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Mesut Ozil now has three goals and two assists in his last four games for Arsenal. Individual brilliance, flair and skill have all been there in his most recent performances, something we haven’t seen enough of from the German wizard.
Competition is high at Arsenal and with Santi azorla stepping up his game, Ozil had to too. He’s won two MOTM awards in his last three games. Although being stuck out on the left against Spurs, he managed to get a goal. When he rotates with Alexis Sanchez & Theo Walcott you can see how threatening they are as a trio and individually.
He’s a player who needs confident people around him, people that believe in his potential and ability. That’s why he left Real Madrid and joined Arsenal; he wanted to be at a club that feels like home, and as much as Madrid is at the pinnacle of club football, he was no longer needed there by his former manager. Arsene Wenger is extremely loyal to his players, almost too loyal and too nice, but that works well with Mesut, I see a lot of him in Wenger too, they both get a rollicking from the press.
He’s always been a player to create chances. He was unlucky not to get another goal as well as another assist. Both misfortunes when he was linking with Theo Walcott against Leicester. His eye for a pass is exquisite, the through ball to Giroud against Aston Villa was absolutely magnificent, one of those moments that if Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel essi had done something like that we wouldn’t hear the end of it.
Physically he’s bulked up. Yes rolling up the sleeves while wearing and a shirt underneath makes him look bulkier but if you’re a fan of the players and their social media antics you’d know he spent his time off playing getting back to fitness, being better than he was before. One of the things that made him so easy to mark in big games is that he wouldn’t get physical with you, he was (and arguably still is) a pushover. If everyone came back from their injuries stronger physically and mentally then I won’t feel as down if another injury crisis strikes.
He’s the supply. You stop it and keep him quiet Arsenal struggle. With Alexis we now have another talisman we can rely on. Ozil’s probably playing the best football he has done since he first joined. What we paid £42m for.
Finishing wise it’s looking better. He looks comfortable in goal and knows where the back of the net is. One of the criticisms of Mesut is that he doesn’t get enough goals, although I think it’s unfair to compare him to Hazard (a quick pacy winger which Mesut is far from), he wasn’t scoring enough. When assists dry up you want to at least try to contribute goals instead. I’m sure that’s been a personal goal for himself too. He knows it.
His attitude on the pitch has improved along with his physical presence. Going back to his finishing he’s become more selfish in front of goal, he’s choosing to shoot a bit more and have a go, while still creating numerous chances for his team-mates. I like that side to him. He’s a drifter. He’s not always in the game but when he’s involved you want it capitalised on. He’s not only performing to a higher level but he’s dominating games. It’s time to be that “big game” player and not just the “big name”.
Has his game changed? No. Has it evolved? It’s in progress. We can’t get too ahead of ourselves. The criticism he got from papers like the Daily Mail were over-exaggerated, who simply had agenda against him. But we know for sure the class has always been there. Form is temporary, class is permanent. I want to see him to do what he did at Madrid, what made him Germany’s Player of the Year at Arsenal.
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