Mesut Ozil isn’t showing enough in big games and Bayern Munich’s system doesn’t have a place for Thomas Muller
German World Cup winner has singled out two out-of-form stars from both the Gunners and Bayern
LOTHAR MATTHAUS will be in Munich tonight to see his old club take on Arsenal when the heat will be firmly on two German stars to deliver.
But the Germany legend is not convinced Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil or Bayern ace Thomas Muller will step up to the plate — for very different reasons.
MESUT OZIL
HE is a guy who can make the difference — but in big games I just don’t see him as much as I’d like to see him.
That is a problem for Arsenal . . . and a shame.
He has all the quality to win games at the highest level but it doesn’t happen enough.
His performance at Chelsea the other week summed him up.
I don’t know why but when he plays against the big teams he doesn’t play at the same level as he does against smaller teams.
Last season his statistics were great with 19 assists in the Premier League.
That shows he has the quality and vision to provide key passes and he has shown he can score goals as well — although he needs to score more.
That means he should look to shoot more rather than giving the final pass to his team-mates.
But he needs to make more of that talent in games that matter.
Related stories
THOMAS MULLER
CARLO ANCELOTTI’S system at Bayern does not have a place for Muller.
Ancelotti likes a 4-3-3 but he has four wingers for two positions either side of Lewandowski — Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Kingsley Coman and Douglas Costa.
Muller is part No 7 and part No 9, a second striker. But in Ancelotti’s system, there is no room for that type of player.
It’s had an effect in the last six months. He’s only scored one Bundesliga goal in a team that’s top and if everybody is fit, I don’t see him in the side.
Ancelotti would like to play Ribery and Costa but the Frenchman is struggling.
So it will be Robben on the flank with Thiago Alcantara as the No 10 behind Lewandowski. Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso will be in the middle with Vidal doing a lot of the defensive work.
