It's TRUE

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 17 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 39 minutes ago
comment by 8bit (U2653)
posted 21 minutes ago
Ozil's 2nd season was his worst at Arsenal which was before Xhaka joined. His arrival coincided with the decline in our game, the last time we played quality attractive football consistently was with Cazorla as our no.10
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Ozil, Alexis, Ramsey and Walcott played very attractive football even Giroud. Santi was playing in CM at the time. So I don't agree that the decline started as early as you suggest. I would say the start of the decline was Cazorla's injury.
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The start of the real Arsenal decline was the Santi injury
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I think the start of the decline was before that. Selling Viera and Henry

Not really. We got to a CL final after selling Vieira and we came to within 4 points of winning the league after selling Henry. And even when we dismantled the Invinicbles we were still capable of beating anyone playing beautiful football.

That all changed when Santi got injured. Going from top of the table and odds on favorites to winning the league, to finishing 2nd to Leicester and the failing to qualify for the CL every season that preceded finishing 2nd.

comment by Mi Pelea (U18355)
posted 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
Not really. We got to a CL final after selling Vieira and we came to within 4 points of winning the league after selling Henry. And even when we dismantled the Invinicbles we were still capable of beating anyone playing beautiful football.

That all changed when Santi got injured. Going from top of the table and odds on favorites to winning the league, to finishing 2nd to Leicester and the failing to qualify for the CL every season that preceded finishing 2nd.
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Not really. Santi's injury happened in 16/17 season, we finished behind Leicester in 15/16

Santi was injured November 2015. A knee injury. Was ‘only’ meant to be out for a few months, but didn’t play again until last last game of the season.

Not replacing Santi was the biggest mistake by the club.

Since his injury we have regressed massively as a club

comment by 5-2 (U10698)
posted 1 hour, 8 minutes ago
comment by Mi Pelea (U18355)
posted 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
Not really. We got to a CL final after selling Vieira and we came to within 4 points of winning the league after selling Henry. And even when we dismantled the Invinicbles we were still capable of beating anyone playing beautiful football.

That all changed when Santi got injured. Going from top of the table and odds on favorites to winning the league, to finishing 2nd to Leicester and the failing to qualify for the CL every season that preceded finishing 2nd.
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Not really. Santi's injury happened in 16/17 season, we finished behind Leicester in 15/16
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No he got injured in 2015 but you probably didn’t see that with your head lodged so firmly up Ozil’s rectuum

We were top of the league in 16/17 when Cazorla got injured and we finished 5th

And you have to understand Ozil has not played for a full year however we have not improved. Our gameplay is still stilted and slow. Thats not Ozil's fault.

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No that one's Arteta's. Had he set the team off in 4-2-3-1 they'd be further along now than they are.

I told everyone years ago when it first begun to happen. "Ozil killed the press" not the reporters, the footballing one. Between the weakness at DM and in the back line, we never ever had a defence strong enough to cope alone. The high press hustle in the opposition was as synonymous with AFC as "Sexy football" Once we brought in Ozil, it collapsed and shortly after that, so did our ability to control a game. This team was never equipped, either in playing style or defensive players to sustain Ozil's presence and continue to compete with the best. It was a slow death but remarkably simple to see what the problem was, as soon as you stopped trying to justify playing Ozil because he cost/won...

Ozil cost us the press, the press cost us the control and ability to disrupt counter attacks. That caused the overrunning of MF which in turn killed the passing game that made us, us. Ozil's qualities all become irrelevant due to his particular drawbacks and what was Arsenal's situation. And it's HIS fault because how feckin hard is it to chase a ball and stand in the way of the other team? The man's a and good riddance. Had Wenger spent the extra 10 on Cavani none of this would have happened and we'd likely have picked up more silverware.

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 4 hours, 40 minutes ago
Not replacing Santi was the biggest mistake by the club.

Since his injury we have regressed massively as a club
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It's the ball running. Ramsey done his best but he's no twinkle toes. Once Santi went, we had no attack once passing lanes were blocked. Because despite having the twinkle toes to take players on with the ball, Ozil was too gutless to do it. Only ever used his skill to get around someone to pass. When teams block out the lanes, somebody's gotta grab it by the balls and run through players to draw others to the ball, open the lanes to pass and they don't open run to the goal and shoot. Santi knew that and regularly done it. Opposition was always guessing when he had the ball. Dude was so unpredictable

Only player we have currently ready to be even close to was Santi was, is AMN. That's why I want him in the role. He's only missing the perfection of execution you get from playing the position. Definitely capable of providing the element we lost with Santi. And IMO with a good season or so behind him in doing so, talented enough to press on to be just as good at it as the little man was. We could have some ass-kickin MF pairing and Arteta's gonna feck it right up if he doesn't get over himself. AMN is the best CM for his young guns too. Just stick the big man at DM and watch the show.

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 12 hours, 58 minutes ago
8bit you need to read my comment because what your wrote doesn't correlate. I don't disagree with your comment. But you are missing the wider point.

Ozil does have flaws as I also wrote. But you have to understand he also has qualities. Otherwise he wouldn't achieved the large number of assists in Spain and England.

Ozil did very well for a quite a few years at Arsenal. He gelled very well with Alexis, Walcott, Giroud and Santi. We started to win trophies again and we were qualifying for the Champions League. But his drop off came after Santi was injured and we could no longer supply him quick ball. Then all the 'luxury' qualities, which I agree with, you describe above were exposed.

And you have to understand Ozil has not played for a full year however we have not improved. Our gameplay is still stilted and slow. Thats not Ozil's fault.
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I get what you're saying and I acknowledged his qualities but there's always been excuses made for him. Santi got injured half way through Ozil's third season, he was awful in his 2nd season and after coming back from injury in his first so it's not true that they were playing great football for years. Xhaka didn't stop him turning up when his contract was running down. He was poor for Germany after signing for us too. People used to slate Giroud too and blame him for Ozil's poor form even though he was a better player and signing for us than Ozil. Eventually you have to look at the common denominator.