Why Mesut Ozil will bounce back from Old Trafford no-show to run rings around Victor Wanyama

Mesut Ozil

It was evident during Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United – prior to the international break – that the talismanic Mesut Ozil had been halted in his stride.

Whether the bug that swept through the Gunners’ ranks, leaving Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky sidelined and the likes of Mikel Arteta and Serge Gnabry struggling for full fitness, was cause for a below-par Ozil display or not, the audible groans that accompanied each uncharacteristically stray ball suggested the honeymoon period may have come to an end, although perhaps a temporary one.

The German’s impact on a side finally beginning to unearth the potential so many doubted they possessed has been tenfold, unquestionably. But when he landed on these shores following his blockbuster £42 million move, Madridistas were as quick to note the departee’s tendency of drifting out of games as they were bemoaning his exit.

While it is clear there is still much more to come from the Gunners’ record buy, his form has experienced the slightest of dips lately. With that said, he still clipped in superb passes to assist Aaron Ramsey’s matchwinning efforts against Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund. The king of the assist should never be accused of taking the day off.

Acclimatising to new surroundings has hardly taken time for Ozil but it is something that must be factored into the impression that Arsenal’s star attraction has not completely found his feet just yet.

With Ozil, Arteta, Ramsey and a host of others returning from the international picture in good health for numerous reasons, there ought to be cause for optimism for Arsenal though, ahead of a crucial clash with Southampton on Saturday.

Defeat at Old Trafford presented an unwelcome reality check for Arsene Wenger and his side but they were hardly disgraced in defeat, comfortably outplaying their hosts in the second period. Sadly, for Gunners fans, it was to no avail.

The two-week hiatus was not exactly the ideal post-defeat tonic either, but the meeting with the Saints presents Arsenal with another test of their burgeoning title credentials, albeit a belated one, and one they must overcome to silence the doubters’ jibes.

It is certainly the sort of examination Arsenal should be expected to pass but Southampton come to the Emirates with an armoury of problems for their hosts to deal with.

The dovetailing between recent England new boys Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana around spearheads Rickie Lambert and Pablo Osvaldo has proven to be a pivotal asset to the Saints’ game and they can be expected to cause a headache or two for the Gunners’ backline.

But, arguably, one of the problems the Saints will bring to the party is one of their own as the increasingly enigmatic Victor Wanyama continues to spill blots of ink on Mauricio Pochettino’s copybook.

The tenacious Kenyan has formed one half of a combative midfield duo alongside Morgan Schneiderlin but while the Frenchman’s stock has continued to rise, Wanyama has experienced painful teething problems since joining from Celtic in the summer.

The 22-year-old’s ability to win the ball back is a major facet to his style of play, and he has proven a success in that particular duty, but it is a strength that fails to mask his inadequacies in retaining the ball. He sits level with Jonjo Shelvey as the outfield player with the most defensive errors (3) and only Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy has made more. Thankfully for Wanyama, only one of his solecisms has led to a goal. Shelvey and Joe Hart, meanwhile, have been punished on each of their three.

And it was his latest midfield indiscretion which was most emphatically taken advantage of, as Yannick Sagbo cashed in on lackadaisical play to haul his Hull side back into contention. It would have been oh so costly were it not for the excellence of Lallana et al in securing a 4-1 win. Such lethargy against Arsenal and Pochettino can forget about any chance of staging another upset this season.

A performance score of two is poor, particularly considering none of his teammates have made more appearances. It is also markedly lower than the likes of Schneiderlin, Lallana, James Ward-Prowse and Steven Davis, who have each played their part in the south-coast outfit’s terrific start. The possibility of Davis coming in for Wanyama surely cannot be ruled out with the Gunners not only a near certainty to monopolise the ball and dictate the tempo but also sure to dizzy the Saints with their revolving movement and interplay behind Olivier Giroud.

Davis has the ingredients to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm and though Wanyama equally fits the mould for such a destructive role perfectly, his performances have sorely lacked the authority and reliability to be trusted with such a key assignment in suppressing Wenger’s troops.

A 56% average duels success rate is particularly encouraging, with 67% of take ons and headers won respectively certainly offering some evidence to his manager that the Northern Irishman is capable of carrying out such a service.

Average Duels Won

Moreover, the added creative spark from deep could help play into the Saints’ hands when it comes to their high pressing game. The former Fulham midfielder has registered one assist and an impressive eight key passes this season, a tally which overshadows Schneiderlin (7) and Wanyama’s (4) efforts.

Pochettino has tended to operate somewhere between the fashionable 4-2-3-1 and a 4-2-2-2, dependent on personnel. By fielding Davis from the outset, the shape would shift to a 4-1-4-1, with Schneiderlin tasked solely with denying Ozil, Cazorla and the rest. No pressure, then. It would be a risky method but one that could potentially reap the benefits if perfected. It’s not something the Saints should feel alien to, having secured positive results at Anfield and Old Trafford already this term by adopting a similar strategy.

Ozil, meanwhile, will be licking his lips at the prospect of roaming around whoever he comes up against, as he seeks a personal and a collective boost. Lest we forget, we are discussing Arsenal’s second best midfielder this season, at least by the Squawka Performance Score’s reckoning, and fifth overall in the whole squad. His transition to English football has been nothing if not seamless.

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And it is almost because of this magical beginning to his career in north London that any visible slackness is amplified. Ever since he conducted the show in a 4-1 success over Norwich, crowned with a neat brace, the over-reliance on Ozil naturally began to reflect in his performances and the impact waned as a result. The current crippling injury crisis left Wenger bereft of any viable alternatives from the bench and as his new signing started to show signs of fatigue, so the team’s form wavered, encompassing defeats to Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea before losing at Old Trafford.

Phil Jones was rightly lauded for playing a part in stymieing the influential ball carrier and it will be interesting to see whether Pochettino opts for a non dissimilar man marking approach to help cut off the supply line.

He has to find some way of keeping him quiet. The 24 chances Ozil has carved out this season is bettered only by David Silva and Steven Gerrard, although only the latter has posted as many assists. The German arrived with a reputation to uphold and has seemingly succeeded in transferring his ‘king of the assist’ status to the Premier League.

Wenger will also be able to welcome back Theo Walcott this weekend, according to reports, which will surely act as music to Ozil’s ears. His 87% pass accuracy is the best of the Gunners’ attacking band and, despite the more defensive-minded figures of Arteta (94%) and Flamini (92%) holding the best records, the German’s passes are produced in attacking areas. The penetrative runs in behind of Walcott offer the Gunners’ attack a new dimension and provide Ozil with an outlet when play becomes congested in the middle of the park.

Average Pass Accuracy

But while Walcott and Giroud will be responsible for finishing off the sumptuous passes Ozil sprays into their path, the Germany international should hold faith in his own ability to unleash a shot at goal, notching an impressive 82% success rate. Flamini, Lukas Podolski and Nicklas Bendtner all have a 100% success rate but the figure is blurred by the fact they have registered just four shots between them. Ozil, in contrast, has attempted 11, with nine of those testing the ‘keeper.

In short, a return to the Emirates in a face off with the ever-improving Southampton provides Ozil with the platform to illustrate his position as the leading light once more and shine in the manner with which he single-handedly contrived to down Napoli and Norwich. And if he does turn on the style, then any groans this weekend will be of the more complimentary variety.