Ditching one German to get another makes sense for Arsenal
Published:The most successful languid footballer in the Premier League was Dimitar Berbatov. His ability to produce brilliance, of which there were regular instances, always seemed to outweigh his tendency to float along on the edge of matches.
Mesut Ozil arrived on these shores with the potential to surpass the Bulgarian’s standing as Leader of the Lazy, with his eye for a pass lauded and impressive stats to back up the theory widely publicised.
Things haven’t quite worked out that way for the German though and his recent knee injury, that will rule him out for between 10 and 12 weeks, caps a miserable 2014.
The former Real Madrid lock picker has managed one goal in his six games this term, taking his tally for the calendar year to just four.
His assists have dried up too with just one coming for the 25-year-old in the current Premier League campaign, in which Arsenal are 4/9 to finish in the top four, and it seems the poor displays have driven the German to distraction.
Reports have emerged that an unhappy Ozil wants to quit the club in January, with Bayern Munich reportedly willing to take him back to Germany for £30m.
Not normally one to do business in the winter window, Arsene Wenger could potentially have his arm twisted as the money would help fund a move for Sami Khedira, whose signing would strengthen a real weakness in the Gunners’ ranks.
Part of the problem with Ozil is that he’s not being played in his favoured number 10 position, instead being asked to do the hard yards of a winger in a 4-3-3 system.
The constant tactical tinkering Guardiola operates in Munich would likely see Ozil’s face fit more comfortably and could coax better performances out of the former Schalke man.
The Ozil experiment simply hasn’t worked in north London and selling him to strengthen a glaring fault in Wenger’s midfield is a sensible move.
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