Arsenal: Mesut Ozil Unai Emery relationship key to top four

Mesut Ozil and Unai Emery have a complicated relationship but the Arsenal manager and top earner will have to work it out if the Gunners have any chance of finishing in the top four.

Arsenal claimed an important three points at the Vitality Stadium against a Bournemouth team that has been impressive so far this season. In recent years, this particular trip to the south coast has been difficult for the Gunners, only claiming one point in the last two seasons. While the performance this past weekend wouldn’t qualify as vintage Arsenal, the result is truly all that matters on a weekend when both Manchester United and Chelsea dropped points.

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One of the most obvious talking points of the win over Bournemouth was the omission of Mesut Ozil. In fact, the top earner in the squad did not even make an appearance off the bench. Unai Emery cited Bournemouth’s physicality as ‘too demanding‘ for Ozil. So he decided to leave him out completely.

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Some realms of the Arsenal fanbase have been expecting — even calling out at times — Ozil to be dropped for tough away games in the Premier League. With that possibility now a reality, this takes the north London outfit into uncharted territory.

Under Arsene Wenger, Ozil was essentially an automatic start if fit, although his availability was rather questionable, most notably at the tail end of last season when things seemed most bleak. With his new £350,000-a-week contract, Ozil is billed as the talisman. It is no secret that he is virtually unplayable when at his best, but he does have the propensity to go missing during physical games that require athleticism and grit.

Emery should be applauded for his ability to stand up to Arsenal’s most visible superstar, but this ongoing situation between the two is developing into a conundrum. Dropping Ozil for the sake of claiming crucial three points is fine in a vacuum. However, omitting Ozil from all further away days that are deemed “too demanding” could be a huge problem moving forward.

As one of the best players, highest earners and most impactful game-changers, an Ozil who can fit Emery’s system away from home is far more valuable than no Ozil at all. While Alex Iwobi has shown real signs of improvement and flashes of brilliance this season, he still cannot be classified as a world-class player even on his best day, although his potential is huge. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has really failed to impress this campaign after being so effective in the latter half of last season. And Aaron Ramsey is not exactly a long-term, sustainable solution either.

At his best, Ozil is better than any alternative in the squad. Emery should really be trying to get the best out of him, rather than banishing him to the bench. With the massive contract that Ozil is currently on, and the fact that Emery’s future is somewhat dependent on reaching the top four, getting the best out of his star player is crucial. With away trips to both Old Trafford and Anfield in December, a tipping point is definitely on the horizon.

From the reported early-season bust-up to the icy exchange at Crystal Palace, the Ozil-Emery saga has taken a few worrying turns. However, there is reason to believe that this latest development will bring about a positive result for both player and coach. After all, Emery has made Ozil one of his captains and the weight of the armband has seemed to agree with the German.

If Emery can continue to press the right buttons, perhaps the Spaniard can do what Arsene Wenger and Joachim Low have failed to do in recent years: get the best out of Mesut Ozil.