24 Jul 2020 03:27:34
Couple questions for Ed001:
Can you explain what it is that makes you rate Laca over Auba? I'm not an Auba fanboy at all, I don't rate him that highly and think the numbers make him look a lot better than he really is, but from what I've seen of Laca in an arsenal shirt I am not that impressed either in truth - am I blind? Or is it the tactics and players around him?
Also - in regards to Arteta and our abysmal offensive play - is it his tactics or do we simply not have the players (with ozil discarded) to play his tactics?
{Ed001's Note - Lacazette is a much better build up player, better vision, better touch, better passing, better movement. Aubameyang is a good goalscorer but offers no help to the team other than scoring, which is extremely important, don't get me wrong, but he could be so much more and chooses not to be. Lacazette, on the other hand, is involved in the game as more than just a goalscorer and he is capable of scoring goals too. The problem is that he is wasted in a system that does not give him the ball enough and allow him to use his strengths on the ball.
Is it the offence that is abysmal? From what I have seen it is defending that is the problem, you give up far too many chances, just like you did under Emery and Wenger. Offensively you just rely on countering, rather than patient build up of the play. If you have to build up slowly you lack any kind of playmakers, though you all seem to worship the extremely average Ceballos, he simply lacks the ability to thread the dangerous passes unlike an Ozil. It is much easier to play the passes on a quick break as there is more space to use, that's why those threaded passes are so difficult that Ozil does, they have to be exact. When you have Auba up front, he thrives on space to make use of his pace, when there is none he does not really have the movement to drag defenders around to create space for others.}
24 Jul 2020 09:16:00
The trouble with Ozil is that I don't think he really offers us much in the current system. His vision is unreal and his footballing brain is fantastic but he can't be a box to box midfielder. Due to the defensive frailties we are playing with a back 3 and using 2 in the centre and Ozil cannot play in that position. Ceballos has been an engine for us in recent games, winning tackles, travelling with the ball, switching the play and overall he just brings an uplift to the morale of the team.
Ozil has been and still is one of my favourite players in the sport and I was overjoyed when I finally saw the announcement that we had signed him. Maybe it's the system we've played over the years, maybe it's the fact the surrounding players haven't been good enough to really see him flourish but unfortunately right now, I don't think he can give us what we need.
It's a real shame but he needs to move on if he wants to reignite his career. The only way I can see him really performing is if we have players such as Partey and Torreira behind him to soak up the pressure and cover defensively, while Ozil stays higher up the pitch to do what he does best. He can't be relied on to do the donkey work deep in our own half.
24 Jul 2020 10:01:17
I think it's safe to say Mesut Ozil is pretty semi retired and will see out his contract enjoying life with his family unless called on to do otherwise.
Can't blame the bloke at all because when all said and done it was the club that gave him the crazy contract and then the club that changed its mind and decided it would like Mesut to leave in order to undo the clubs mistake. It's the clubs problem not Mesuts and I wish the bloke every happiness in his premature early retirement.
24 Jul 2020 20:24:58
Saw an amazing stat that ozil has somehow still created the most chances of all our players, despite barely playing, our other players seriously lack creativity.
24 Jul 2020 21:11:47
It's nuts Eden mate isn't it.
We give the bloke a contract to keep him at the club rather than let him leave for nothing then regret OUR decision so try to freeze him out.
He is the undisputed king of assists and has been for years not just at Arsenal but when measured in premier league terms and it was the same when he was in Spain and Germany before that.
I love the fact that Mesut is level headed enough to think " It's up to you, pay me to play for you or pay me to be spend time with my wife, your club your choice "
24 Jul 2020 23:59:26
Our defence and midfield is to weak to carry him.
Martinez
Cedric Holding Saliba Tierney
Nelson Partey Granit Saka
Ozil PEA or Laca
Plenty quality to cover and he would improve the side.
25 Jul 2020 01:13:05
Personally think people need to give up on ozil. When arteta came in he gave a clean slate. Look how xhaka worked his way back in. So did mustafi and maybe ceballos. Yet ozil can't even make the bench anymore. Must be more too it surely.