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Stats show that Arsenal creativity is terrible – is it time to call Mesut Ozil?

Arsenal has struggled for much of this season after they reached the final of the Europa League last season.

The Gunners spent a decent amount of money in the last summer transfer window, hoping to build on their run to the final of that competition.

However, this season has been anything but building on that after a very poor start that led to the sacking of Unai Emery.

For some fans, Mikel Arteta has made the team better, but his efforts haven’t been enough to entirely reverse Arsenal’s downturn in performance.

The Gunners suffered a fresh setback in their recent league game against Aston Villa after they lost 1-0 to Dean Smith’s side.

That loss came after they had beaten Liverpool and Manchester City in successive matches.

They failed to get a shot on target in that game and Sun Sports has just revealed a shocking stat about their season.

The report shows that the Gunners are the fifth-worst team in the Premier League in terms of chances created.

The Gunners have created just 288 chances in the Premier League this season, this is less than Watford has created with the Hornets having created 290 chances so far.

Surprisingly (or maybe not), axed Mesut Ozil has created the most chances among Arsenal’s players with 52 chances created by him.

Someone just kicked the hornet’s nest.

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79 Comments

  2. We have no spark in midfield, been that way since Santi’s injury and absence.
    I’d love to see Grealish in our midfield, love how he plays and drives forward. Sell Torreria for the funds if need be, but Grealish can bring a spark and some directness to the midfield.

  3. Mikel Arteta is head coach. It is up to him to select who plays or not and his career will be dependent on the results achieved, as it should be. If Ozil is not in Arteta’s plans, it’s his call.

    1. Sue👍😂👌

      But it is all down to MA and what he sees is the solution.

      At this moment in time and for whatever reason, MO doesn’t figure – but to think that MO is still the top creator and hasn’t figured in any game since the restart, is quite an eye opener.

      Thanks for this Martin.

        1. if there was a pre-assist stat he would have some decent numbers but their isn’t anyway.
          My Ozil Vs Watford would look like this.
          Martinez.
          Amn. Holding. Luiz. Tierney
          Torreira. Xhaka.
          Ceballos. Ozil. Saka.
          Lacazette.

          I felt like this would be a Wenger type of 11.

          Thank you bye.

      2. Shocking and damning for our current midfield setup!

        When you consider how Cazorla and Ramsey left and then the raise to £350,000 a week for MO you really get a feeling that Arsenal were clueless!

      1. I am aware of that 😆 But then it works both ways… and look at the games we’ve lost! We’ll never know how we’d have fared even if he had played and I don’texpect to see him again…… the point i was making was that even though he’s slated on here for being a lazy good-for-nothing every day (or even hour?) and hasn’t played for lord knows how long, he’s still created the most chances for us, which for me, speaks volumes!

        1. But Sue who, if I may ask has been creating the chances for the games we win without ozil? Who created the chances against man City and Liverpool, once again stats can be misleading sue as it has proven to be very contrary to reality many times. In mustafi’s worst season (the past 2 seasons, if you checked his stats on squawka or who scored) you would see that mustafi had the best rating of all our defenders. He had the most tackles etc. And we all know what we saw every game he plays for us, we knew he was the very worst which I’m certain you must have agreed with then but contrary to what we thought, the stats showed him as the best. That is the same case with ozil, if it’s not a clear cut stat like goals scored, clean sheets, assists and clear cut stats like that, every other form of stat like chance creation is subject to review and interpretation and there could be mistakes from there. For instance, a goal keeper saved 5 shots and let in 6 goals. According to stat in relation to another goal keeper who had 1 shot saved, and 1 goal conceded. If there was a stat comparison, the goalkeeper with 5 saves would be rated higher even though he let in 6 goals. This doesn’t make him better than the goalkeeper that conceded 1. Most stats like these are subject to personal interpretations and different people having different interpretations. So you can’t take ozil’s high chance creation to represent his form or the way he actually plays on the football pitch. He was directly behind the front 3, the likelihood of he passing the ball to someone who turns it into a goal or assist are very high. Since football resumed, Arteta changed the formation where the wing backs attacked more than attack from a central midfield. Ceballos and xhaka have to be close to the defence, this was a clever tactic by Arteta to limit the number of goals we concede. If Ceballos played a no 10 role that ozil played before the lock down, and he played the same number of games ozil played, I’m fairly certain he would have bagged a higher number of chances created and assists/goals. But in this current formation, he has to sit back and help the defence.

  5. Now someone has come up with chances! Next what? This man in 18 appearances has 1 goal and 2 assists? Why would this gentleman do in the last 2 or 3 games, when he did not do anything worth in 18 games this season or 54 assists in 184 Arsenal appearances? It is over for him, he should humbly accept that he cannot continue any further for a top club, but wait, are we a top club anymore?We are below Burnley! Who contributed taking us there? Ozil with his horrendous stats and no will power.

    1. There it is ,thanks LC I was beginning to think that I would forget them stats 54 in 184 ,cheers buddy .

    2. We are not a top team anymore but we are still a great team. Our status as one of the giants is nothing that can go away in few bad years.

  6. Leaving ozil out of the city game might be the best decision arteta will make in his arsenal career, if ozil had played that match, we would definitely lose. And speaking of creativity, the last creative midfielder we had was Carzola, Carzola made both ozil and Alexis better, ozil has not been creative for 3 years now. But just like ozziegunner said, it’s the coach decision to play him or not.

    1. Some people due to blind faith in their favorite player are willing to jeopardize the club’s prospects.Where is Mesut when he is most required? What did he do in Azerbaijan?
      18 million for one goal. Fraud!

      1. Again to be pissed with Ozil for the money he is earning it’s missplaced anger and if you say that He should not have accepted well this is modern football, you guys should be pissed with the people in charge of the contract those are the real villians, Ozil should play vs watford as there is nothing to lose, i would like to see him play with this players around him
        martinez
        Amn. Holding. Luiz. Tierney
        Torreira. Xhaka.
        Ceballos. Ozil. Saka.
        Lacazette.

        I would save Auba vs Watford as they would go berserk mode and it would be a shame if Auba gets injured.

        Thank you Bye,

  7. No worries we have so many creative midfielders to do the job like xhaka willock guendhouzi maitland niles …: they will come good in 2029 when we will get promotion back in to the championship and we will all have forgotten about Ozil by then

  8. Perhaps we would top the League in terms of passes between centre backs and goalkeeper.We take so long to get into the opposition half this latest stat does not surprise me in the s!ightest.

    1. Grandad, so would you say then, that explains why Ozil has only one goal and two assists?
      After all, if the ball is continually passed backwards and sideways, that surely diminishes the opportunities for assists – not just for Ozil, but for any creative player?
      Perhaps why we didn’t have one shot at goal Tuesday night as well?

      I wonder what the stats for Cebs are since he joined us?

      1. How is Auba still able to score 25 goals a season then? If Auba can score that many goals playing as a striker then I don’t see the excuse our only world class player (ozil) has found it difficult to get above 9 assists per season? He has only ever got more than 10 assists in the EPL once in the 6 or so seasons he has been here.
        What is the excuse?

        1. The great Pierre does it on his own. Even if Arteta put him on right back he will still score. He is that natural.

          But to think that he is wasted on the wing makes to give for space for Nketiah has made me lose faith in Arteta.

  9. Call him back for what? Season’s over, and we lost the last cup final he played in.

    1. I saw that one also. It was Ozil vs Chelsea right? I remember how he multiplied himself x11 to fill all positions.

      2. He Failed to move cech on the directions of the shots, also he did not move the defenders to stop the attacks, he did not guard at the same time our defense and failed to score 4 goals, he was a mess, he is totally culpable of the defeat, sorry ozil.

        I’m an expert so I know what I’m talking about,

        Thank you Bye,

        Gunner23

    2. History is repeating itself I’m afraid QD. These seems like deja vu to me. This was how the fans shouted they wanted ozil back under emery. Before then, we had beaten both napoli and valencia, home and away. We just beat city and Liverpool and then we lost a game and fans remember we need ozil back. Why was he not wanted after the Liverpool and man City game. Clueless Arsenal fans that always seem to forget things so quickly

      1. Kstix, one starts to believe that for some people this club is Ozil FC.
        The wins home and especially away against Napoli and Valencia were four of the best displays under Emery. Then to beat Liverpool and Man City as well without Ozil. This was prior to the drop off in form leading to the end of the season, where Arsenal missed 4th place by 1 point (or an Aubameyang penalty miss or an offside goal against Spurs) and were embarrassed in the Europa League final by Chelsea.
        As I have said before, Mikel Arteta, as Head coach, is the one acquainted with all the facts and is accountable for the selection decisions he makes.

        1. Ozil Fc vs Watford for the win! Ya Gunners Ya!
          Martinez
          Amn. Holding. Luiz. Tierney.
          Torreira. Xhaka.
          Ceballos. Ozil. Saka.
          Lacazette.

          Thank you Bye,

  10. In these last few games? No, especially not the final with Chelsea!! Keep blooding the youngsters and experiment in preparation for next season. There’s nothing ozil’s gonna add to our team except to our already high list of weaknesses.

  12. It may be Ken but I think the system of playing three at the back is a contributory factor.It is so predictable and to me is an admission of failure.If you compare how deep our back three lie with the high line flat back four set ups of Man City and Liverpool they are 20 yards further up the park and are in a better position for their three midfielders to link up with their front three who are highly active off the ball.Meanwhile our two deep lying midfielders are invariably looking for our wing backs and rarely get close enough to interchange with the front three who are too static for my liking.Liverpool and Man City both deploy a dedicated DM and until we find someone of quality for that role, Arteta is unlikely to be in a position to replicate the attack must need systems used by the two best teams in the League.And before anyone highlights the fact that we managed to beat them both with our backs to the wall set up, I would refer you to the point difference between them and Arsenal.It is embarrassing.

    1. The points differential is embarrassing for every club including city, at the moment, but your observation is very true.

      I really don’t think MA will continue with this system next season however.

      With the signings of Saliba and, plus Tierney and Bellerin /Soares, it seems to me that a back four would make much more sense.
      With Holding, Chambers, Mustafi and Kolasinac, there is an abundance of very good defenders.

      It could be that Torriera, Luiz or even AMN could fill that DM role, just sitting in front of the back four.

      If we sign Partey, the system next season could be 4 – 1 – 3 – 3, but whatever happens, I personally feel we just need a couple of really astute signings, not the wholesale changes some fans are demanding.

          1. Ken
            Good shout and totally agree with you anaylises
            Personal dedicates the formation we have to play at the moment
            Will be interesting to see who comes in and who goes over the summer
            Maybe a few swaps and a bit of cash as I can’t see a lot of money in the pot for us to spend

          2. Hi Alanball08, hope you’re well and safe.

            I really hope and believe that kronkie will support MA in the summer window, we have a group of players who have responded to our manager and the jigsaw is near completion under him.

            If one listens to the gloom and doom merchants, we need to buy a new squad!!!

            I have this feeling that the boys will raise their game in the cup final and create another new record for the club – the Watford game I’m not so sure about, simply because so much hinges on that final and what will follow.

          3. Arsenal has missed an ordinary DM, let alone a top quality one since Gilberto Silva left. Alex Song was the closest we had.
            I agree 100%with Allanball08 that the players available from the squad has dictated the formation to the head coach. The squad has been unbalanced for years. The acquisition of Thomas Partey would greatly improve the current team, along with someone like Marc Roca, yet we keep hearing about more wingers.

  13. Can someone please show us these 50 chances that Ozil created? Can we have the time stamps in these game that he has created these 50 chances?
    The chances created stat is the most misleading and padded stat ever.
    Just passing the ball to someone that shoots is counted as a chance created.
    Useless stat.
    In the last 2 seasons he has about 6 assists? But he created these 50 or so chances?

      1. Hahahaha. You ozil fan crowd are funny.
        So now you are blaming Laca for Ozil being a fraud?
        I asked you to list these games that Ozil created the 50 or so chances. Just find me 3 games and show highlight the time stamps in those games where Ozil created these so called chances that Laca squandered.
        You lot have absolutely no shame. All you do is find anything or anyone to blame for why your cult leader has been a flop at Arsenal. Now Laca is the excuse?
        It was Giroud.
        At some time last season people were even blaming Auba for. I remember during through the christmas period ozil cultists were blaming Auba for why Ozil was a joke.
        You lot have over done every excuse for 6 seasons. It’s become a bit cringeworthy.

        I know it is difficult to be honest to yourselves. You can’t bring yourselves to accept that Ozil has been exposed as an overrated fraud at Arsenal. It’s takes balls for one to accept they were wrong.
        Lol

  14. Goonster why are you getting so irate?

    Just like the article regarding AW, UE and MA, it is only the Sun!!!

    Hope this makes you feel better, just think of all the times you have blasted Ozil and for a second or two, it looked completely wrong.

    I still don’t understand the fascination with ANY single player though, if we are behind Arteta, whatever he decides should be met with our support ie Guendozi.

    2. @Ken.
      It never stopped you guys absolutely blasting Giroud from the moment Ozil joined the club. You blamed him for why Ozil was being exposed as an overrated player. He left and now you have ozil cultists blaming Laca. You guys have outdone every single excuse in the book in order to cover up for you princes massive flaws.
      Aren’t you the same people that have consistently blasted our other players? xhaka, Mustifi, Luiz, Sokratis etc?
      But then act like hypocrites when it come to your cult hero. Blast everyone else but then when it comes to your favourite prince you enact a completely different tactic. Excuse galore. “It’s his average teammates fault. It’s the media’s fault. It’s the fans fault. It’s the manager’s fault. It’s the boards fault. It’s the EPL’s fault. It’s the racist Germans fault. It the weather’s fault blah blah”.
      Again, i will keep calling him out for being a complete fraud. The guy has done absolutely nothing for our club but we have the likes of you his groupies complaining about us calling him out for taking our club for a ride. You can’t be clubs highest paid player ever in history but produce 8 assists per season on average. Be the laziest don’t give a monkeys type. The club has been struggling for time and instead of our only so callee world class player / our best player to lead by example, he is the one that wants to be led by his teammates that you lot deem average at best.
      You have your opinion on Ozil so do I. That is what we call free speech. We all see things and have our own individual interpretations. It’s a space for competing ideas.
      But all the objective evidence is on our side ( we the ozil critics). That is why the numbers of former Ozil apologists are at an all time low. A lot of former Staunch Ozil backers are now on this side of the fence projecting the exact criticism some of us have been aiming towards Ozil for seasons now. Seriously, reading what former ozil fans are writing on most of the Arsenal Fans Forums is astonishing. Exactly what someone of us have been saying for more than 5 years. But the same people used to label us as “Haters, used to say that we don’t know anything about Ozil etc”. But today they are using the same criticism towards Ozil.
      Smh

      1. I HAVE BEEN CALLING HIM A FRAUD FOR YEARS AND SAW IT LONG BEFORE OTHER OZIL REALISTS WHO HAVE CONVERTED TO MY SIDE STEADILY OVER ABOUT THREE YEARS.
        I saw it clearly many seasons ago and have been reminding others so very often that I am tired of talking about this fraud any more.
        HE IS THE BIGGEST CONMAN IN ARSENAL HISTORY GOING BACK TO 1886.
        I HAVE ZERO RESPECT FOT THE FAST DYING OUT DIEHARDS WHO EVEN NOW FIND EXCUSES, RATHER THAN FACE THE AWFUL TRUTH THAT THEIR “HERO” HAS BEEN CHEATING OUR CLUB FOR FIVE YEARS ALREADY.

        1. I REGARD THIS FRAUD AS OUR CLUBS ENEMY AND I HAVE DONE FOR YEARS PAST. Because it is plainly true!

        2. mr.jon fox, i applaud your constant honest comme3nts about the fraud that is mesut ozil. not until he goes will the arsenal get back to normal. he is disrupting the entire club, and has been doing so for some time now. you, sir, are the one person who has constantly called ozil out on this, and i applaud you for this.and, now, unfortunately, this is my very last comment on this fine page. i can no longer take the blind faith that some people have in ozil the fraud. they are, of course, entitled to support the has been, but i have read and heard enough of this fraud. he is without doubt the biggest ever mistake that any football manager has brought on our club.on that note i will bid you all farewell , please look after yourselves, ozil fans included,lol.thank you all for many wonderful moments on here, but i can no longer stomach any talk of the biggest fraud in world football, ever.

      2. Goonster, this latest rambling of yours is why I always have to challenge you.

        Find one post where I have criticised any of the players you mention, in relation to Ozil.
        It’s just a load of BS to be frank with you – putting words together that have no foundation regarding my views whatsoever.

        You lump everyone who disagrees with you as a cult – what a ridiculous response to being challenged.

        I suppose you now regard Tony Adams as a cult member – see how pathetic it is?

        If MA recalls MO, will he be the leader of this fantasy club you are fighting, will he become a groupie as well?

        Yes, we all have our own opinions, some of us can discuss them, without trying to belittle others with childish words like cult, groupie, Prince, fraud – I’ll ask you the question that seems never to be answered difecttly- will you support Mikel Arteta, whatever decision he makes regarding Mesut Ozil?

        I will, as I put club before any player – what’s your answer??

        1. Ken,It is obvious to those of us who choose to see, that MA has ALREADY made his final decision on Ozil. He has banished him from the 20 man squad, which tells us who choose to see, what MA thinks of frauds. Also what he thinks of arrogant young brats like Guendouzi. MA gave both these players ample chances and both have let him down.
          As a man of action he will not IMO let OZIL wear the shirt again in anger, barring unforeseen injury crisis.
          I much doubt that Ozil will appear ever again therefore. Even when he “played” these last few years he only “appeared”. You could not in truth call it playing , since playing involves effort!

          1. So just answer the question as well then Jon – with your ability to predict what MA has decided to do why can’t you just say yes or no?

          2. Also Jon, while giving me your answer to the simple question, just remember that MA also took a hard line with AMN – being forceful, doesn’t imply what you seem to think it does.

            Goonster, still waiting for your answers as well…is it really that hard to answer a question?

            After all, it’s club before player isn’t it?

  15. Misleading article, not enough data to be sure.

    How many chances per game? Against what opposition? What is a chance?

    Creating 5 chances against Norwich is not the same as creating a big chance against spuds or pool.

    Need more details please or this is just an idea in a chance vacuum.

  16. I would play him against Watford and keep him on bench against Chelsea if needed.
    He is still Arsenal’s player and we need to make sure players against Chelsea are fresh and ready, which means use the other players including him.
    Time to rest Dani C. , Lacca/Auba. Rest as much main players as possible.
    I do not care about any disciplinary details, I want us to win the FA cup, whatever it takes.

  17. Ozil is past it and I would definitely get rid of him in the upcoming window, but he’s still our best playmaker.. that says something about us doesn’t it? Play him against Watford and make him available for the fa cup final then taxi for Ozil 👊

  18. I will go with NO!

    But for people with yes, where do you see him fits with MA’s formation? instead of which player to be more specific?

  19. I guess Ozil is not yet fit to play, And if he is fit, he is not ready for competitive game, He should be on bench for Watford game and play the cojone boys. As for the final, Ozil should keep off, that is a danger zone, no go area for him.

  20. He has his qualities and weaknesses, he us not managed in the best way.
    – obviously he creates well
    – like many Arsenal players, his defensive contribution is not optimum but I think he tries.
    – he does not have 90 mins in his legs
    – he needs some quick wingers Around him.

    1. Agree with you Ba, the 5-5 draw with liverpool this season was a great example of ozil surrounded by young, hungry players and I think it was one of arsenal’s best performances this season. AMN, martinelli, saka, willock all firing.
      Just hoping for a good game in the FA with whoever MA picks. COYG’s

  21. OT
    just saw the encounter between lampard and pool bench,seems like a new rivarly is built guyz
    And i sure hope MA also picks one apart from spurs….Oh wait a minute,Deeney! you are going down…😂

    1. Lampard said about them not getting too arrogant about winning the league….far too late for that 🤣 Plus does he mean to say the chavs were never like it?!! 🤔

    1. I kind of do miss having some little creativity because right now it’s been so boring to watch arsenal

      1. Is the last game just give him a game with a good team and we can say is the bye bye game.
        martinez
        AMN. Holding. Luiz. Tierney
        Torreira. Xhaka
        Ceballos. Ozil. Saka.
        Lacazette.

        Save Auba vs Chelsea

  23. Yes is time to realize that he is not going away better to get him on form and create something because we are so boring to see,

    Thank you bye

    Gunner23

  24. Two assist. Auba has 20 goals, Lacazette has 10. Our forwards can clearly finish. I’d love to see a highlight reel of all these chances ozil creates. Think That would be interesting because it really seems to just be a meaningless stat if he can only grab two assists from it

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