Thursday, March 28, 2024

Wenger backs Ozil to provide Arsenal spark

Arsene Wenger says Mesut Ozil has pushed himself to his physical limit during his rehabilitation from knee surgery and says the Germany international is ‘hungry’ ahead of a possible first team return against Stoke City.

The 26-year-old has been out for three months since suffering ligament damage in Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in early October, during which the Gunners have fallen way off the pace at the top of the table.

Claiming the World Cup winner can make a big difference in the second half of the season, Wenger reflected:

“It’s a frustrating season for him as he has not contributed yet. It was not a convincing start. He played six games, scored one goal against Aston Villa.

“What we pay for today is our slow start of the season because in the first six games of the season we won two games but we dropped too many points.

“There is now an opportunity to come back into the team and contribute to the team. When you are a football player you want to play games.

“He is ready. What he is is hungry. They come back from the World Cup and when you come back having won the World Cup, even if I gave them the holiday they needed, the hunger is a bit artificial.

“You have to be frustrated from competition and slowly get back to realise how much you miss it to come back to normal. I had that before with former players.

“Today he looks hungry – he worked extremely hard to come back. He really pushed himself to the limit of what you can absorb physically.”

Elsewhere, Santi Cazorla says Arsenal’s recent 3-2 defeat at the Britannia is proof enough that the Gunners will need to be at their best to beat Mark Hughes’ orcs.

“They are a very physical team with good players,” the midfielder told Arsenal Player. “Set-pieces and the second ball will always be dangerous for us. We need to focus on our game.

“[The defeat] was strange because we were losing 1-0 in the first 30 seconds and we can’t do that. We need to concentrate because they are very dangerous from long balls and [dealing with that is] key for us in this game.

“They are trying to play with the ball a little bit more but they are still strongest from long balls and set-pieces. It’s very important to get the points at home. When we play at home, we enjoy ourselves and we are stronger.”

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happy gunner

COYG

The boy who cried DM

A few assists as he rises from the ashes of injury..

Nicolae

Player reaction:”Deep in thought”

Sorry guys to much FM2015

The Only Olivier is Giroud

Perhaps that’s what the lad has been lacking. A dash of “fuck all you cunts” to compliment his “I’ll just pull the strings from a distance” approach to the game.

Striker

Great to have Özil back, now let’s hope that he get the chance to play as No. 10 and are not pushed out on the wing by arsene wenger.

MTZ

I’m pumped for his return! In fact, I’ve already bought him for Fantasy League, before his value goes through the roof.

Pi

We’re almost ready to see our full 1st 11 for the first time, a team including Walcott, Sanchez, Ramsey and Özil will fire us up the table.

Excited.

Striker

Remove Walcott from there and add Cazorla. 🙂 He has been outstanding.

gar14

what we’ll have is options. quality options to bring on from the bench. and the ability to rest players more often when needed. Hard to pick our strongest 11 when all are fit and that is a good thing 🙂

kebabsmasher

Oh yeah…. options.. we got two fullbacks who can play centreback!! Love the options!!! REALLY????

Striker

No options whatsoever in defence which is why it is chocking to see arsene wenger bring in a 17 year old DM in a window where we need some serious reinforcement.

But we do have strength in depth offensively:

Welbeck, Giroud, Alexis, Özil, Campbell, Walcott, Cazorla, Chamberlain, Gnabry. There you got plenty of depth.

minato

theo will have his work cut out if he is to be picked over chambo in his current form

GU1TAR-D3MON

Absoutley buzzing to watch Özil play again!!!! Can’t wait to have him, Ramsey, Sanchez, Theo and Santi destroying teams together.

neutral

Yes, but how??

Debuchy – Per – Kos -Gibbs/Monreal
Arteta – Ramsey
Walcott – Ozil – Cazorla
Sanchez

-no space for Welbeck, Ox, or Giroud? nevermind Wilshere and now Coq as well.

When all our players are fit we are top heavy, will be interesting to see how Wenger figures it all out. Hard to drop Cazorla or the Ox, while Giroud and/or Welbeck seem essential to our system.

moonie

It isn’t Gibbs/Monreal. It is Monreal. Clear 1st choice.

UGooner

Uhzil Uhzil Uhzil Uhzil… There’s a chant i cant wait to hear!

Halles

“… the Gunners will need to be at their best to beat Mark Hughes’ orcs.”

That’s just gold. You cannot make that stuff up. Cheers!

GunnerDareMACEDONIA

I say smashed them 4-0 !

Fireman Sam

“They are trying to play with the ball a little bit more”. Ah bless them for trying.

Well I’m off to the game tomoz and surely hope we get a better result than the last time I went (Man U game)!

So glad to have Ozil back.

Now BTW has anyone heard anything about that Gnabry fellow who seems to have disappeared into a Dia-B (physicist term for a spacetime dilation from which no observable football news emerges)?

Fatgooner

Great to have Ozil back!

The big push for fourth begins tomorrow!

gar14

or third. if we get on a run.

Striker

No way that is going to happend.’ 4th at best I’d say.

Tony Hall

you are naughty lol
sadly it is true though

duuuude

Please don’t mention the world cup anymore.. -.-

the only sam is nelson

interesting comments about how winning the WC affected Ozil’s game – makes you wonder if a: that had anything to do with Poldi being shipped out and b: whether he has the BFG in mind as well and what, if anything, he plans to do about that. As long as it’s not Chris Samba/Ashley Williams/Chris Smalling then I’m not too fussed.

Tomorrow = routine 2-0 win as per against the mighty Humberside Tigers. We’ll go on a run of those now we have players coming back and now that there’s the prospect of being sold/replaced/margianalised

obvious stater

Must be why Bayern have been crap and Kroos at Madrid etc.

Or could be Wenger talking bollocks again.

ThatGermanGooner

Depends on the player. Players are human. And humans are different 😉 I personally think Özil had a really hard time with the harsh critics of the german media and fans. Although he played every game in WC and contributed a lot for the team on the left wing, he got literally slaughtered from the german media. I remember a Interview in which he said that he couldn’t understand the critics and he is taking it to heart, so he probably was just frustrated at start of the season and wanted to force it to much. It certainly looked that… Read more »

Walter Raleigh

It’s good to have Ozil back because good players are good and Ozil is a good player so he’s good so it’s good to have him back.

Possession

That’s good then,I am pleased.

twitchy gooneeeszdzf

The horde is coming, GUNNERS HOLD STEADY!!!!!

DialSquareGoon

Slay those foul beasts!

Samrat

Ozil+Ramsey+Sanchez+Walcott+Welbeck = yet to be seen! but you can bet your arse it’s gonna a lot fun for us! for opposition, not so much

Walter Raleigh

If we could somehow add the Ox’s driving runs (not the kind you get after dodgy milk) to the mix, it would be even more Coq satisfying.

kebabsmasher

Please play him central arsene. Pretty please with knobs on.

arsegun

With Santi in current form and Alexis and Theo fit I simply don’t see any place where Ozil might play. He’s one of the most talented players in the world but sadly, for whatever reason(s), I don;t think he’ll ever make it at Arsenal. Too bad he was injured, this winter market would have been perfect opportunity to sell him while he still have some market value (probably half the price we paid). PS: I am aware of thumbs down but deep down inside you know I’m right. The truth it’s unpleasant and it might scare you but it won’t… Read more »

Craig Pires

He has been badly missed

Arsenal Prince

Welcome back the. King of Assist! Your loyal fans salute you!!!

sambo

With our attacking talent in midfield i just wish it was a 16 a side game because we have such pace on the bench. If we work super hard and then tire a team out using Giroud, Walcott and Sanchez we can bring on 3 devastatingly fast players in OX, Gnabry, Welbeck for the final 20 mins of any game and force teams to only bring on 3 defenders for fear of a good old fashion sodomising. WOOOOOSH! or VA VA VOOM!

arsepedant

I doubt he’ll start but hopefully he’ll get half an hour at the end. I’m practically drooling at the thought of seeing a line-up like this in the near future: Szczesny Debuchy Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs Coquelin Ramsey Walcott Ozil Sanchez Giroud Despite the lack of experienced defenders, our second XI is pretty strong too: Ospina Bellerin Chambers Hayden Monreal Arteta Wilshere Oxlade-Chamberlain Cazorla Rosicky Welbeck That second team would compete strongly in the PL – top half for sure. Actually, now that I think of it, that’s nearly been our team for a large part of the season. And after… Read more »

arsepedant

Well … maybe not Afobe, then …

santori

Probably playing Giroud tomorrow. His physical presence both defending and attacking may be crucial. But we should also hit them with Santi and Alexis. Can’t play too much to their strengths and Giroud should make up in set pieces for the aforementioned lack of height. If Flamini is fit, he should be played. Flavour of the month with the crowd is Coq but Flamini is still more careful. Those 3 two footed lunges from Coq against Hull had it been Flamini, we would hear no end to moaning. We need to keep the ball extremely well from them and Flamini’s… Read more »

SamuelAkinsolaAdebosin

Should I bet on the RedDevils to share the spoils with the Saints and the Gunners ofcourse to go 4th from whence they will lunch attack on the 3rd after spanking the Citizens?

MPLS

Taking away their lunch break will definitely make the players hungry. Genuine hunger, not that artificial kind.

Nicolae

Take away my BigMac but don’t take away my McRibs.Chaaaaargeee

arsepedant

I like lunch attacks.

Tony Hall

We had better fucking stuff those Orcs tomorrow with a good win and a clean sheet because I don’t fancy our chances at Middle Eastlands the following week.

Gooneropolis

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ozil start out on the left given Santi’s form in the middle. Ozil’s vision will be there from the beginning, but he’s been out for three months and Wenger will be cautious to disrupt the continuity built up over the last 4-6 weeks.

That said, Ozil will have his license to roam and I for one am happy to bring his shirt back out of my closet for the second half of the season. Exciting times ahead as our starting 11 return to the pitch.

Tob

Spurs got hammered, whooo hooo
You won’t stay above your boss for too long

dick law

Ozil is like a new signing!
Let’s believe

Wangge

I don’t know, man. As much as I want to see our best 11, pretty soon one of our stars will be injured again.

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