Arsenal Coach Reveals Why Iwobi Replaced Ozil In Draw With Brighton & Hove

Published: December 26, 2018

Arsenal coach Unai Emery has revealed that Alex Iwobi replacing German playmaker Mesut Ozil in his side's 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove at the American Express Community Stadium on Wednesday evening was a tactical change.

The Spanish tactician has insisted that the Gunners number ten coming off at the start of the second half was not due to the Brighton equaliser in which he failed to track back when they lost possession.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Arsenal the lead after seven minutes but a a soft equaliser from Jurgen Locadia in the 35th minute meant both teams went into the interval level.

Asked by reporters at the post-match press conference whether he regretted taking Ozil off, Emery replied : ''No. It was only tactically. We did before, in other matches also change the idea from the first half with other players.

''And today I did it with Mesut, that is only tactically, not another problem.''

Iwobi has started only once in the Gunners last four matches in the Premier League, the 3-2 loss to Southampton on game week seventeen.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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