I am sure that I was not the only Arsenal fan to be left scratching my head when it was not Mesut Ozil, the most ineffectual player on the pitch against Chelsea today, but Santi Cazorla, who got the hook from Arsene Wenger and was the first Gunner to be subbed off at Stamford Bridge.

If the idea was to give the club record signing more space to work in his preferred number 10 role, it did not work. When we need to be really pushing for a goal, the German international was either on the periphery and tapping little passes around in front of the Chelsea defence, or else he was being bullied off the ball and putting Arsenal back into danger.

I understand that Wenger thinks he should be on as he has got the quality to be able to unlock a tight defence, but when he has shown no signs of doing it for an hour or so, surely it is time for another player to have a go. The Chelsea midfielders Oscar, Hazard and Fabregas were all better than the Arsenal number 11 today and if he is not going to step up and take responsibility, then it is up to the manager to let him know that his performances are simply not good enough.

In fact, it might be time to drop the German from our starting line-up altogether at times, because no player should be an automatic starter. It should go on form and Ozil needs something to fire him up.

4 thoughts on “Time for Arsenal to get tough with Ozil?

  1. Let Wenger either start him in his preferred role of no10 or he put him on the bench and not him playing wide, under performing for Us thereby affecting the team

  2. Ozil was in a state of lethargy. He was completely subdued. Drop him for the next 3games.

  3. Can’t argue with that. He might have a clause in his contract which guarantees that he starts when fit. Hopefully not. It’s becoming clear that he cannot cope with rough treatment in which case why would you start him against Chelsea away ? Then you compound the mistake by keeping him on for 90 minutes.

  4. One defeat away from home against the best team in the league.

    As for ozil, he is quite clearly only comfortable in the no.10 role. If wenger wants a left winger he should buy one or use one of the ones he have, but he definitely should not try to make one out of a player that isn’t capable of playing there.

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