Wenger: Ozil's mental scars after Bayern penalty miss are healing... and he can show just how good he is in the Allianz

By Dominic King and Sami Mokbel

PUBLISHED: 17:54 EST, 9 March 2014 | UPDATED: 04:05 EST, 10 March 2014

Arsene Wenger has spoken many words about Mesut Ozil but none have been as revealing as those he offered after Arsenal’s return to Wembley was secured.

March is a huge month for Arsenal. The intense number of games they face demands a £42million signing comes to the fore and produces the magic to make a difference; Ozil’s sparkling performance in the 4-1 FA Cup quarter-final win over Everton, then, was a step in the right direction.

As he explained why Ozil may be able to help retrieve a bleak situation in the Champions League, Wenger’s overriding emotion was relief that the 25-year-old was over ‘the injury’ he sustained in the first leg against Bayern Munich when missing a penalty.

On target: Mesut Ozil is grabbed by Olivier Giroud after scoring the opener for Arsenal against Everton

On target: Mesut Ozil is grabbed by Olivier Giroud after scoring the opener for Arsenal against Everton

Mental struggle: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Ozil's recent struggles have been because of the penalty miss against Bayern MUnich

Mental struggle: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Ozil's recent struggles have been because of the penalty miss against Bayern MUnich

 

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Ozil’s form has been the subject of great scrutiny and, according to Wenger, the impact of that failure from 12 yards cannot be understated. It left Ozil mentally broken and demoralised and the process to rebuild his battered confidence has been slow.

‘I think it affected him mentally too much,’ Wenger explained after a goal by Ozil, Mikel Arteta’s penalty and two goals from Olivier Giroud lifted Arsenal past Everton. ‘It was not only physical, it was mental. He had the feeling he let the team down at a very important moment of the game.

‘It affected his performance very much. Psychologically sometimes the wound is like a physical one. You can talk and talk and talk, but it takes time. You just have to leave it to time. I think he is over it. He has a good opportunity to show on Tuesday how good he is.’

There is no question Ozil will be wound up for that second-leg collision with Bayern.

Affected: Wenger said Ozil felt like he had let the team down

Affected: Wenger said Ozil felt like he had let the team down

EURO WATCH

Champions League round of 16: Arsenal v Bayern Munich (Tuesday, 7.45pm).

There was another crushing win for Bayern, as they extended their unbeaten league run to 49 games with a 6-1 victory over Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Having been booed when he played for Germany last week, the way he moved and attacked against Everton - with menace, guile and determination - showed he had a point to prove.

He was mobbed after opening the scoring, guiding home a left-foot drive after Santi Cazorla surged at Everton’s defence, and left the field beaming after Arsenal had taken a step closer to ending their nine-year trophy drought.

‘He was absolutely in a different physical shape (against Everton), even if he played nearly 90 minutes last Wednesday against Chile,’ Wenger explained. ‘It was quite a tough game but sometimes when you have two tough games like that it helps you to recover.

‘It was certainly important to him to score and to the team as well. I like the way he finished. It was calm, in a convincing way. He made great runs and was absolutely outstanding from the first to the last minute. He wants to score more goals, I am convinced of that.

‘He is hugely respected in Germany but we live in a society where the period of time is very short between the boos to the applause. We have to live with that. He looked to me against Everton to have a really complete performance on both sides, defensive and offensive.’

Daunting: Arsenal return to Germany to face a rampant Bayern Munich team

Daunting: Arsenal return to Germany to face a rampant Bayern Munich team

SUPER STAT

Everton have not won away at Arsenal in their last 19 attempts.

If Ozil has suffered psychologically, there must be a question on what impact the last month has had on Everton. They contributed to an entertaining game but, as against Chelsea and Tottenham, they faltered. Even the naturally buoyant Roberto Martinez struggled to be positive.

‘You are involved in a game you want to win so much for your fans and you know what it would mean to get to Wembley,’ said Martinez. ‘If Arsenal had battered us, we would accept it. But the penalty (Arteta scored) flipped the game around. That has to hurt.’

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wants to resurrect the spirit of last year’s win over Bayern as Arsenal attempt complete a Champions League miracle comeback Tuesday.

The Gunners go into the clash at the Allianz Arena as overwhelming underdogs after losing the first leg 2-0.

A chance: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has insisted that Arsenal still have a chance in the Champions League

A chance: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has insisted that Arsenal still have a chance in the Champions League

But Wenger’s side can take hope from their last visit to Bavaria. After losing the first-leg 3-1, Arsenal secured a 2-0 win in Germany, though they were still eliminated on the away goals rule.

Chamberlain, who played in last season’s clash in Munich, insists his side can go one-step further this time.

‘We have still got a chance,’ said the England international. 

‘Last season everyone wrote us off but we managed to get a good 2-0 win there. 

‘We are top side, they will know the job’s not done and we know the job’s not done.’

Close: Arsenal recorded a 2-0 victory at the Allianz Arena last season, though they still exited the competition

Close: Arsenal recorded a 2-0 victory at the Allianz Arena last season, though they still exited the competition

Despite the comprehensive win over Roberto Martinez’s side, Wenger will make changes to his team for the clash against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Wojciech Szczesny will return in goal, replacing Lukasz Fabianski, while Laurent Koscielny will return ahead of captain Thomas Vermaelen at centre-back providing he proves his fitness after a slight hamstring injury.

Olivier Giroud is likely to replace rookie striker Yaya Sanogo after coming off the bench to score twice on Saturday, while Wenger will pick between Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky in midfield.

The presence of key members of Arsenal’s hierarchy over the past few days has heightened talk that Wenger is finally ready to sign his new three-year contract.

Majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, together with his PR advisor, joined chief executive Ivan Gazidis and deal-fixer Dick Law for Saturday’s clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Return: Laurent Koscielny (right) will take the place of Thomas Vermaelen, providing he passes a fitness test

Return: Laurent Koscielny (right) will take the place of Thomas Vermaelen, providing he passes a fitness test

Law, along with other key members of the club’s top brass, is understood to have been at the club’s London Colney HQ for meetings on Friday afternoon.

Arsenal’s chief French scout Gilles Grimandi was also believed to be in London over the weekend, updating Wenger and the club’s scouting team about possible summer targets across the Channel.

 

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Comments (10)

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Surely DM writers must do some research or is it totally made up. How can Szczesny be back in goal having been sent off in the last match against Bayern!!

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As fans of english football, we should all be supporting our bpl teams to do well in the CL. anything is possible. Ozil will be there to help arsenal.

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As an Arsenal supporter of over fifty five years I have learnt two things i.e. firstly never expect Arsenal to win the very big games and two, always expect the unexpected Arsenal have the ability to overturn a very unlucky first leg so maybe my second lesson will prove correct after all they have beaten to so called unbeatables before so no reason why they cannot beat them again. Good luck at the Allianz stadium tomorrow night lads. COYGs!!!.

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Did you see how MF waved all the players round MO after he scored. Great team player that bloke. What about Pod? If we don't use him we'll loose him! Why?

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He wasn't booed against Chile,was the best German player on the park and was subbed at the end of the game,I guess your Ozil agenda will have to take a breather for a while after that performance yesterday.

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Fabianski will start, Szczesny is suspended..it's just the DM making a mistake as usual

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I thought Fabianski would play as Szcz¿sny had been red carded in the first leg and Koscielny would have a late fitness test. Wigan have shown that lightening can strike twice. After thrashing Everton Arsenal will go into the game with great belief.

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How can Szcneszy play, did he not get a red card in the last meeting between these two, did I miss something regarding the rules of red cards here ?

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He can show how good he is by getting thrashed 8-2

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or 6-1 at home like united but we are playing away.

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