The Arsenal and Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil is certainly one to divide opinion, and my poll the other day showed that nearly a 50-50 split of JustArsenal readers on whether Ozil is still World Class or not.
He is having the same effect in Germany and team-mate Marco Reus came out in support of the 29 year-old Gunner. Reus said: “We are one team, on and off the pitch, no matter what they say,”
“It just shows that Mesut, despite not playing, is with the team, and is there for us.
“He’s just an extremely important player for us.
“He’s one of the best players in the world, and I am more than convinced we’ll see him in this tournament again.”
But adversely the ex-Bayern Munich star Mario Basler said: “I have to say it over and over again, Ozil is an overrated footballer.
“His body language is that of a dead frog.
“If you look at the Mexico game and the way he has defended as a so-called leader, that was pathetic. It was like ‘there, please take the ball and shoot’. That’s not defence.
“Ozil hides. Even in 2014 he was only a follower. He did relatively little to make us world champions.
“As he plays at the moment he does not help the team to defend the title. And why Jogi Low always puts up with him is a mystery.
“In a big game you will see nothing of Mesut Ozil. He scored against Luxembourg, but against big teams he does not.”
A little harsh don’t you think?
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Basler is right about rhe body language part. Watching Ozil play is depressing as fu*k until he does something amazing and then he goes back to his usual depressed looking self.
He is NOT world class… He may look world class around other players who are but to me a world class player must be able to change the outcome of a game alone like we have seen with Ronaldo, Messi and Rodriguez at the World Cup so far.
Until I see Ozil do this and carry the team on his back when things are not going well, I couldn’t care if we sold him this summer and found someone else with the hunger and confidence that we are clearly lacking.
Agree. His mobility, work rate and ability to protect the ball are clearly below Modric and the Spanish CMs in World Cup
I feel he has become too complacent after winning La Liga and World Cup. Arsenal need a younger playmaker that is more skillful and the one is still hungry for major trophies
His work rate and mobility are actually good on paper if you look at the stats – ground covered.
The effectiveness in all of this is, however, lacking due to what others here have said – his lack of hunger to win or to keep improving himself.
Cannot be sold, though, as with his 350.000 salary no one, and believe me NO ONE will take him even for free… So a team built around Ozil is what Gazidis decided on when he extended his contract and Unai will have to work with that.
I’ve come to the decision Ozil is NOT world class and that he has NEVER been world class.
Essentially, he was reciprocal of the ‘Ronaldo effect’. This means that Ronaldo made players around him look world class.
Oil has not performed in a single big game since he’s been at arsenal. Possibly chelsea, man utd and bayern munich at home. However, i discount chelsea and man utd as these two teams had new managers and were in transition.
I want him sold and a hungrier player brought in.
Very Harsh because at first ozil deserved the criticism but his improved massively in that area,he just sometimes is inconsistent but you cant blame him for mexicos loss thats ridiculous germanys defence have been absolute shambles,Ozil is a playmaker not a defensive player,his just is to orchestrate the attack not to break down play since he left madrid his confidence shut down but this year i felt he played considerably better maybe cause f the contract issues but he was much better.We usually said with germany he was better nw the germans are complaining,strange but lets see what emery can do to ozils confidence but for me on his day ozils playmaking ability is Second to none and absolutely world class on his day,its all about consistency
Poor sod, Ozil gets the blame for everything! He works a lot harder than a lot of people think!
I was so glad when he signed his new contract with us as I didn’t want him going anywhere!
Wait till he starts banging in the assists for Auba…. no one will be moaning about him then
I’m with you Sue, Ozil will have the support from behind and the forwards in front of him, personally I think this will be his best season, however if he don’t perform then it’s curtains for him
I’m really looking forward to next season ??
?? Sue and Billy, I’m with you as well!
Sue, getting blamed for everything?
Does that not remind you of someone else?
As you say, let’s wait until the season starts and Ozil lays on the passes.
I don’t care about any of the comments from ex German players, just what Ozil does on the pitch.
Yes Ken, now you come to mention it, it does indeed!! ?
Not one of Germany’s squad has looked world class so far in this World Cup…too easy to pick on Arsenal player only.
Neuer, Reus, Kroos (apart from goal),Mueller, Kimmich, Hummels all look like they need a rocket up their backside.
Don’t know why they don’t play young guy Brandt from the start.
Ozil deserve critise some years back nw he refuse to justify himself but i still love him and i rate him one of the best than sanchez let’s wait and see maybe emery can restore his best back
I like him and I’m glad he’s an Arsenal player. Under the new regime I believe we will see him really flourish.
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Germany, Argentina, France have looked very average. Even Brazil, Spain and Portugal haven’t looked like world beaters either. I think England have a chance this year.
As an England supporter, if we play Germany, I hope Ozil starts lol. Pretty sad
Yes, I hope England would face the Germans, because it would most likely be a very entertaining match
Basler was spot on. As a comparison, Messi was lacklustre as well when facing Iceland/ Croatia, but he worked a lot harder in the Nigeria match
Messi’s case showed how extra motivation and extra effort can make a lot of difference in an important match. This is what Ozil is really lacking and he likes to wait for the perfect passes, instead of pressing his opponents to make mistakes
Why are they not criticizing muller, how many goals and assist does thomas muller have for germany?
10goals in World Cups he has
as as proud irishman i am shouting for our near neighbours and cousins england this time around. england look the full deal for the first time in many years , lets just hope the hype does not blow it for them.they are sound in every department , and the world cup seems to be there for the taking . none of the super powers have been playing well , so come on england . and on the ozil subject, i am not a fan , but i would like nothing better then for the new manager to give this wayward world class player (but only on his day) a new lease of life.
OT,
If Forsberg had his scoring boots on today this game wouod be done and dusted.
Sweden dominating El Tre atm
As it stands Germany out with 20 mins to go
What is wrong with Germany? They’ve never been this bad
They still have the chance
Mexico are worse. Mexico is another good example for complacency
After winning two games, they became too relaxed and do not want to put extra efforts. Ozil has to take all criticisms, whether they are positive or negative, as extra motivation (apart from the 350,000 per week)
This has been a crazy (but very interesting) world cup!!
Need more intensity … Sometimes, he’s very apathetic.
I hope people won’t just continue blaming Ozil for this German mediocre and lackadaisical approach in this match. Ozil is the only one trying to create something here.
Well they are out!!!!!
BBC commentators constant hate on Mesut Ozil.
He’s put two perfect chances on for his forwards who’ve screwed up chances…
OMG!!!! Low will be sacked!
….at least Mesut will be well rested for next season.lol
????? crazy crazy game!!!!!!
It is certainly an OZIL is fault.
Auf wiedersehen Germany.
that is what happened when your best player is ozil the same for arsenal
What a stupid thing to say about a world cup winning team. France done the same but Viera & Henry were still undoubtedly world class, your point is as blunt as a Jamaican spliff. Happened to Spain too. Ozil sits on bench the last two games, he comes on here and made chances with the little time he got. How people come to some conclusions I’ll never ever know. Look at the clubs these guys play for, like seriously, WTF.
WHO do they blame now?
It won’t be long before we will be hearing about how you can’t win with Ozil’s body language. Well he is one player out of 11. How can’t others with perfect body language win this for them. Germany team has being S**t since they qualified for this world cup. They won just one friendly. They were just lucky against Sweden. But the whole world try to make about one man who IMO is their best player in two matches he played.
terrible lineup. And sorry, but this is why you don’t play Ozil in must-win games. Why would anyone do that? Low has better options and dont get why he started Khedira either after he was so bad. Goodbye Germany.
Maybe he should stop being a footballer the way you people make every defeat about him. I’m glad i watch the match and sane enough to see and interpret the game otherwise i will be fool by your Ozil bashing. He was not the poor or poorest player on the German side. He was one of the best if not best. If you watch the match without bias you will clearly know that.
average player, at points depressing to watch him play. Dire for Germany along with the rest of his mates.
RSH, sorry I can’t agree; Ozil laid on at least two gilt edged chances that German forwards failed to score from.
Even Neuer was crap.
Germany not including Sane in the squad was a major mistake.
Ozil proved again today he is not a leader. Never has been and never will be. That’s not a problem when you are playing with superstars at RM or Germany (today’s loss isn’t on him – he put it on a plate for Hummers and Werner). It is a problem at Arsenal where he is making almost twice as much as our other top players. I would be ecstatic if we could find someone to off-load him to.
Trudeau, Ozil is not captain of Germany or Arsenal. His role is to create chances or score goals. As you stated he created two gilt edge chances for Hummels and Werner, which they failed to convert. If Ozil crrates chances like that every game he plays for Arsenal next season for Aubameyang and Lacazette, I think fans should be happy.
I’m ozils biggest basher but if you’re telling me any of those other German players were better than him, you’re blind. I’m standing behind my player. Werner makes Welbeck look like Ronaldo, Reus apparently can’t make runs, Khedira was an actual donkey, Gomez shot straight at the keeper for 30mins, goretzka couldn’t score from point blank range. Ozil was the only one making chances, Yes when the whole team was sweating he was still walking (*facepalms*) but he was the only player that had any sort of quality in his game, my only criticism is the fact he didn’t shoot himself. Good news is he’ll get an ample amount ofrest and will have a point to prove next season.
Perhaps they watch a different match. Gomes and Muller came on and they were playing as if they were on from the start. Hector and Kimmish can’t defend, Khaderia and Kroos look lost in the middle of the park and Nuer thinks he is the best outfield player on the field and people with no idea blame it all on Ozil’s body language. What is this world is turning to. No white is the new black and the truth is now lies.
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A GER squad full of “big players”, couldn’t score a goal against a KOR squad full of 1st & 2nd div KOR league players! ha ha ha. Pathetic! To make matters even funnier, GER pinched MEX in, which lost 0-3 to SWE!!!
MEX will go out next round, but GER is out NOW!!!
All Germany team was crap. So why only blaming Ozil?
Exactly! Even Neuer was crap!!
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I have got tired of some of our fans, often including myself, making excuses for Ozil, a player who clearly has the worst body language I can recall in any top rank footballer.”Dead frog” is about right. On his day, Ozil can be sublime but I think many of us now feel we -or rather Wenger – were conned into awarding that ridiculous wage he is now paid. You may note I say “paid” not earned. AFTER MUCH FURTHER THOUGHT SINCE LAST SEASON ENDED, I HAVE COME ROUND TO THINKING, ON BALANCE, THAT WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT HIM.Especially, in the new team ethic without carrying passengers. I doubt we will sell or even could sell him this season though and the way he is going we may well be stuck with a three years( to go) 17 mill per year wage bill to pay him. This coming season , all we can now do is hope and pray that Emery somehow coaxes him into being the world class Ozil he is at times and not the “dead frog” he is more often than not. If Emery can’t achieve this we have effectively thrown 51 mill approx in wages down the drain and thus been prevented from properly being able to replace this faint hearted player. Bottom line is he lacks heart. Bigtime!
I’m one of those who will always stand by him and won’t be shying away from criticising him when it is due. What i can’t see where body language is written as one of the skills a player most possess to be quality. He did everything he is known for today. creating and constantly creating chances in the match but yet he was still get blame for his body language. That is pathetic.
Nice one Mobella…. all this Ozil bashing & hating drives me crazy!! There are 10 other men out there with him… they could try too, it’s not just down to him for 90 minutes every match!!!! ??
Sue , it is called opinion . Not bashing. My take is certainly shared by many other Gooners. So is yours. As you have said yourself we are all allowed our own opinions. Agreed? Disagreeing with someone is not bashing them. Do you consider he regularly shows heart and fight? HONESTLY NOW, DO YOU?
Jon… whenever Germany or Arsenal lose, it’s always down to Ozil… most of the comments on here are bashing him (sorry having an opinion ?) he’s not the only guy out there… half of the time he does look pretty peeved, because he doesn’t like losing, who does?? I think that’s why he has that smacked ar*e look on his face a lot of the time. He does try.. a lot more than people give him credit for!
Jesus it was for Germany today & already gooners are saying get rid! Smh ?
Ozil was one of the better performers for Germany today. His languid style belies the good stuff he does. Neuer was a total clown today, both in goal and attack, the prat.
Maybe Leno should have taken his place!!!
Why blame me for what others say? Do you think that fair, Sue? Cos I don’t! I said none of those things you said in your post addressed to me. Perhaps I will put words in your mouth next time and see how you like it when I blame you, even though you didn’t say them.
I’m not blaming you for anything, I was explaining why i said what i said about the bashing/hating of Ozil! I’m sorry you think that way, it was just in general… not just directed at you because of your post
Hope Ozil can be replaced in January . Highly overrated.
I watch the match today and i will.just say ozil played very well today,he created chances for his attackers n yet they could not score…blaming him today is like saying Nigeria currency is better than dollar n pounds
Ozil does not deserve the criticism he is getting for his performance in this game. He did his his job in creating chances, but was let down by his team mates.
Hopefully Germany’s early exit will mean Mezut Ozil returns to Arsenal, fresh, injury free and with a point to prove!
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Please sell ozil now!
He is losing value each time he plays
In six month hell be worth 10 million
How about we wait for a while and see how Ozil performs under Unai Emery, with a new defense and proper DM and a full season with Mhikataryan, Aubameyang and Lacazette and other potential additions?
You might be surprised his value may go up.
When it comes to Germany having a bad day, every player on the pitch now looks like ozil and every bad thing that happens on the pitch including the defending becomes Ozils responsibility. Who captained this team again? Oh right…they had a captain…Ozil was the captain. Who played as the goalie…oh yeah…Ozil was the goalie, who played at right back…oh yeah that was Ozil. As far as i am concerned, did Ozil do his Job today, yes he did. Enough with the Ozil bashing! Im glad he is coming home tho..would get enough rest!
Bless you.
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Ozil is a wonderful player on his day but I’ll suggest the management pay him £350k on his day and maybe pay him £10k whenever he comes to the game with that ” FacE ” . I like him personally but menn he needs to start earning every Penny Arsenal fu*k out every week.
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Interesting to see how many of those calling Ozil overrated, but think Ramsey is quality midfielder.
I’d take Ozil everyday over Ramsey. Sure Ozil pisses me off sometimes, but damn he can find some magic in a moment.
Guess it’s all in the eyes of the beholder.
Seems the ex-German players roughing up Ozil, fair enough.
However, plenty of blame to go around. Strikers were rubbish, neither fullback could defend, khederia was a donkey and Kroos was average.
Still scratching my head about leaving Sane out; 13 goals and 13 assists not good enough?
Whoever called Werner “German Welbeck” was correct, accurate cup performance.
Kimmich is german bellerin; that is overhype if anyone curious what it looks like.
and Gomez Was Sonogo
Not just his fault they got knocked out Germany were poor in every game but he is a joker and his lacklustre no show bs… hopefully it won’t wash with Emery and either it kicks him up the arsene (who aloud it for 2 years) or he gets benched so someone else steps up because this has gone on way to long and on 350 a week it’s a joke. if it was me I’d sell him but who wants him hense him signing new contrct