DENNIS BERGKAMP AND MESUT OZIL COMPARISION – AN INSULT OR A PERFECTLY RESPECTABLE, SOUND AND REASONABLE THING TO DO FROM 2013 TO 2018?
There are times when the comments and thoughts of fans seem to join the most unlikeliest of names together, but in this instance and dates above, a player most regard as THE greatest player in our modern era and a World Cup winner are, on reflection, not the case at all.
One such time was an article written by Dan Smith on the 24/7/20, published at 8.31 am on the “JustArsenal” website.
The title was “Villa defeat tells me Arsenal still need Ozil against Watford” and had plenty of reaction, as is usual with any of Dan’s excellent articles.
One of the responses came from a fellow Gooner, well known for his dislike of Ozil – as he has every right to do of course.
A section of his reply caught my eye in particular, the quote being “and some have the guts to compare Ozil to Dennis Bergkamp.” (Not sure what “guts” have to do with it, but that’s by the by.)
Now that might or might not be true, but there were no names mentioned, no examples given, just a Trump-ike empty statement that was meant to appeal to his fellow thinking fan base, as it did of course.
So I asked him to give me examples of anyone on “JustArsenal” (after all, this was the site we were on!!!) who had made these claims, because I had never seen any such comparisons myself and I have been on JA for, I think, five years!!!
I thought I would also take this opportunity to ask anyone on here who has actually made this comparison to please come forward and identify yourselves…let’s wait and see what happens.
However, someone else did do some fact finding and came up with three examples of comparisons with DB and MO, none other than Arsene Wenger, Robert Pires and, later, someone called Mo1 in a JA archived article of 2015.
The thing that puzzled me though, was the fact no dates were given in either of the AW/DP quotes, so, being inquisitive, I checked them out.
The AW quote first – it was reported word for word – but the date was crucial to understand why it was said – that date being December 29th 2015, the same day that these other quotes were produced with regards to Ozil’s performance:
*Sky Sports announced that “Ozil has created more clear-cut chances than the entire Chelsea team put together –”
*Mirror reporter John Cross professed his belief that Ozil is currently the best player in England’s top flight…his actual quote? *Right now, I don’t think there’s a better player than Ozil in the premier league. Aguero, Hazard heavy weight contenders, Vardy and Mahrez in good form –
*During this season we won our second major trophy in over a decade.
So, you see, there were many observers giving their positive opinions about Ozil and who better to compare him with, other than our greatest player Dennis Bergkamp?
Why not? It isn’t being disrespectful in any way – Our greatest ever player and a world cup winner, what is wrong with that? Both players knew and talked about/to each other and Ozil said he “is flattered” by the comparisons (Source: Onefootball-Dan Burke-16/9/2018)
Just below AW’s quote and also along with the fact that we had just returned to the top of the premiership, after the German international inspired us to a 2-0 win over Bournemouth, scoring one himself and setting up the other for Gabriel Paulista. (Source: Daily Mail 28/12/2016.), was the following breakdown:
As at the 15th June 2019, here is the list of our top 5 “assists” players:
1. Henry = 80 – 2. Fabregas = 71 – 3. Ozil = 53 – 4. Bergkamp = 49 – 5. Ramsey = 48…so even more understanding as to why DB/MO were being compared with each other AT THAT TIME).
NB. Just for the record, DB’s best season for assists, was the 1998/99 season, with a total of 13, while MO’s was in the 2015/16 season with a total of 19…six more than the Dutch Master himself!!!!!!
I won’t go into Pires quote, except to say it was not the full quote, it was made in 2019 and when UE was in charge…the coach who didn’t seem to have a clue about any of our players, let alone Ozil – one minute in the team and winning five games in a row, the next out of the squad, the next made captain, the next out then in again. The quote was all within the context of the situation at that time, but not included, why?
As for M01, (the only JA example from 2015 to date) the very fact that someone had to go back to 2015, in order to find one person on JA who had compared MO to DB, surely says it all?
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However, what I did find was someone who, not only compared DB to MO, but actually stated he was better than the Dutch Master!
But who makes such an outlandish claim against a player labelled with words such as ‘Dross – Mentally Frail – A thief – A fraud – the biggest transfer mistake in our clubs history – contributes nothing to the team – was not even needed’ etc etc etc by some Arsenal fans?
I suggest this person should become the president of the Ozil fanboy brigade– so let’s all think of him whenever an Ozil article appears. Here’s the quote in full and word for word as it was intended to be read:
“I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE COMPARE US TWO. HE ALSO PLAYS WITH THE SAME FREEDOM ON THE PITCH AS I REMEMBER DOING. I WILL GO AS FAR AS SAYING… HE HAS NOW SURPASSED ME.”
by DENNIS BERGKAMP.
Yes ozziegunner, I totally agree, DB had many memorable traits, modesty, honesty, respect of others, wisdom regarding the game of football and those who play it, are just some of them, as we have acknowledged many times – DB is/was in a world of his own, a true Arsenal legend.
Overall though, my personal thoughts are that, if only we had fans who gave a more balanced overview of the time MO has been at our club. If fans recognised the personal issues he has faced over the last two years and admit they would have done exactly the same when the club offered him that reported grotesque salary, there might be a middle road where we could all discuss the pros and cons in a constructive and civil manner.
But just as in the case of AW, that is not allowed – You are either put in a ‘for’ or ‘against’ camp and that is absurd.
There is no doubt that MO is not the player he was before the new contract was signed, but, yet again, has anyone actually said he is, or that he is worth the reported £350,000 a week?
Not to my knowledge, but I suppose someone might want to go back over five years ago, just to prove I’m wrong.
These type of fans will always find someone to criticise, be it Iwobi, Walcott, Ramsey, Giroud etc…at the moment it’s Ozil…look out Pepe, your being set up for this honour!!!
They are no different to the fans on AFTV, who they profess shock and horror at when they use foul language…never seen any of the AFTV guys call MO mentally frail or a thief for example. A different use of words, but the same end result, simply the pot calling the kettle black.
Thank goodness there are other JA fans (I can name them of course) who just will not put up with this kind of abuse of ANY Arsenal player.
This IS NOT a defence of MO, rather an attack on those who slander him and his time at the club, with verbal abuse and unsubstantiated claims – but, as usual, I will be called part of the Ozil fanboy club…..however, now Dennis is the president, I feel quite proud!!!
ken1945
NB. I have deliberately left out the date of the quote from THE GREATEST PLAYER EVER TO WEAR OUR SHIRT (in my opinion) as I thought those who denigrate one of our current players with such regular abuse, might want to find out themselves – it might surprise you.