Arsenal: Treat Henrikh Mkhitaryan like Mesut Ozil’s equal

Arsenal have two fantastic creative attacking midfielders, but one (Mesut Ozil) absolutely does not outweigh the other (Henrikh Mkhitaryan).

Here I am again, about to take a stance that seems strictly anti-Mesut Ozil. But, for what it’s worth, this is not a stance that I’m taking to throw any more demerits at Ozil and how he has performed for Arsenal thus far, but rather to give some credit to his most immediate competition.

Which, for the moment is not Aaron Ramsey, who does not factor into what I am about to say at all.

When Arsenal acquired Henrikh Mkhitaryan, I made the claim that he was in every way the equal of Mesut Ozil. They weren’t identical players, though they did boast similarities, but what they were there to do was quite similar. It was just in the manner that they went about doing it. Ozil was a slow, suave calculator of play and Mkhitaryan was a quick, impulsive player.

But in the end, when you stack the numbers of one against the other, the averages come out quite similar (there’s that word again).

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Not to mention the fact that when it comes to Unai Emery’s style of play, and the turbulence that Ozil has caused thus far into the year, Mkhitaryan is the perfect foil. And yet here I am, begging that the Armenian be put on equal footing as Ozil, because yet again it appears that he isn’t.

Ozil has now been given two starts over Mkhitaryan, despite his mystery illness and his troubles with consistency. Mkhitaryan has had his own troubles, granted, but that’s the point of having two of them, to play one off the other. If they can’t coexist, then let them duel for the spot.

Now, maybe there is a plan in place already that I wouldn’t have a clue about. If that’s the case, great, let’s stick with it. But I hate to see Mkhitaryan tossed to the side because Ozil carries more status, or more money, or more whatever it is that is cementing him in this starting role.

Mkhitaryan is just as good as Ozil. This is a fact that I won’t waiver on. Different styles, but similar results. And Mkhitaryan deserves a chance to start over Ozil to prove himself, otherwise what’s the point of any of this?

That said, Ozil made strides to right the ship against Newcastle. Small strides, but strides nonetheless. Mkhitaryan now deserves the chance to make his own strides. If that means the Europa League, that’s fine, but positive play must be rewarded.