributed to our FA Cup wins).

The only way you can have a player on that much money is if he's going to have an amazing season. Let's hope that he can start really getting back to his best and producing it consistently in the coming weeks because the last thing we want is him out of favour but not being able to do much about it because no one else will pay his wages.