Arsenal midfielder has created more goals per appearance than any other Premier League player ever. The German international showed his superstar ability last season, when setting up an impressive 19 league goals, and now has the best stats for any player to grace the English PL, out of the vast numbers who have featured in 50+ matches.
Ozil has a ratio of 0.37 assists per game, according to the Daily Mirror, just beating Eric Cantona and former Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas, and is now being hailed as the most creative midfielder to grace the English game in the modern era.
The former Real Madrid star is expected to be fit for the weekend’s home tie with Swansea despite being worryingly withdrawn during Germany’s win over Northern Ireland, with the midfielder telling Arsene Wenger that he is fit to play.
The French boss is yet to see Ozil train as he is set to return to his club from international duty later on today, but Wenger is firmly expected to have his assist-king available to take on the Welsh side.
So boss, is @MesutOzil1088 likely to be fit for selection at the weekend?#AFCvSCFC pic.twitter.com/OLhp7cWqQu
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 13, 2016
Ozil is currently in talks over a new contract at Arsenal, and will no doubt be rewarded with a new long-term deal in the coming months, with less than two years remaining on his current deal.
The 27 year-old is yet to bag an assist in the league this season however, and I’m personally a little concerned that the contract situation is distracting him slightly.
He was credited with an assist while on international duty however, and will hopefully kick on from that as we take on Swansea on Saturday.
Is Ozil’s contract holding him back? Am I being harsh on his performances this term?
Pat J
He had better start creating more assists then, pefereably tomorrow. Can we have 5 assists tomorrow please Mesut?
Mesut is going to start performing soon, don’t stress guys.
I’m of the belief that Mesut’s assist have one down this year because our fluidity our style in the final 3rd has changed. With Alexis being more mobile in the final 3rd he’s able to come underneath or drift out wide to pick up the ball — spots that Mesut usually gets it in. As a result you’ll see Mesut take up the space that Alexis’s movement has vacated (Theo is also taking up this space quite a bit, which has really benefited his game quite a bit), thus not having every move in the final 3rd end with Mesut playing the ball.
With Giroud essentially acting as a pivot or a wall in the final 3rd, everything that went in to him came right back to Mesut to then play the final ball. That’s not happening anymore, and that’s not a bad thing.
Several of his performances this year have not been up to the standard that he’s set, but make no mistake, the movement, technical ability, and ball circulation between him, Santi, Iwobi, and Alexis in the final 3rd (with some Xhaka and some Theo) has been exactly what we need from Mesut.
Spot on. For me, it doesn’t matter whether he delivers the final pass that leads to a goal. Sure, it’s a nice bonus, but what’s more important is everything that comes before, after, and in between… and Ozil does it with class. Take Iwobi, for example. He already has 3 assists to his name this season. But if I’m not mistaken, every single one of those came from a pass or an interchange play with Ozil. So no matter how you look at it, he’s still our most influential player, even if it doesn’t show up on the stats sheets.
Best stats, maybe
Most exciting to watch? I leave that up to you ?
Stop backing Ozil, his performance this season apart from the Chelsea game has been below par,he needs to step up we don’t have much time.
So who could replace him if he’s out of form?
Alexis