Mesut Ozil: Returning Playmaker Won't Find a Place in Flourishing Arsenal Side
Mesut Ozil returns to fitness to find an Arsenal side finally working to form under manager Arsene Wenger and will struggle to find a place in the first team as a result.
Ozil missed close to three months of action after sustaining a knee ligament injury in October's 2-0 defeat away to Chelsea and made an 18-minute return in the 3-0 win over Stoke City this month.
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Wenger recently claimed, according to Sky Sports, that Ozil is prepared to return: "He is ready. He is hungry."
But, as the manager continued, "Mesut has the opportunity to come back and to contribute to the team," this may not come as a starter.
As Sunday's comfortable 2-0 victory over defending champions Manchester City proves, the likes of Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will prove tough competition for the No. 11.
Ozil may need to find a comfortable spot on the Arsenal substitutes' bench for the time being.
Mesut Ozil
After three months out, and enduring a struggle prior to this injury, Ozil's talents and the dangers of his game have been forgotten somewhat.
Even before then, the midfielder was roundly criticised for his contributions in an Arsenal shirt.
Leading this criticism was former Chelsea midfielder, and Ozil's compatriot, Michael Ballack, who told Sky Sports (h/t the Mirror): "A player like him with his ability should have tried to stay longer at Real Madrid."
This suggests Ballack feels Ozil's quality has dropped since moving to north London.
However, the 26-year-old has remained a supreme creative presence throughout his time with Arsenal.
Last season, Ozil made more key passes on average per game in the Premier League than any other Arsenal player, with 2.9.
Second best was Cazorla, with 2.2 on average per game.
This ensured Ozil was Arsenal's leading player in terms of assists in 2013/14 with nine. Furthermore, with five league goals to his name, the midfielder was the side's joint-fourth most prolific in front of goal.
This term, despite his paltry seven Premier League appearances so far, Ozil remains the third most creative player at Arsenal in terms of key passes, with an average of two.
On form, Ozil is an ethereal attacking talent with a rare quality of vision and can be key to Arsenal's attacking game.
Nevertheless, parts of Ballack's testimony do ring true and serve to highlight just why Ozil will struggle to impose himself on the Arsenal first team based on their current form.
Arsenal's System
Specifically, Ballack asserts that: "A player like him with his ability should show a reaction, but he never was the strongest player in terms of fighting, body language. That’s his weakness—especially in these situations now when he can’t use his technique and his vision."
In Wenger's current system, every player is expected to make a contribution defensively, including his advanced midfielders.
Recently lining up with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla and Sanchez operating behind striker Olivier Giroud, Arsenal have found a successful balance in attack.
Each of these makes at least a tackle per game on average: Oxlade-Chamberlain averages 1.1, Cazorla 1.6 and Giroud 1.1, but Sanchez's contribution in this area is particularly impressive in the context of the Arsenal squad:
The all-important Chilean has made an average of two tackles per game in the league this season.
Ozil also averages at 1.1 tackles per game, but given this is over a stretch of just seven games, this suggests his overall average would drop as the season went on—last season, he averaged 0.9.
Furthermore, each of these players serves a crucial, individual function, adding to that balance.
Giroud is Arsenal's target man, spearheading moves and providing the finishing touch when required, as well as dropping deep to aid build-up play, as evidenced by a spectacular, unsighted pass through to Cazorla on Sunday against City:
Oxlade-Chamberlain offers Wenger a direct, attacking option, unlike any other in the Arsenal squad, with his average of 3.6 dribbles per game this season more than any other Gunners player.
Sanchez, along with his phenomenal defensive game, is Arsenal's most dangerous forward.
A combined tally of 19 goals and assists stands Sanchez as the league's most prolific all-round attacker.
Cazorla, operating in Ozil's natural No. 10 position of late, is the most similar player to the German in terms of style, but his current form serves as the most salient factor behind the midfielder's projected struggle to make the first team.
Santi Cazorla
Particularly outstanding in the victory over City on Sunday, Cazorla has grown into a role as Arsenal's key player of late, as Anam Hassan outlined for ArseBlog.
On top of his goal and assist, Hassan highlights how Cazorla "was the perfect exponent of [transition play], frequently picking up loose balls in front of penalty box and switching defence to attack quickly."
At the Etihad Stadium, Cazorla made an outstanding 10 successful dribbles, more than any other player on the day, and kept possession flowing adeptly, with a passing accuracy of 91.5 percent, higher than any other Arsenal starter.
As Hassan continues to underline, "Cazorla completely erased his Spanish counterpart, David Silva, out of the game," with a diligent defensive contribution.
The 30-year-old made two tackles and three interceptions, on par with Arsenal's defensive phenom Sanchez.
This all-round contribution is a prime example of why Ozil remains on the sidelines for the Gunners.
Furthermore, this was no anomaly: Cazorla has been in exceptional form all season.
With a combined total of nine goals and assists, Cazorla is behind only Sanchez in terms of direct attacking contribution; with an average of 2.3 key passes per game, he is again second only to Sanchez; he is the third most prolific dribbler, behind Sanchez and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Cazorla is, importantly, increasingly confident, as evidenced by his Panenka-style penalty in December's 4-1 victory at home to Newcastle United:
There is just no omitting the former Malaga man at this point.
However, while Cazorla is Arsenal's key man at the moment, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez and Giroud all deserve credit for the side's recent revival.
With this in mind, it is hard to see where Ozil will break into Wenger's first team.
Due to the thriving presence of Santi Cazorla in a central role, as well as the form of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud in their respective roles in a successful system, Mesut Ozil faces a tough challenge in finding a first-team place at Arsenal.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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