Arsene Wenger has moved to praise Mesut Ozil’s display against West Ham United, citing his performance as a return to ‘focus’.
The German opened the scoring in our 3-0 defeat of the Hammers last night, before setting Theo Walcott up to double the lead 10 minutes later on the way to victory.
The Arsenal boss has moved to praise his star players return to form following a tough time, with Ozil having been highlighted for criticism amidst our bad run of form lately, and claims he had struggled to come to terms with their Champions League defeat.
“I feel that he is back physically with focus,” Wenger said. “I know him quite well, I felt he was hit quite hard by us going out in the Champions League – it took him some time to recover from that mentally.
“For a few weeks now in training he is really focused again. That comes out in the game.”
The Frenchman then moved to claim that everything in football is exaggerated, the good and the bad, which makes it tough.
“We live in a world of extremes,” Wenger told Standard Sport. “We are always praised more than we deserve it when it goes well and punished more than we deserve it when it doesn’t go well.
“But that’s our world.”
Ozil is still yet to agree a new contract with the club, as he nears the final 12 months of his current deal, and hopefully and upturn in form, confidence and happiness will open his mind to the idea of an extended stay.
Does Ozil remain a key player in your eyes? Does he need to be replaced in an overhaul? Can he carry yesterday’s form into a big end of season push?
Pat J
Wenger’s been praising his own achievements of late, he talks about the little resources, the stadium move, the identity/brand, the philosophy, the infrastructure, the consistency, and the loyalty, let me see have I forgot something.
The questions posed by Pat J at the end of his article are best answered by a new manager.
Yes, you also live in your world where there are ‘extremes’ in terms of grotesque wages.
So Mesut scores a Goal and sets up another against West Ham and he is ‘back’ in focus.
Well the best players stay in focus and always ‘do it’! They don’t turn it on for a game or two against lesser teams and then dissapear completely against the best teams on the best stages.
Mesut has great technique and can slot a pass through for assists but he ain’t making it into my best ever AFC team let alone best ever players team.
There is a reason maurenho said the things he said about Ozil. Beckham consistently had more impact on a game more frequently with less ability and I don’t even rate him. Ozil is proof pudding that sometimes the more natural ability you have the less you try. Then there are those like Cantona, Ginola, Berkgamp who had exceptional talent and who delivered when it was needed 99% of the time, and not 50%.
More like 15 percent
Mr I have a virus day after a night out
Tired of ozil
Sell him for 55 to psg
^We are Arsenal. We don’t sell to the highest bidder, we listen to the hopes and wishes of the player.
So if Özil wants to go to Fenerbache for £5 millions, he will go to Fenerbache for £5 millions + 1 quid.
lol not even a pound only .55p muff what are you sniffing down there 🙂
I have to be honest and say Ozil and the rest of the team played well second half considering the full contact game West Ham throw at us, usually when we play teams that aggressive or close contact we fall apart specially Ozil but not last night, i actually gave Ozil the man of the match and Elnely lol i love his enthusiasm trying to score a goal you have to give it to him for trying but someone should give him a map where the goal posts are 🙂
we also have to thank Liverpool and Man-U for keeping us in the game for 4th position
it was also nice to see what we had coming on from the bench, we have a lot of depth in the team for the first time in years but still ended up second rate 🙁
What is it called? Flat track bullies? We tend to play our good games against struggling (Chelsea early season) or second tier opponents (Basel?). Is West Ham that different? Sure, we should give the boys credit for
not dropping the ball on this one but we all know Ozil plays better against weaker sides and struggles against better sides. Let’s see how he fairs against Spurs at the end of the month.
It is funny how Wenger always talks up the mental strength and character of this (mentally weak) squad, yet in these quotes he admits Ozil could not deal mentally with losing to Bayern. Those game were quite a few games ago. How is that mentally strong? How is that character?
Mourinho so called telephone call to Sanchez is and should be illegal NO? unless Arsenal give permission