I know that I am going to get grief from Arsenal fans for standing up for the club record signing Mesut Ozil, because we seem to love to criticise our own players. Let me just ask whether we would appreciate Mesut Ozil a bit more if he had not cost us over £40 million?
Maybe, maybe not, but that price tag always seems to be the first thing mentioned when the football media produces it’s latest critique of the German international. A player that cost that much…blah blah blah…. lazy and disinterested….blah blah blah. Can you tell I don’t agree?
To be honest, I have had my moments of rage at Ozil, the worst being that penalty miss against Bayern Munich and his subsequent disappearance. But you have to give c redit where it is due and Ozil does deserve some. Stasd may not tell the whole story but the fact he is the third most prolific provider of assists EVER in the Premier League is a fact, not an opinion.
Gary Neville’s recent comment in The Telegraph is an opinion and he is, of course, entitled to it. He does mention the price straight away and points to the fact that Ozil has not delivered as we expected and in a way I agree. But is that because we expected too much? Or maybe because injuries and adaptation to the Premier League have held him back? Or maybe because he just looks like he is going for a jog in the park, no matter how well he plays?
The former Manchester United man was trying to undertsand why Angel Di Maria has been so poor recently and as they both came to the Premier League from Real Madrid for big money, the comparison was obvious, but he talked about the burglary to Di Maria’s house and other factors to excuse his form, but unsurprisingly neglected to do the same for Ozil.
Nevilles said, “Just like Di Maria, Ozil was pushed out of Madrid and he has since struggled to be the game-changer that I believe a £42m player should be for Arsenal.
Although Arsenal fans often complain when I highlight Ozil’s shortcomings, my response is that I generally see him in the bigger games against the top opponents and he has not delivered.
“In 22 games against Chelsea, United, City, Liverpool and Tottenham, plus Champions League appearances, he has scored just two goals.
“It is not enough for a player of Ozil’s ability, he does not influence games as he should, but maybe Arsenal and United fans need to accept that it will take longer for the German and Di Maria to come good.”
But hold on G Nev. Ozil has been doing a lot better than Di Maria. He is not a striker so why question his goals record? It is not too bad anyway and his job is to create goals, which he does. Is Ozil just an easy target for the football media and do we really care as long as he does the business on the pitch?
The truth is players like Paul Scholes and Gary Neville would have loved to play with Ozil.
Shock?! Why the F would anybody be shocked by those comments. He is stating facts. Ozil hasn’t performed in the big games and thats just a fact. The big stage is where the great players differe from the good players. And for me up to this stage Özil has not performed against the big teams. Only because he’s an ex ManU player doesn’t mean everything he says is wrong.
That said since he came back from injury he’s been in fine form (apart from that Monaco game but the whole team was sh!t). So if he can keep up this form and improve in the big games he will be an important player for Arsenal.
For Fu”””sake there rival players gonna give us stick no more than we would. See they got you already Ya bite to much When we beat them THEN Ya give them lots of Stick Go have a cuppa tea. CB
Yes, come voice your opionions on AFC players pre-encounter Man U bredren..come one and all.
This is done for one reason and one reason only: as an attempt to unbalance the player and his manager.
So Mesut my boy: just play your game and if you get the chance, take it!
Although remember this:
“Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration” Thomas Edison
Now go light up old Trafford!!
COYG
Here comes the spud trolls..
Angelina is the flop of the season anyaway, waste of £60m. we love our ozil this way as long as he is helping the team in one way or another. you dont expect all players to play the same way anyway.
Psychologically, these haters are helping Arsenal..! Ozil will play with more intensity against Manure. He has to prove he is the best..! COYG..
Well Bob I can see you are gradually upping the quality of the articles so before I forget kudos.
As for the article, personally Ozil has yet to deliver on his price tag, whether that price tag was a fair assessment of Ozil’s abilities, I am not sure, in this day and age due to the inflation in the market more and more of transfer fees are going to compensating a club for parting with a valuable asset but that is a train of thought for another day.
Fact of the matter is Ozil has netted more assists than any other player since arriving in the league, except Fabregas. This season ozil has 6 assists. Now the interesting statistic is that of Ozil’s 5 appearances in central midfield he’s gotten 4 assists, as opposed to 0 assists playing out left midfield and one playing left forward. Further indicating his best position is centrally.
Another positive is that Ozil is in a team that has another no.10, cazorla who has the same number of assists since last seadon, both are ahead of the likes of Silva, Gerrard and Navas so it is likely that were either of them to retain the position for an extended period their states would be better.
However, these have come vs lesser opposition, ozil hasn’t performed well in big games and I fear that is where a lot of the criticism takes hold. In addition his statistic is somewhat eclipsed by the fact that Fabregas has more assists with 1 season less. This season, Ozil has had 6 assists in 1312 minutes, Fabregas has 18 in 2625 minutes. However Fabregas plays deeper beside the behemoth Matic and is occasionally played as a no.10 whereas Ozil has spent the majority of his time out wide.
So for a player who’s been played out of position a bit and is coming back from injury, the signs are promising, hasn’t lived up to the billing yet but is on his way. He will need to improve his output in big games though.
Unfortunately since his return, Sanchez’s form has dipped, netting only once and having 0 assists in 8 games, hopefully just a coincidence.
And how many of those assists have come from through balls from the middle? The one I can remember where he did that fancy flick to get Giroud behind a high Villa line, the others have been from wide and corners. The no10 argument is questionable as Ozil always drifts to the wings and that is where he feels more confident creating chances due to more space.
I still think Ozil will keep being criticised and questioned until he becomes more involved in games including big games. Disappearing for long spells in most games for a player that cost £42 million and on £150,000 a week is going to cause concern and criticism like it or not.
If Ozil cost and earns what Cazorla, Ramsey, Wilshere etc cost and earn, then the spotlight would not be on him like it is. With big money comes responsibilities and scrutiny.
Ozil has got to influence matches and but just flick in and out fir 90 minutes.
There is one simple way of shutting up your critics. START F####G PERFORMING
Di Maria is already almost out of the door at united because he is not playing well.
That is the difference between a club that has ambitions and a club that has only profit in mind.
I think ozil has shown tremendous improvement since his return from injury. The thing that’s surprising me most about him is dat he seems keen to take shots on d goal, even more surprising dat he is taking shots wid his right foot as well! Walcott scored a goal from rebound when ozil forced d keeper into a gud save from a shot outside d box and ozil almost got a goal when he recently showed some skill to turn away from defender and tuk d d shot wid his right wich was saved by d keeper and d post as well !! Go mesut!!!
How is it a shocking thing?……..we’ve been sLammed like forever……our players have been slated several times…..sometimes outta Jealousy…… BUT…… WE ARE STILL ERE …WE ARE AMONG THE TOP ECHELON IN THE WORLD FOOTBALL…… And we’d still be here Longa after giggs, neville , scholes + other ex Liverpool mugs………..Five-O
Simply,Ozil’s class cannot be questioned!
He is drifting in and out of games less this season and his stats are pretty good for the minutes played.
Stay comparison between Ozil vs di Maria this season – apart from being about level in chances created per 90 and assists per 90, Ozil excels in pass completion, key passes per 90 and goals scored per 90.
http://www.squawka.com/comparison-matrix#premier_league/2014/2015/mesut_%F6zil/126/126/123/0/p|premier_league/2014/2015/%E1ngel_di_mar%EDa/126/126/1846/0/p#pass_completion/key_passes/assists/chances_created/goals_scored#90
So if Neville wants to criticise someone who cost a bomb from Real Madrid, maybe it should be their £65m man!
Also, does anyone remember Phil’s ‘analysis’ on rosicky’s blind pass? What a tw*t!
There will always be huge expectations on Ozil’s shoulders because of what he did for Madrid and his price tag.
When your team aren’t playing well you look to the big name players to save you, but Ozil seems to play at the same standards as the team rather than of world class standard.
If Ozil keeps performing like this in big games then we cannot consider him world class.
Prove us wrong tomorrow Ozil or else the critics have a point!!
I cannot stand other players from other teams slating players of our team so disrespectful.What do you expect from the mancs no class what so ever.we must beat the hell out of them tomorrow and just maybe they just might stop slating our players C O Y G.
Yes pal. The only way. The players should know this and Welbeck should show that Falcao is a loss to manure. Nothing less.
The truth is bitter. When you read comments like this, you decide if it is true or not:
“It is not enough for a player of Ozil’s ability, he does not influence games as he should”
I don’t think it is because of his pricetag. The pricetag itself is meaningless. If Carlton Cole once commanded a 30M transfer fee, how far away is 42M? I think using the pricetag as a cop-out is missing the point.
The reason for so much criticism is because he is a WINNER. He has been where most of the Arsenal players (bar Alexis) has not been. He’s played in many major finals. He’s a world champion and European Champion. You would expect a player of that calibre to lead others by example by their performance. When you are a world class player, you have to play like one, week in week out. It is not about his pricetag. It is because we are talking about a GREAT player. Not many players are called that. When he came to Arsenal, Ronaldo was throwing his toys out of the pram. Everyone in England agreed that Arsenal had truly signed a true GREAT. Even the most derisible one J Mourinho. So, it comes with the territory. If you are indeed a great player, show us what GREAT is. He’s not doing enough. He has so much more in him. That’s the bitter truth.
Guys stop it. There is no way that you can over look his £42 million price tag, his £150,000 a week wages, his underwhelming performances since moving to Arsenal etc.. People keep going on about him being the best No10 in the world, world class, him being Arsenals best player pound for pound blah blah..
But to be called all that you need to justify it, and he has not justified any of those things. For £42 million and £150,000 a week I would expect more. Ozil has not done anything for us that Cazorla, Ramsey, Sanchez etc have all done.
If Ozil was signed by Liverpool, Chelski, Spuds, United, City etc for £42 million and he put in the performances he has put in for us so far, would you guys be praising him or you would be making fun and calling him a flop. Take off your Arsenal tinted glasses.
Ozil never turns up for any big games, he can’t seem to know how to handle high intensity games. Against slow mid table teams where we get so much space and time on the ball he looks fine, but when it matters in games of equal or better quality he never shows up. Let’s not best around the bush, this has been one of his biggest weakness his whole career so far.
I know you guys say Ozil is not the type to run around like a headless chicken eg Sanchez, Ramsey, Welbeck, The Ox, Cazorla, Rosicky, Wilshere etc, but as much as you think running about like a headless chicken is stupid it helps the team keep our opponents on their toes and helps us keep the intensity.
I dont care how much he cost, I am all in for Ozil, I think he looks great of late, I sure hope heis a gunner for a long time…
Spoken like a true fan of the man. Ozil oozes class and is different, cost less and is performing better than Angel Di Maria. Neville, Scholes and other pundits are on a mission to destroy Ozil using the media. And to excuse Di Maria’s poor form, the burglary has something to do with it, WHAT A PATHETIC REASON?
They’re just trying to stay relevant in the media with all they’re old man money ventures. Press is press good or bad.