Should Arsene Wenger consider dropping Mesut Ozil?

Discussions have been going on for some time now among the football pundits and in the media quarters if Mesut Ozil should be dropped from Arsenal’s Playing Eleven. These talks have grown louder since last week after Ozil turned in near anonymous performances against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund.

Signed for €50 million, hopes were high when he swapped the Bernabeu for the Emirates, but a shocking dip in form last season is yet to truly end, and Gunners fans will have been disappointed with Ozil’s casual displays. Those who watch him week-in, week-out have become accustomed to these lackadaisical, disinterested displays. There have been various excuses. Throughout last season, we were told Ozil was undergoing a process of adaptation to the demands of English football. That seemed plausible. However, he now has a year in England under his belt and if anything looks less comfortable than when he first arrived.
Thus, the big question is should Arsenal and Arsene Wenger consider dropping Ozil to rediscover his form again. But it’s a difficult decision. Could relegating Ozil to the bench give him the reality check required to bring him back to form? Or, could it damage his already bruised ego?

The supporters of Ozil are of the opinion that it is Arsene Wenger’s insistence to play Ozil on the left wing which has limited him to play to his full potential. But Ozil had played as a winger at Real Madrid from time to time and he played all the games at the World Cup for the German national side on the left wing and was effective enough (even though he did not light up the tournament) to contribute to the success of the whole team. So playing him on the left flank definitely is not the reason of his poor form.

Surely the physical nature of the English game is also not the reason for his failures. Even if it would have been, he has been given his own personal winter break. He was also allowed an extended post-World Cup holiday, and was given ample periods of rest during last season.

So does his fragile state of mind the real reason for his dismal showings? The idea that Ozil is a fragile figure is nothing new and quotes from former team-mates, coaches and pundits all points to the fact that the German international goes into his shell when the going gets tougher. Indeed his inability to take pressure was the main reason why Real Madrid sold him to Arsenal last summer. But isn’t the ability to play under pressure one of the foremost talents required in the modern game – so surely this is not an acceptable excuse for a player who has experience of just about every major game a footballer could partake in.

Opinion is slowly turning against Ozil and it is time that he delivers to justify his price-tag and reputation. He has everything at his disposal, from the natural talent to good team-mates around him, and most importantly the trust of his manager. It is time he takes responsibility for his decline and emerge as the star he is capable of becoming, otherwise it won’t be long before Arsenal and Arsene Wenger lose their patience and he finds himself on the periphery of the team.