Arteta to build Arsenal team around Ozil

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has split opinions since arriving at the Emirates – but new boss Mikel Arteta is ready to make the German his main man

Gunners boss Arteta is putting his faith in the mercurial midfielder as he wants the team to “play in a certain way to facilitate Ozil’s strengths”.

It must be seen as something of a gamble as Ozil struggled under Unai Emery and even Arsene Wenger could not get the best out of Arsenal ’s biggest star and top earner on £350,000-a-week.

But the early signs are that Arteta, who used to play alongside Ozil, can get the World Cup winner on song as he looks to make the former Real Madrid superstar the central figure in his team.

Arteta said: “I just try to prepare the team collectively and individually with the strengths and the weaknesses that we have in mind.

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“I want to avoid the weaknesses and promote our strengths as much as possible. I think that Mesut in these can kind of positions can be very, very effective.

“On his own he can’t do it. That’s what I was saying. He needs the collective structure and organisation and his teammates. Nowadays, there are only one or two players in the world who can do something on their own.

“He needs help and he needs the team to play in a certain way to facilitate his strengths more and more in the game. That’s what we’re trying to do.

“I put him in the team if I see every day that his attitude, desire and understanding of what we’re trying to do is there.

“He has the will and if he is in a better moment than somebody else, I will pick him. The moment that this changes, then he won’t play.

“I’m hoping he can sustain this level every three or four days. He’s putting in everything he has to try and do that, and I think his numbers physically have improved so much as well. He’s willing every day in training.

“I know him really well, so I’m not surprised. I know his ability and I know the player we have there, and as well, the structure has to be there to be able to help him to take everything that he has inside.”

Arteta’s worry is that Arsenal played so well and put so much effort in against Chelsea and yet still lost that confidence might take a knock before they face Manchester United tonight.

But Arteta is determined to lift the mood again and is hoping the players can also lift themselves to get a much-needed win.

Arteta added: “I hope that the result doesn’t effect them too much. That’s my worry now.

“They were all physically blown and disappointed in how the game ended because they don’t feel that they deserved that, but we have to move on. They have to respond and this is the challenge now.

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“Every game for us is a must win. Against any opponent we have to win. We are Arsenal and these are the demands. The level of pressure is different when you look up the table or down.

“At the moment I wouldn’t pay too much attention to the table, but to our performance and the result relating to the performance that we can put on the pitch.”