Arsenal star Mesut Ozil in danger of becoming hangover from Arsene Wenger era

Do it my way: Mesut Ozil looks on as Unai Emery shouts out instructions during training yesterday ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Qarabag
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
James Olley13 December 2018

Arsenal's squad is likely to comprise a few fringe first-team players looking to rebuild their match fitness, some promising youngsters and a bloke earning £350,000 a week.

Mesut Ozil’s presence in the Gunners’ Europa League group stage squads has, until now, been interpreted as a sign of Unai Emery selecting on merit rather than reputation.

Equally, Thursday's involvement in a dead rubber against Qarabag could be explained by the need to sharpen the senses after a month-long absence which began with the 30-year-old being left on the bench against Bournemouth before back spasms ruled him out of four subsequent matches.

But his participation — whether from the start or as a second-half substitute — is also further evidence of the battle Ozil faces in proving he is a central part of Emery’s plans. If he can’t, he is in danger of becoming a hangover from the last days of Arsene Wenger’s tenure.

Few players are capable of the level of performance Ozil delivered against Leicester in October, mesmerising the 2015/16 Premier League champions with a dazzling display of movement, class and creativity. Yet a player of that calibre and, let’s be frank, salary, should be an integral part of Emery’s thinking for Arsenal’s key fixtures, but the reality is he faces a genuine fight to be part of the starting line-up for the bigger match this week, Sunday’s Premier League trip to Southampton.

Thursday resembles a test of his application in uninspiring circumstances. The Gunners have secured top spot in their group , while Qarabag have already been eliminated. There will be a degree of experimentation, too, given the issues at centre-back, with Rob Holding, Shkodran Mustafi and Konstantinos Mavropanos all injured, while Sokratis Papastathopoulos is suspended domestically after picking up his fifth yellow card against Huddersfield last weekend.

Emery took the unusual step of confirming club captain Laurent Koscielny will start and a positive performance on his first-team comeback after eight months out after Achilles surgery could see him drafted in against the Saints. Nacho Monreal also needs game time after making his first appearance since October 7 as a late substitute last weekend and the overall situation may prompt Emery into a change of formation from 3-4-2-1 to something approximating 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.

“We need to use different options,” said the Spaniard. “Against Huddersfield we started with three centre-backs and then we finished with two. It depends also how we are with the players.”

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Further forward, Eddie Nketiah is running out of time to fill the squad support role occupied by Danny Welbeck, who is likely to miss the vast majority of the season after two ankle operations.

Nketiah led the line against Vorskla Poltava last time out, starting well and helping to force the opening goal before fading a little and Emery reminded the youngsters of their responsibilities. One of those, Emile Smith Rowe, missed training yesterday and will not play, increasing the likelihood of Ozil’s involvement at some point.

“We are going to give players chances to take responsibility, take rhythm and take confidence,” said Emery. Ozil’s mission statement could not be clearer.

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