When Mesut Ozil signed for Arsenal in 2013, the Gunners were widely expected to be winning everything. Of course, it was a bit risible to even think as to how one player could be expected to have this sort of an impact on a club, but a club only spends that kind of money on a player that will directly contribute to silverware. Ozil started his Arsenal career in top fashion, but couldn’t continue his early season form throughout. In fact, his individual campaign sort of fell at the same time as his club’s- in the 5-1 annihilation at Anfield.
His second season with the club was largely poor. He didn’t do anything worthy of note in the entire campaign that was also marred with injury that made him miss a chunk of games.
“I’m confident that he can be one of the great players of 2015-16,” Wenger said ahead of the start of the campaign. “He can become player of the year.”
Against Crystal Palace, Ozil had a wonderful game. He provided the assist for Giroud’s opener, created five chances for his teammates and completed an outstanding 54 passes from 55 attempts. This is the sort of performances that are expected from a £42.5m player. However, they cannot be a one-off thing. To rephrase, these are the sort of performances expected from a £42.5m player on a consistent basis.
The main issue with Ozil has been his inconsistency. A good performance has been followed up by a lacklustre one on (ironically enough) consistently. He was brilliant against Palace but where was he against West Ham? As ‘trolls’ and ‘memes’ might have told you already, quite rightly, he was in 16-year-old Reece Oxford’s pocket.
The fact that Ozil enjoyed a full pre-season with Arsenal (he arrived on the final day of the transfer window in 2013 and missed large part of the off-season last year due to his participation in Germany’s World Cup victory) is an advantage he is enjoying for the first time in England.
The German has absolutely no excuses this time. Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla did the job for the Gunners last season and Ozil needs to join the party.
No one can discount the former Real Madrid player’s wonderful ability on the ball, vision and footballing excellence. The game against Crystal Palace was proof enough for anyone who thought the player is “overrated”, massively wrong. His gorgeous passes – especially in the final third – were so easy on the eye, we almost forgot there were 21 other players on the pitch too. But skeptics are right and that match against Palace will only count if the German plays as wonderfully against Liverpool, doing which will also address the question that he goes missing in big matches.
This is the expectation from the German. One way for him to show more of a positive effect in the team is by getting among goals. Wenger too is of the same opinion. Ozil has been told to score more goals, 10 being the target.
The Frenchman said recently, “I want more goals from Mesut, because he plays in the position and he is a good finisher. But he doesn’t take enough chances when he is in a position where he can finish. He is conscious of it and wants to do it now. His main aspect will always be the intelligence of his passing, but we want 10 goals per season from him.”
Unfortunately for an attacker, greatness and contribution can only be measured in goals; his geometrically perfect passes, gorgeous little flicks have little weightage at the end of the season when pundit and fans sit and assess the season. Goals do. And the fact that Ozil can in fact finish (and do so brilliantly, mind) makes one wonder why he has such a measly goal count for the Gunners. This has to change this season.
He has no excuses this time. It’s time for Ozil to prove his manager right.
Here are some sports betting tips and maybe you can put money on Ozil to perform this season.