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Mesut Ozil Needs Arsenal’s Counter Attacking Play

By Finn Laister-Smith

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Arsenal’s tactical changes for their game against Manchester United at the weekend proved to be vital in their 3-0 win. Their smash and grab tactics in the early part of the first half proved far too much for the United back line, who were all at sea for the first two goals the Gunners scored. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil took their opportunities brilliantly in the first ten minutes, and slid two shots that were essentially short range passes into the back of David de Gea’s net.

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Those kinds of opportunities have been created all season, but the wrong players had been tasked with finishing the attacking moves up until the fixture with the Red Devils. Often Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Theo Walcott would be played through on goal with an incisive diagonal pass, and then fail to stick the ball into the back of the net. The difference on Sunday was that it was – as it should be – Alexis and Mesut Ozil who finished off the break.

Alexis Sanchez is a pacey and powerful winger, so the counter attack is suited to his play style. Everyone knows that when on the counter he should never be left one-on-one with a defender. So it does not come as a surprise that he netted a brace playing against United’s wing backs – who both had a terrible time.

Mesut Ozil, in fact, is much more of a play-maker. He does not spend as much time running forward with the ball as passing the ball forward. He likes to be part of the counter attack, as we have already seen from his play at Real Madrid. The German frequently weaved with Benzema and Ronaldo on the break for real, and that experience was visible against the Red Devils. Ozil is not one for celebrating a goal with incredible passion, but he was beaming after finishing that brilliant move for the first time in months.

The real question is the curious one of why Wenger does not let Ozil and his midfield team mates play like this more often. Against anything but the stingiest Italian defense, a powerful Arsenal counter attack will absolutely rip a back line to shreds, especially when Mesut Ozil spearheads it.

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Whether or not he has been the star at the Emirates is irrelevant to the fact that he knows how to break defenses down. He simply needs to be in those spots with Cazorla and Coquelin playing behind him as they did on Sunday. Big games like a visit from the men from Manchester are not ones Arsenal can be losing year after year. The strategy of retaining possession diligently does not work against every club on earth. If you are able to switch the play style as a team it makes you ten times more difficult to keep off the scoreboard.

Mesut Ozil is clearly valued at Arsenal, but Wenger genuinely needs to focus the team’s play style through the attacking midfielder. The Gunners have plenty of men in their ranks who can play the central playmaker role – and Mesut Ozil is the best. The other players will fit his style accordingly if given extended runs in the team. That is what must happen in order to maintain consistent form. Rotation is acceptable, as long as it does not compromise the system being employed by the manager.

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