‘If Partey plays, then so should Ozil’, said Merson.

Paul Merson

says that if

make

a key part of their plans,

should be brought back in from the cold.

Aresnal strengthen their options to attract the Ghana international Partey from

.

has witnessed his team’s effort and their scoring chances because Arsenal is unable to bring all of the pieces together that will deliver much sought-after consistency.

Merson believes that the answer to these problems remains in Arsenal’s book, with Ozil having been omitted from

Europa League

and

Premier League

squads.

He told:

“For me, Mesut Ozil comes back in the team if Thomas Partey is fit. Partey gets around the pitch, dominates the midfield, and dictates the game. His playing opens up a chance for Ozil.

“At the moment, Arsenal have nobody in there to provide the forwards. You can make runs all day long, but if you're a center-forward, your runs are only as good as the players playing behind you.

When these Arsenal players are getting the ball in midfield, with time, is

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

making the run? Is he confident they are going to see his run and are capable of getting that ball through the eye of a needle? I'd say no, so they need creativity. Fernando Torres made runs when Steven Gerrard got the ball. They didn't even have to look.

“Teams are sitting back against Arsenal, and they don't have the creativity in midfield to break them down.

“If Partey doesn't play, Ozil can't play. Without Partey, Arsenal are not going to dictate the midfield, and then can't afford to play with 10 men. But if Arsenal have the midfield, and Ozil is playing behind Aubameyang, with two flying wingers. You ask the back four to stay still, including the full-backs.

“You'd play

Granit Xhaka

next to Partey, then Ozil in front, then have Aubameyang central,

Bukayo Saka

on the left, and try and get a tune out of

Nicolas Pepe

. Get the ball to Ozil, and before you know it, if you make runs, he'll find you.”

Merson added: “Is Arteta to blame for Ozil's exclusion? I don't know if it's Arteta or the club. I'm not sure. Arteta has been in the game long enough to know when a player is or isn't a good player.

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