Arsenal: We knew this would happen with Mesut Ozil

Arsenal’s transition does not favor Mesut Ozil, and it showed. So we probably should have expected where we currently stand.

Arsenal’s loss to Manchester City did not boast a lot of creativity from the two men in charge of doing just that. Both Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil found themselves blocked up and unable to string much of anything together.

As it turns out, City had planned for this, thanks to Mikel Arteta, and it worked out for them. And, in typical gift-that-keeps-on-giving fashion, now we have to deal with the lambasting of Ozil. The same that happens after every match where he doesn’t single-handedly destroy any given team.

This time, it is Paul Merson lashing out, criticizing Ozil for making the money that he makes and not living up to what is expected of him week in and week out.

I’m not going to say that Merson is wrong. When you make the money that Ozil makes, more is expected out of him, and he was not able to deliver on that more against a team that we should by all rights be competing with on something close to equal footing.

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But still, didn’t we all see this coming from the start? It was all so obvious. We have a new manager who favors athleticism and intense work ethic, along with high pressing and quick attacking play. None of that sounds like Mesut Ozil except for maybe the quick-attacking play, but even then, he isn’t fast. He’s slick, but he isn’t fast.

We really have to give Ozil time to acclimate to this new method of playing. He signed up for the Arsene Wenger way. Now he has to turn around and do the Emery way when his whole life, he has played in a much different fashion.

Yes, he is making a lot of money and we should be demanding results now. We will get those results in time. But for now, as hard as it is, be patient with him. Trust that he will acclimate to the new system and, if he doesn’t, it’s not like Emery will continue to belabor the point and stick him out there if it’s not working.

Remember, this isn’t Wenger anymore.

Just be patient with him. We knew it would be a tough road into the Emery style for someone so un-Emery, but Ozil is a fantastic footballer. He will come around.