Arsenal vs Rennes: 5 key players in another unnecessary nail-biter

3. Mesut Ozil

Frankly, he’s earned it. I would love to see a formation that utilizes all three of Iwobi, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (spoiler), and if that is what Unai Emery opts for, than Ozil takes the biggest load of all the other creative midfelders, because he will be the central pivot and, as we saw against United, his influence, when there are wide options around him, is immense.

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If you stick Ozil in there between Micki and Iwobi, the load is lifted and he has the freedom to play the game the way he was meant to play it. As much as we want to see Ozil molding himself to the Unai Emery way, he is always going to be at his best when given creative license to do his thing.

Thankfully, in a match where we have  to score multiple goals, at home, against a team that is still of lesser caliber, despite the deficit, that’s when Ozil is going to be at his best. Or rather, when he needs to be at his best, which is usually in sync with when he is at his best.

It doesn’t needed to be said, but let me go ahead and state it outright – an in-form Ozil makes short work of Rennes, no problem. No problem.

On to No. 2.