Mesut Ozil says he’s aiming to add goals and assists to his World Cup performances after a two understated showings against Portugal and Ghana.
The 25-year-old midfielder came in for criticism from German fans for perceived poor form in the build-up to the tournament but has started both games so far as Joachim Loew’s eased into the knockout stages with a game to spare.
Speaking to homeland press ahead of his country’s final group game against the USA, Ozil remarked that he’s looking to kick on in Brazil.
“I know myself that I can still play much better,” he said on Wednesday. “I’m happy with my performance, maybe I’m just missing the goals and assists.
“I know what I can do and I will show some big performances in the upcoming games.”
In other news, the departed Bacary Sagna has hit out at suggestions he moved to Manchester City for financial reasons claiming that a ‘new challenge’ was a driving factor.
“I’m going to clear everything up because I keep reading that I did it for money and I’m greedy. What I want to say is I stayed with Arsenal with the same contract since 2008 and I never asked for more money.
“For people who think it’s for money, it’s not. I just wanted to change. I needed a boost in my career and I think it was about time.
“It was not an easy time because we were still involved in the FA Cup and it was hard to stay focused,” he added of his negotiations with Arsene Wenger.
“I stayed focused on my team because I have a lot of respect for Arsenal. I believe Arsenal is a great team. I believe we have great quality and we won a trophy finally. It’s not even about that because Arsenal have a quality.
“It’s just that, personally, I wanted a boost. I needed to start from the bottom again. It is an exciting time for my career because I’m 31.
“I know they have a very good right-back in Zabaleta and I will have to fight to find some time on the pitch but I think we have a good team with City and we can do great.”
Fair fucks. To be honest now that he’s gone, we don’t really give a fish’s tit what his reasons were. He’s left. Time to move on.
Fair play to Sagna re his contract, and no wage increase for 6 years.
No where does it say there wasn’t a wage increase. Sagna said that *he* never asked for a wage increase. And before anyone points out the line “same contract since 2008”, I find it hard to believe that upon signing for us the man’s been on a 6 year contract without extensions or raises. There is always a signing on fee or bonus or whatever. His income from Arsenal over these 6 years has certainly increased. The converse is, in my opinion, considering the socialite wage structure of the team, an impossibility.
LOL @ Change.
LOL @ ‘starting from the bottom’. The top is not the bottom.
One love to him all the same.
He’s signed for Wigan.
I always don’t understand why these players don’t want to be Arsenal legends. He must know now every time we hear Sagna’s name ’till the day we die we’ll always have his memory slightly tainted by seeing him in a City shirt. Thanks for everything Bacary, but you will now never be immortalised as a great Arsenal player in my mind.
i know. He could’ve left to another country like Henry. Not everyone is Rosicky i understand.
Staying with the same company for 7 years+ is unusual for an individual in the 20s/30s. Don’t see why it should be any different for footballers. I haven’t been in the same job/role for longer than three years at any stage in my life.
yeah because our lives are exactly like footballers.
I get cheered at everytime I take print my reports at the office.
I got an “ole!” for handing off some documents the other day.
…or perhaps you had 60k fans signing “we want you to stay” at your leaving do?
Playing for Arsenal is not “just another job”.
To you.
I’m sure Ozil will be back to his best next season, as the saying goes “form is temporary, class is permanent”
I don’t even agree that he’s been understated in the first 2 matches. He seems to be judged by different criteria to every other player. There is no doubt Germany would be worse without him playing, as Arsenal were despite what journalists would have you believe.
@GreekTragedy it’s a funny one that. How often does a world-class, peak-of-his-powers player move from one big club to another and become another at that club? How many of our Arsenal legends were truly world-class players before we bought them? Henry, Bergkamp, Vieira, Pires, Ljungberg were none of them world beaters when they were purchased. Perhaps it doesn’t quite follow on from the point you were making, but it helps to understand why Wenger doesn’t usually go in for the big names.
That retorte had literally nothing to do with my point so I will respond in the same vein. @parisian weetabix – true Wenger does seem to create world class players as apposed to buying them but in my opinion we seem to get too many injuries to key players at key points in the season.
Bergkamp was world class when we bought him. That transfer was jarring for that reason because Arsenal was not known for that type of high profile transfer before (or arguably since).
Ozil?
Note how he uses the word ‘they’ when referring to Citeh.
Gooner at heart.
The reason he didn’t get a pay rise is due to his 2 broken legs, the lengthy rehabilitation. As a club your not gonna offer a player better terms. You might be getting a worse player after?
I’m sure Sagna appreciated our stance. Now he has proven to be just as good, if not better I have no problem with him following the money. Bye now, and thank you.
Whenever I watch France play at the world cup I still see Sagna as an Arsenal player. Maybe because I haven’t seen him in a Citeh shirt yet, but I still get that tiny rush when the commentator mentions his name. Fair fucks to him, indeed.
Are you sure its not “more change”?
…coat already grabbed, backdoor exit.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/black-guy-asks-nation-for-change,2409/
Hmmm. All those months of negotiations were not about money then? Pull the other one Bacary!
I can understanding his reasoning a bit, I think it must be incredibly hard to stay competitive and focused in a high-stress environment like modern (elite level) football – besides, look at how many sports stars, not only footballers, kind of have had enough by the mid to late 20s given that they started at such a young age. As such, moving to another club might be one way to keep things “fresh” for an elite level footballer …. maybe Rooney should try that too, though he seems to have gone down the road of milking the experience for all… Read more »
I wish him well……..but a little bit of me just died when I just read him referring to
City as “we.”
ps. His Mrs. didn’t look as hot as usual today either.
are we getting aurier / coleman yet?
Calum Chambers is the name you’re looking for!
JAMES MILNER AS RB!!!
pls no
That’s a lot of bullshit, footballers these days looks for big pay checks when they reach 30.its a trend in every club, we’ve seen it all no need to name them all. As long as a club can afford high wages, the player will be wiling to stay till the end. Football has changed. Can’t really blame the players, but blame the system!
In don’t agree with your comments, but just to clarify, the system consists of these very clubs and players. Each individual decision makes a diffetrence
Would have more respect for any player that leaves if they actually said yeah left for more money. We all know that’s the reason most of the time.
Like theos excuse for wanting to play striker. That soon died a death with. A huge pay rise.
@The Only Oliver Is Giroud – Hope you enjoy watching him for France. It’s probably the last time you’ll see it. It sure is a long way from the City bench to the French first team. PS. I don’t hate Sagna. Just confused at to why you leave Arsenal to sit on city’s bench and claim it ain’t about money, it’s hardly the bright lights of Manchester drawing him in.
Now I get it. He needed a boost to his career at 31 so he goes to one of Arsenal’s biggest rivals, for more money who, by the way, have probably the best right back in the EPL, and will struggle to get time on the pitch. Silly me. How could I not see the logic in that one. Bac, if you ever read this , do yourself a favour and just go. We we will always appreciate your time with Arsenal but don’t piss on our heads and tell us it’s raining.
hahaha yes sheila
I thought Ozil was awesome against Ghana. He could have ended up with five assists if German forwards took their chances.
Fair play to him. Incomparable to the likes of Nasri, Kolo, Clichy etc. He provided a great service to the club during the years where most of the first team moved on to ‘try and win silverware’ (and pocket another 50k a week in the process).
Stayed loyal to his contract, so in my opinion up to him where he wants to play next season. Will obviously feel sick seeing him in blue, but shouldn’t be categorised as a judas.
I didn’t do it for money, I’m not interested In money, to prove this point I will talk about the lack of money I was on.
Title is misleading. From it I thought Özil had taken plastic surgery to fix his eyes.
and Sagna wanted him to do it.
Isnt It funny how the only way he could get a new challenge was by moving to the highest paying club in the world? He’s gone so fuck him. We never won much with him in the team so hopefully we will with some else in the team.
Hopefully we can now buy a right back who can actually beat his man and drive in some good balls
giggity
i think sagna was awesome regardless of those faults.
but still……love the comment. pure spiteful.
to add. i still think he is awesome. Don’t begrudge him at all. Contract ended. no one can say shit regardless of any motives. I actually feel that sagnas only misdeeds are to answer these comments. He earned the right to do as he pleases.
Err technically Germany have not qualified yet. If USA beat them and either of Portugal or Ghana produce the required goal swing, they could go out.
Sagna’s only red card was because of Zabaleta right? Never saw him loosing his cool but for that one incident.
Anyways more interested who is coming in now. Come on Signings.
If it wasn’t about money then why has he signed a contract nearly double his wages?
Wrong move! He ain’t got a chance in hell against Zabaleta. Curtains for him for sure! All that glitters ain’t gold buddy!
Hey i know i am gonna be hated for saying this openly but i just don’t really care.Just look at you all,singing along what blogs is saying whom i respect a lot.but i don’t like how he dismissed of not giving a fish’s tits and all.sagna for me has given 100 % in every arsenal match so far.has never uttered a single word.has never done theatricals to force a move to another club like everyone’s favorite fabregas.but seriously how you all know,he doesn’t actually need a change.maybe just try to understand things from his perspective.just because he left us even… Read more »
well said. He left amicably and should be treated as such.
can you please use paragraphs and spaces in future
“Time to start from the bottom”… That’s one helluva way to look upon the oildrenched Manchester club, that buy and pay what they want. Well sod off from back down there Bac! You just can’t buy history or class. Up The Gunners!
I also havent had a pay rise since 2008 but if I was on £50k per week then and was still on £50k per week I dont think I would be moaning
The final paragraph says it all really re: Sagna. Thanks for the service but you’re no longer one of us…
I loved him but as you say,couldn’t give a shit about how “great” man shitty are and if he loves Arsenal so much then a change is a bit of a shit reason to leave.
Anyone remember the Mrs Merton interview with Debbie McGee? ‘So Debbie, what attracted you to the Millionaire Paul Daniels?’
“as Joachim Loew’s eased into the knockout stages with a game to spare.” This isn’t true at all. Germany hasn’t qualified for the knock out stages yet. Let alone “eased” into anything. If the US beat Germany and Ghana drubbs Portugal, the US and Ghana will qualify and Germany will be watching from their couches…
Funny how he still refers to Arsenal as “we” and City as “they”!
Bench warmer.
FFS people, Sagna probably knew he was off from the beginning of the season. But did you see that affect his attitude and application one bit? He never spoke disrespectfully of Wenger or the club, never linked himself anywhere, and never looked as if he were coasting to his payday. You saw the genuine elation on winning the cup, and his enormous respect for Wenger. If we complain when people leave in the manner of Cole, Adebayor, Cesc, Nasri & RvP how can we abuse Sagna? Yes it will really be a sore one to see him in blue next… Read more »
Obviously don’t know what other offers were on the table but funny how the change was to the filthy oil rich, pay inflated OTT wages, scum in the blue. Funny that
I get the ‘boost’ bit BUT to go to a team with a 100% established right back is a little foolish to me.
Especially since it’s not a typical position that gets rotated often.
Change? A new challenge? Start from bottom?
I bear him no ill will. He played and left with class, but I’m not buying it. I still get that same “Arsenal feeling” when I’ve seen him come on for France in the World Cup, but I’m sorry to say that it hasn’t been much. One start when qualification was all but assured? I think the real challenge for him at $hitty will be coming to terms with being a spectator much of the time. I guess the WC is his warm up act. I still wish him the best, but I have to admit this does taint his… Read more »