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Can Mesut Ozil Resurrect his Arsenal Career?

By on December 17, 2020

Following a 1-0 defeat to Burnley, Arsenal have now equalled their worst Premier League home run in over 60 years. The Gunners looked short of ideas in middle of the park and are crying out for a creative midfielder to step up. This could open the door for Mesut Ozil to return. The German hasn’t played for the club since March 2020 and wasn’t named in Arteta’s 25-man squad for the start of the 20/21 campaign. However, Arteta has hinted that there could be a way back for the World Cup winner come January.

Arsenal have been given a slim chance by the bookies of making the top four this season with BetVictor offering odds as high as 20/1 (21.0). This is a huge disappointment for one of the biggest teams in Europe. With seven defeats in their opening 12 fixtures, they are 15th in the table. In saying that, they are only 7 points off of sixth place. Some betting sites with bonuses, such as 888sport are offering odds of 9/2 (5.5) for a top-six finish. You could place a bet with your welcome offer free bets.

Surely Arsenal’s season can only get better. New signing Thomas Partey is set for some time on the sidelines, having only shown glimpses of what he is capable of so it’s disappointing that he won’t be getting a decent run of games under his belt. Nicolas Pepe cuts a frustrated figure but has yet to convince large sections of the fan base that he is worthy of his huge £72m price tag. Arteta has his work cut out for him, and needs to change the tide sooner rather than later – so will he look to Ozil?

Ozil is considered a club legend to many and his talent is clear to see. It’s often forgotten that the midfielder has been a Gunner since 2013. The midfield Maestro has won three FA Cups in his time in London and will be remembered for ending Arsenal’s trophy drought. He has put in some masterclasses on the field and in 2015-16 recorded the second highest assist in a season record (19). As a result, he was rewarded with a mammoth £350,000 a week contract in 2018 for his efforts. This made him Arsenal’s highest ever earning, a record that still stands. However, he has fallen out of favour with the board it seems. Arteta stated his absence is down to purely football reasons but there appears to be more to it than meets the eye.

Should Arteta recall Ozil, he would easily slip into a familiar role behind the striker. He’s not a notoriously high goal scorer but has bagged 44 for the North London side in 254 appearances. Ozil is more known for his delicate flicks and creative passes that can open up defences. Which is exactly what Arsenal need now. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has faded for the early part of the season but if he was given the right kind of service, then both he and the Gunners season could pick up.

It should be noted though, that Ozil although attractive, is not the only option. There are several youngsters looking to break into the first team. Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have all put in decent displays, especially in the Europa League. Arsenal have been handed a tough draw against Benfica in the first knock-out round and will be their stiffest challenge yet. In times like those, you really want to turn to your experienced players.

Arteta has a big decision to make in January (assuming he holds on to his job). Bringing Ozil back in from the cold could go either way, but at this stage, some sort of risk has to be taken.