Keeping Mesut Ozil on Arsenal's bench would be right call for Arsene Wenger
For years, injuries have plagued Arsenal, but suddenly Arsene Wenger faces a selection dilemma. Should he go with the big-money talents or continue forward with a new-look squad that appears on the brink of a breakthrough?
While the Gunners still do not have a full list to choose from entering Sunday’s immensely vital tie against Manchester City at the Etihad, the abundance of healthy attacking players on the roster brings about a headache for the Arsenal manager.
Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott all started on the bench in the recent 3-0 victory over Stoke City. To provide proof of the Gunners’ strength without the talented trio, they had already slotted all three of their goals past Asmir Begovic before Walcott and Ozil heard their numbers called. Ramsey never even got on the pitch.
Even with Lukas Podolski loaned to Inter Milan and Yaya Sanogo loaned to Crystal Palace, Arsenal still has too many quality attacking players waiting to get back on the field, but the manager would be wise to hold off on going to the big names over the current in-form performers.
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At the moment, Alexis Sanchez is making a strong argument for being the best player in the Premier League. The former Barcelona man has 12 goals and seven assists, meaning he has provided the ultimate or penultimate touch on 51 percent of the Gunners' Premier League goals this season. Only Charlie Austin, who has scored or assisted on 65 percent of Queens Park Rangers’ goals this season, leads a Premier League attack more dependent on one player.
Sanchez, being Arsenal’s best player, must start against Man City no matter who is sitting on the bench.
Before digging too deep into which other players Wenger should put in his starting XI, one must acknowledge that the Gunners have not entirely escaped injuries. Club captain Mikel Arteta, stalwart midfielder Jack Wilshere and versatile defender Mathieu Debuchy have been sidelined with long-term injuries. Abou Diaby’s status remains entirely unclear, but mentioning the Frenchman’s name results in Gooners spitting on the ground in disgust.
In terms of the first 11, Arsenal has been stable with Sanchez and Olivier Giroud leading the attack that incorporates the strong midfield play of Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Danny Welbeck is out for Sunday but the former Manchester United man fits into the attack seamlessly, given the quality that surrounds him.
Against Stoke City, veteran Tomas Rosicky stood out due to his ageless intensity, and youngster Hector Bellerin came on to great effect in the middle of the park. Twenty-three year-old Francis Coquelin started and finished each of Arsenal’s last four fixtures, and the Gunners won three of those four matches. All considered, the Frenchman has not done anything to warrant returning to the bench.
However, Wenger has historically favored Ozil even in times when the German seems out of form, if not altogether toxic on the pitch. Wenger should absolutely not go back to choosing Ozil based entirely on his price tag. Selecting the German at Manchester City on Sunday could prove disastrous.
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From the trio of Ramsey, Ozil and Walcott, the German should be last in the pecking order on Sunday due to the poor form he displayed prior to his injury. Also, Ozil has never been known for his tackling ability, and away at the Etihad should feature the Gunners defending for large segments of the game.
If Wenger wants to hit on the counter, Walcott would be the best fit in place of an injured Welbeck as the former Southampton Saint possesses the most pace of the three. Ramsey would fit in well to fill out the middle of the park as a two-way player.
Against City, Ozil would be a defensive liability, and the 26-year-old’s poor defending and lack of pace could force Sanchez into deeper positions to provide cover. Regardless of who starts, Sanchez’s ability to remain in attacking positions should be paramount to Arsenal’s tactics.
Ozil would be better served to find a place in the squad in later fixtures and over time. The talents of the World Cup winner are undeniable, but even Germany treated Ozil more like a forward than a midfielder due to his lack of tackling ability. At Arsenal, Sanchez, Giroud and a healthy Welbeck offer better options at the moment.
Ozil may eventually find his place in the squad, but he should sit on Sunday.
Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. He has previously written about the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup and regularly provides opinions on the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA
