Mesut Ozil says it was nice to read that majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is eager to keep him at the club and insists he’ll ‘give everything’ when he’s on the pitch despite the fact he’s out of contract next summer.
The Germany international, who was man of the match against Everton last Sunday, also made clear that he’s happy to play on the right side of attack even though he’d prefer to play behind the main striker in a number 10 position.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of this weekend’s match with Swansea, Ozil said: “It’s very nice to hear that [Kroenke’s comments] and to see that – he’s the major shareholder.
“I’m happy here, and I do my job to 100 per cent as I always have. I give everything and leave it all on the pitch for the team.
“The most important thing is football. I want to give everything, 100 per cent for this club. It’s important for me to give my all and enjoy playing as well. Whatever else happens, we will see in the future.”
Having suffered a disjointed start to the season, in part because of a troublesome knee, the German is now targeting a run of decent form with a view to helping Arsenal win more trophies.
“I know myself better than anyone else and I’m someone who needs to have fun on the pitch,” he added.
“Everyone knows my favourite position is the playmaker, the No 10, at the moment the coach plays me on the right and it’s a thing I need to accept and to show my quality in that position.
“Of course I’m happy to perform and give good performances individually, but it’s more important that we do that as a team. I think we did that really well against Everton.
“We came back very strongly, especially as we were 1-0 down. To come back as strongly as we did is pleasing.
“We have lots of quality in this team as we have shown. It’s important to be consistent if we want to be successful.
“We know we have the quality, we just have to give our all and believe in ourselves. If we can do that I’m convinced we can win trophies.”
Feels like a big gap to Citeh but Chelski started poorly last year and made up a big gap. If we find some consistency, who knows..
Oh Petey. Petey, Petey, Petey. Who knows? We all know how this season is going to go down. And it ain’t like the Chelsea 16/17 fella.
Lol do me a favour if we win the league I’ll transfer each and every one of you a bill
The last two title winner came from settled elevens who weren’t playing European football. We’re just using Europa+League cup to keep squad players fresh. What usually happens is we collapse in Feb/March crash out of CL then win our last 10 games. If Arsene can stumble upon a balance earlier? And find some momentum? I think we’ll be right in there providing we keep our big hitters fit? Guardiola and Pochetinho already showing PL inexperience with team selections mid week. I certainly don’t think we’re the best team, but I do think we can get involved with a settled 11… Read more »
Wow. Just wow. In the immortal words of pop leviathan Louise Redknapp – let’s go round again. Won’t even have the energy to say I told you so when the wheels come off in November. Again.
my friend those two teams were leading the league table from the start onwards. its not like they stumbled against some teams and got their ass whipped by teams like arsenal against liverpool and all and came back. only if you are consistent will you win the league . besides both of the teams had a coach who was fully updated on the football tactics and all
I don’t think we’ll win it.
I do think if we keep key players fit? that we’ll be in the mix, and we can pick up points by being fresher at certain points in the season.
Yup. We usually go on some good runs in the fall, which builds belief and optimism. Then we hit a bad slump mid-winter / early spring that destroys all of said belief. Then we go on a good run at the end of the season to build belief that everything will be different next year.
Does that about describe the last decade or so? Yes, yes it does.
Just give it a month or two. That’s when we will get bombarded with injuries. Couple with cheap losses, and we’re set to battle it out for that fourth spot. Or even possibly a Europa League spot.
It’s sad, we’re sad. And there’s nothing that can be done about it. So just sit back and keep your hopes low.
How exactly is this year’s start different than last year? We dropped a few points in the beginning, then settled into a rhythm, had a good result against Chelsea, Wenger decided to keep overlooking the obvious flaws in the team while we kept winning until suddenly the offense stopped producing around the end of the year and everything went down. We seem to have some flow back compared to the start of the season but there are very obvious flaws in the middle for Arsenal. Right now, if the manager tries to fix them we could improve. Otherwise we will… Read more »
See that’s where we’re different Mesut, I like to give as little as 20% in my job ? In all seriousness I think the sticking points with Özil may be the number 10 shirt and playing in the number 10 role more then the money. I think Gazidis hinted at this also. Alexis demands are different but no less extreme, he wants Atom and Humber at training with him and in the locker room, but Stevie Bold kicked of when he slipped on the dog shit. Not pretty. Cazorla read the situation all wrong, and was laughing when Bouldy went… Read more »
So that’s why Santi is still injured
It’s quite likely Ozil and Theo will go at the end of the season but all is not lost because, I guess. we’ll still have Rambo to completely disagree about.
No one disagrees about Theo.
yeah we all agree Theo is a great player to have
I have seen Mesut give 100%, just not 100% of the time.
Very well said, not even 50% of the time. He defines the concept of luxury player.
Funny that the best international team in the world have named him player of the year for 5 of the past 6 years. Most creative player in England for the past 4 years. What a luxury.
Funny that an award voted for by the fans goes to the player with the most social media followers. Please stop mentioning it, it’s silly.
Agree he defines the luxury player archetype. If you’re bossing possession he’s a fantastic player to have, one of the best in the world. But when up against a big team that challenges you everywhere on the pitch, he disappears. A very good player but sometimes becomes a liability in the biggest games because the doesn’t do “the other things” well
Show us some more consistency please, Mesut, and we’ll all be happy.
Enough consistency to have provided more assists and created more chances than any other player in the Premiership
Don’t you have any sense? We want Ozil to crate and defend like Kante at the same time. He should also score tons of goals like Messi and Ronaldo possibly make saves like De Gea, and win us every fucking piece of silverware. That’s consistency
He has highest number of assists this season ? What are you talking about ?
What else would he (could he) say? Always says the “right” thing and every game he is in the shop window for his next contract. Hopefully he continues to play well, it is a shame that it will be only a short time for us. But let’s enjoy it.
Yawn. I get it, you want to play as a number 10 and only as a number 10, but man you’re basically given a free role in attacking midfield with (as it seems) absolutely no positional restraints + it actually looks much more like you’re actually playing as a number 10 rather than on the flank. I understood when you said you wanted to play as a number 10 a couple of years ago when you were actually being played on flanks for a short period of time, but this time and given our system, it just doesn’t make much… Read more »
I’m at work, reading about Özil doing his job 100 per cent. Am I doing my job 100 per cent?
I do my job 100% when the manager walks in. Then I drop back to a steady 40% to save energy for when he next makes an appearance.
@Jalex
Wise man!
No, it is 110% when the manager walks in, then the steady drop off.
Are you fuck.
Just like Mesut, you are nicking a living. That’s until you both start living in Manchester, where the living nicks you.
Why Manchester of all places? Lovely place to work in my opinion! Or are you implying Ozil to Man U, where his weaknesses will (presumably) become more exposed?
“Lovely place to work in my opinion!”
Yup, unless you live in Didsbury!
In my opinion, of course.
Not an iota of evidence that he wants to go to Manu or that they want him.
I know. I’m just trolling.
Seems I have a knack for it 🙂
OK. Oz has denied it so all those with thumbs down have got the evidence.
your guess is as good as mine
There’s only eight weeks to Xmas big guy. I want a eight-game win streak over the festive period thanks. And a new Tonka truck with mag wheels. love your work Santi/a
I guess his 100% isn’t good enough for quiet some of us
100% agreed. A proffessional football player, when fully fit – a great player with vision that only a handful have.
A handful? You’d surely be clutching at straws
Top class player
Surely that statement means he isn’t liable for defending from the coaching staff? If his job is 100% done and that has very litter defending in it… Which would make sense if we had a defensive destroyer in to make up for that.
Comments about No.10 are interesting! What are the odds on us reverting to 4-2-3-1 in the next couple of months as contracts are discussed? Will Ozil’s demands cause a formation change? I reckon deep down Wenger prefers this formation as well so I can see it happening.
Dont think so.
What Wenger seems to prefer is not changing things. That is why despite playing a central midfielder and right back as center backs, a defensive midfielder at left back and a winger at right back, he still chooses the 3-4-3 in the cup competitions. Less decisions to makes. Everything keeps going as it was.
Remember that he only went 3-4-3 when we were in the middle of probably the saddest most desperate times in the last 2 decades.