Arsenal vs Liverpool: Framing Mesut Ozil just right

Arsenal should not be starting Mesut Ozil against Liverpool, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play him at all. You just have to frame it right.

I realize that I’ve been extra hard on Mesut Ozil lately, and I feel like it’s worth it to point out that none of it is done out of spite. I’m always pulling for everyone in the Arsenal shirt and that includes Ozil, I just struggled with how inconsistent he has been and feel like we’ve seen enough to know that isn’t going to change.

That said, there are some advocating for him to make his return against Liverpool, and while I thoroughly smacked that idea in the face for being uneducated, I do want to revisit that there is a right way to play Ozil against Liverpool, among the slew of wrong ways.

It all depends on how this match goes, as it so often does. Ozil is not someone you want to bring on if you’re trying to protect a lead. He’s probably the last person you want to bring on if you want to protect a lead.

He’s not the person you want to bring on if you’re being stomped and are looking to limit the damage. But of course that won’t happen, so no need to explore that any further.

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The right way to introduce Mesut Ozil is if you’re finding some joy in space and you’re threatening the Liverpool goal, but you’re just not quite able to fine-tune that final ball, or engineer the final push over the line.

Ozil is such a specialty player that this match won’t likely take the form of a good match for him, but if the Gunners can establish a semblance of control but not quite get their footing in the attacking theater, then Ozil is the man for the job and I’d welcome seeing him introduced around the hour mark or so. Maybe the front three isn’t working and Nicolas Pepe is tiring and Emery wants to stick Ozil behind a striking duo. That’s something I could wrap my head around.

I want to see the best of Ozil again this year, but not for just a match or two. Weening him into a first team teeming with talent could be a way to help him find his feet.

Liverpool won’t make it an easy one if you’re hoping to see Ozil, but if the parameters are met, it’s not like we should wholly avoid sending the German out there.