Arsenal: Mesut Ozil may need to pull his finger out

Unai Emery has stated that he wants to implement an intense, high-pressing defensive scheme at Arsenal. Mesut Ozil may need to pull his finger out.

Arsenal have a new manager. The ever-loyal, always positive, player-supporting Arsene Wenger has departed. In comes a different type of coach with different styles different expectations and absolutely no commitment to any of these players whatsoever. Yes, the Wenger era is over; the Unai Emery era is just beginning.

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Emery will undoubtedly have different tactics, styles and philosophies to Wenger. Every manager will be different to every other manager. And the changes that he will implement may allow some players to flourish when they were floundering and other players to flounder when they were flourishing.

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And Emery was quite clear in the style that he will try and implement during his time in North London. There are, per his answer in his introductory press conference on Wednesday afternoon, two key pillars: Possession and pressure:

"“My idea is to be protagonists. We play against all the teams with this personality. The history here is a team that love playing with possession of the ball. I like that personality, I like these protagonists with the ball. When you don’t have possession, I want a squad that are very, very intensive with the pressing. The two things are important for me to be protagonists: possession of the ball and pressing when you don’t have the ball.”"

I must admit, that makes me very happy. I have long been an advocate for a high-pressing scheme at Arsenal. I have often thought that it suits many of the players in this team, it protects the defence a little by obscuring and preventing accurate service from the opposition, and it allows this team to play with an aggressiveness and freedom that seems to bring the best out of them. However, there is one player who might not be so pleased that Emery will be demanding his players press. That is, of course, Mesut Ozil.

Now, I am not saying that Ozil does not have the capabilities to partake in a high-pressing scheme. Of course he does. But if his recent effort levels are anything to go by, especially when his side does not have possession of the ball, then he will have to be careful that he does not get shunted to the sidelines, with the far busier and industrious Henrikh Mkhitaryan taking his role from him.

I am not trying to argue that Ozil does not care, as many before me have claimed. He does. He is a professional footballer. He is a competitive individual. He would not be where he is if he was not. Of course he cares. But he does not suit a high-energy, hounding, harassing style that Emery ostensibly wants to utilise. He may have to pull his finger out to adapt to a new approach from the system of the all-protective Wenger.

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Ozil, and all of his teammates, for that matter, no longer has Wenger to shield himself with. His performances and his commitment will be intensely scrutinised. There is no hiding place. It’s time for him to buckle down, pull his finger out, and work hard. There are many questions to answer.