Arsenal Vs Chelsea: What happens to Mesut Ozil now?

Mesut Ozil missed Arsenal’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. It so ensued that the Gunners put in their best performance away from home against a top Premier League side for some time. What happens to the German now?

As the build-up to Arsenal’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday intensified, it was thought that the crucial Premier League tie – the Gunners could finish the match above their hosts, Liverpool and Spurs with a win, and could slip to seven points off the pace with a loss – would be the first time that we got to see the vibrant front three of Alexandre Lacazette, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil play alongside one another.

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However, late on Saturday, it surfaced that Ozil would not feature after dealing with an ailing knee issue throughout the week. Given his divisive style and the contrasting schools of thought regarding his influence on play and whether he is deserving of the wage demands and the hype, it was set to be extremely interesting to see how Arsenal would handle the absence of their primary creator and attacking instigator.

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What was especially poignant was the context of the Chelsea game: Ozil is notoriously poor in such games – away from home against the fellow top six clubs – and his lack of defensive awareness and work rate do cause problems, allowing opponents to run off him without tracking them, failing to close down high up the pitch and lacking the necessary intensity and desire that games of such magnitude and stature demand.

And it so transpired that Arsenal played with a greater defensive cohesion and industry with Ozil absent. Now, it is not simply fair to state that because of one player not playing, that means that the whole team improves. Football is not as simple as that. But what was key on Sunday was the defensive willingness of Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck, the two who were featured in the role that Ozil would have had he been available, restricted the midfield orchestrating and artistry that Chelsea, and other top clubs, have been able to enjoy.

So that leads me to ask: where does this leave Ozil? Should Arsene Wenger now consider dropping him for games like Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea? Or should he continue believing in a player who possesses unquestioned talent, even if his effort is, at times?

Perhaps, the smart way to move forward is to use Ozil as a specialist type player. Take Olivier Giroud, for example. While he is extremely dominant in the air providing a focal point for the offence, excelling with his back to goal, holding up play and linking up the midfield runners, he is limited in the style that he suits thanks to a lack of mobility and inability to run the channels in behind.

So, because of that, Wenger has begun to use him in only certain situations: when a goal is needed late on games; when lesser teams who sit deep and cramp the space need to be broken down; when an aerial route is more beneficial, especially from wide areas.

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Although Wenger is not known for his flexible management and I don’t expect him to make Ozil a squad rotation player, perhaps beginning to drop him for the tougher tests away from home, where a counter-attacking style would be better suited, would be a wise move. It’s improbable but it is nonetheless an interesting prospect.