Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has rubbished suggestions that the Gunners will be better off without Mesut Ozil claiming Arsene Wenger should build his side around the German. Furthermore, Parlour expects Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to replace the injured World Cup winner in the Arsenal starting eleven. Ozil, 25, picked up a knee injury on international duty this week and will now miss 10-12 weeks of action which is a crucial blow for the North London club. The German hasn’t been in the best of form but his ability and whereabouts on the pitch always makes him a threat and Wenger will now have to find ways of replacing him. Arsene Wenger happy to see Kieran Gibbs in starting line-up Danny Welbeck was beginning to forge a good relationship with the Arsenal number 10 but it now seems that Santi Cazorla could operate behind the England forward. Parlour, who spent most of his playing days at Arsenal, believes Ozil will be a miss and admits people thinking he will benefit the club are completely wrong. Parlour told the Daily Star: “I wouldn’t say it would benefit Arsenal. He’s a player that has played better, I was at the Villa game at Villa Park he was excellent. “Even against Galatasaray I thought he played well. It won’t benefit them, no doubt. Despite Arsenal looking like progressing in the Champions League and being up there in contention for a Champions League spot it’s no doubt that Ozil will be missed in the final third. His record price tag that came with from Madrid is still being questioned to this day and rightly so with Ozil struggling to make an impact in the big games. But still experience could be vital with a busy campaign coming up and Parlour now feels that Cazorla will come in with his background suited to that role. “I know Aaron Ramsey’s out and Mikel Arteta [as well] in that midfield area where they’re quite overloaded with players. “I will like to see what Wenger is going to do now. “I imagine Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be on one side with Alexis Sanchez on the other and maybe Santi Cazorla down the middle where he can play that role well, he’s a good player. “It’s one of those situations, you have to deal with it. I’m sure Arsene Wenger will be disappointed but you can’t do a lot about it,” he added. Mesut Ozil averages an 88% pass accuracy this season
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 16:59:09 +0000