Will Germany be rebuilding without Ozil?

Is Ozil irreplaceable?

There is no doubt Germany’s ranks are packed with talented attacking midfielders such as Thomas Mueller, Marco Reus, Julian Draxler, Julian Brandt, Leroy Sane, Leon Goretzka, Max Meyer, Maximillian Philip, Mo Dahoud and Maximillian Arnold to mention just a few.   But are any of these players the playmaker of Ozil’s caliber and disposition?  To answer this question accurately we must first define Mesut Ozil’s role for Die Mannschaft, and then determine if a like for like replacement exists.  At Arsenal Ozil has been played both centrally and on the left hand side of midfield, whereas for Germany he has been more consistently positioned centrally behind the striker.  In truth regardless of his paper position for club or country, he has always been given the freedom to roam the midfield, and essentially both at Arsenal and Germany, he is kept on the pitch regardless whether it is left, right or center.

But for the sake of our discussion most would agree that Ozil thrives when played centrally behind the striker.  His role is defined as an advanced playmaker, or number 10, in contrast to a deeper lying playmaker such as Toni Kroos for example.  The number 10 controls the flow of the game with their vision and passing ability, often accepting this player’s defensive frailties.

Most would also agree that Draxler, Reus, Mueller, and Brandt (Germany’s alternatives at the recent World Cup) would all be considered more of a hybrid winger/striker than a true number 10.  That is not to say that they could not slot in behind the striker as a ‘second striker’, and we did see Draxler chosen to play this role at the confederation’s cup las year as well as against Sweden in the second game of this years World Cup.  In this years World Cup the results were not as hoped with Draxler in this role, and he made way for Leon Goretzka early in the second half.

Ozil on the other hand is the assist king, always looking for the killer pass to release his team mates, the archetypal number 10.  There are times we might like him to shoot instead of pass, but on average his decision making is spot on.   The fact that the other midfielders in the German ranks might be more inclined to shoot is a fantastic quality, and perhaps playing a false 9 with this compliment of players makes sense (Germany’s tactical set up at the 2014 World Cup), but when you are looking to release your striker you want a player of Ozil’s disposition.

Is Ozil’s criticism warranted?

Ozil receives his fair share of criticism.  He has been a divisive figure with fans and pundits both lauding his creativity and execution while also lambasting his every move.  He is frequently accused of ‘not showing up for the big game’ or appearing apathetic on the pitch.  Former Germany international Mario Basler recently stated that ‘His body language is that of a dead frog’.

Despite covering more ground in the 2016/17 season than anyone at Arsenal with the exception of Nacho Monreal (dreamteamfc.com), he is frequently blasted for his work rate.  But there is no denying the genius of Mesut Ozil and for the most part his statistics back this up.  In his 142 Premier League games he has scored 27 goals and provided 50 assists.  Acknowledging Ozil’s accomplishments and footballing genius, I think It is fair to say that following the 2017/18 Premier League season and Germany’s recent showing at the World Cup that Mesut Ozil’s form has dipped and he is in a bit of a slump.

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But not to despair, I also think it is possible, even very likely, Ozil will regain his form and we will see him starting for Die Mannschaft at Euro 2020.  Arsenal are bolstering their defensive ranks which should afford Ozil more time to create in the opponents final third, and with Aubamyang, Lacazette, and MIkataryan having settled into the club, he should have quality outlets to look to.  So chances are Ozil will shine again.  But by the time the next World Cup rolls around in 2022 he will be 33, and one has to think by then he will not play integral role.  Which leaves us to question, who will be Germany’s next creative force?

Succession to the German Throne

Introducing Kai Havertz!  Havertz is a 19 year old German midfielder who will be looked upon in the not too distant future to carry the weight of a powerhouse footballing nation on his shoulders.  The teenage wunderkid plays for Bayer Leverkeusen, and may realistically be the solution to Germany’s woes.  Havertz has already played 54 bundesliga matches, scoring 7 goals along the way and setting a bundesliga record as the youngest player to reach 50 games.  He has drawn comparisons to Mesut Ozil for his vision and playmaking capabilities and has Premier League scouts on alert.  He is ranked in the top 10 of teenage footballers in the world, and if he is handed regular game time over the next two seasons he could be a genuine contender for selection to the German National Team as early as Euro 2020.  The key will be game time, and hopefully he shrugs off the advances of the Premier League in favour of regular game time in the Bundesliga.

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The truth

The truth is there is nobody to fill Ozil’s role for Die Mannschaft at this time.  With Germany crashing out of the World Cup we may see sweeping changes to the squad, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Julian Draxler handed his chance in the playmaker position, but if this happens the wizardry of Ozil will be sorely missed.  Fortunately for Germany a playmaker of the highest pedigree is in the making and with luck will be ready for the next World Cup.