Arsenal: This is not the time for Mesut Ozil to dip his toe in the water

Arsenal need to figure out something with Mesut Ozil, but letting him dip his toe in the water of the starting XI against Liverpool sounds like a really bad idea.

Unless MLS clubs swarm for Mesut Ozil, which doesn’t look likely, Arsenal are going to be stuck with him for at least another year. Somehow, a bunch of fans got this idea that Ozil was up for a renaissance year, solely because of the new signings, and I guess, since I’m the optimistic, I’m supposed to believe in this new hope too.

But can we please not talk about it until after Liverpool?

All the headlines want to talk about Ozil being back in training after being out sick against Burnley, and I just pray this doesn’t mean that Unai Emery has a wild idea to throw Ozil into the deep end in this one. Maybe as a sub, sure. If no one else is available. But there’s no reason to think that Ozil can be a difference maker against Liverpool.

Not just that, but there are too many other variables at play here. Too many other things we don’t know about. While we’re already in such a experimental stage, it’s usually not the best idea to slip another experiment in there, just to see how it works.

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Too many moving pieces and the whole machine falls apart.

My figurative money is on Nicolas Pepe getting his first start as a Gunner, and while Ozil carries baggage with him any time you start talking about giving him another opportunity, Pepe doesn’t. Pepe is new to the scene, he has seen an increasing amount of minutes, he is in a position where it wouldn’t make sense not to give him that chance.

Plus, if Ozil does start, that means that any number of ill-advised things would have to happen, namely that the midfield would have to be shifted to accommodate him, excluding someone who is better equipped for this match.

I want Ozil to find his best. I’m not saying all this because I don’t like him. Of course I like him. I want to see him succeed. But I’ve seen enough over the past five years to nurture this festering doubt. That said, I understand that we have to give him some chances, since he’s here.

I just really don’t want that chance to be against Liverpool. And if I know Unai Emery, which I kind of think I (hope I) do, it probably won’t be.