Arsenal: Mesut Ozil needs wingers more than anyone

Arsenal’s effort against Cardiff was highly reminiscent of West Ham, with the result changing. But if anything is really going to change (like Mesut Ozil), we need wingers.

Arsenal‘s result against Cardiff City was one that you just take for the three points and move onto the next one. It wasn’t a pretty effort, it wasn’t easy, but they got the job done. It was very much in the vein of the West Ham match, only the result was different.

The big similarity between the two matches was the clear starvation of chances in the middle of the pitch. Using the 4-3-1-2 formation, the Gunners are putting so much pressure on that No. 10 to create all of the chances, especially, like it was against Cardiff, with Lichtsteiner in as right back and no Granit Xhaka.

The isolation of Mesut Ozil did not work out well. Ozil had his positives (thankfully), but he didn’t look his sterling self that we really needed to see.

And that’s because he was cramped in a tunnel. There wasn’t a lot of space around him to work with, and there was next to no support behind him.

So why do we need wingers? This is exactly why. We have seen, from time to time, how these strikers work the best, and, fun fact, it’s when chances are coming in from multiple sources, to keep the defense on their toes and off balance.

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For instance, when the club utilizes wingbacks, actual, proper wingbacks, the chances fly in from wide angles and make guys like Kolasinac and Maitland-Niles look like complete geniuses.

But clubs can target their defense to shut down wide angles, at which point you need chances through the middle.

The same applies vice versa. If the central chances are working, and no wide angles are available – great. As long as the chances are coming.

But when you isolate your chance creation to one lane – either out wide or through the middle – you give the defense a handout. You tell them “this is where we are going to try to beat you, now good luck stopping us.”

We need wingers to keep every avenue open. Ozil is still one of the best chance creators, with the caveat being if you give him space.

How do you give him space? You don’t allow opposing defenses to focus in on his lane and his arena of play.

Put wingers in the picture, a creator on each shoulder, and the head (Ozil) has more room to breathe.