Questions have been raised recently over Mesut Ozil whose contract expires next summer.
During the week the Internet was awash with fairly spurious reports about how he’d told teammates he’d be signing for Manchester United, and whether he started at Goodison Park or not was up for debate.
Arsene Wenger plumped for the German over in-form Alex Iwobi, looking for his quality to make the difference against a struggling Everton side, and he did just that, scoring one, getting an assist and creating 8 chances in the 5-2 win.
That, according to the boss, was the best way to answer the questions that had been raised about him.
“We live in an environment where we have to deal with the news and the players and myself have only always one response, which is what’s happening on the football pitch,” said Wenger.
“When you see Mesut on the football pitch like he is today, enjoying his game like he is today, it’s difficult to believe these kind of things.”
Pressed further about the deployment of that front three, the Frenchman was asked if he was keen to see it more often.
“I wish – but I feel the whole team played well,” he said.
“We were tested mentally when we were 1-0 down after a very good start in the game. We couldn’t finish, their keeper kept them in the game and suddenly we were 1-0 down.
“It was a mental test but we kept going, we kept our focus and slowly the quality of our movement, the quality of our passing gave Everton problems. After that, with the offensive strength we have, of course that made the difference.”
Ozil had a great game today against a poor Everton side. However, for him to win me over, he needs to play like this week in, week out until his contract is up or he signs an extension.
He mostly does play like this when he’s on the pitch, it’s just that often the chances he creates aren’t seized upon, or the team isn’t tactically set up to really use him as a focal point of our attacks. Please try and engage critically with a press and ex-player narrative that hammers Ozil for not being a proper footballer – essentially for not sprinting around with sweat pouring off him, kicking out and barging into other players and angrily shouting abuse at officials. It’s a narrative driven by some incredibly archaic and limited idea of what people involved in… Read more »
Assuming that everyone who doesn’t agree with your opinion of Ozil only do so because the press tell them to & aren’t capable of forming their own opinion ? Pretty pathetic too imo.
Spot on! @Vic Akers
Aye! Vic has it down to a tee here. Fuck knows what Kwame is on about.
I’ve long been a supporter of Ozil, but towards the end of last season he seemed to have his mind made up. Then the summer came, and there was lots of vacationing, transfer rumors, and no extension signed. This season, and towards the end of last, there were ‘injuries’ and ‘illness’ which kept him out of the side, almost as if he didn’t want to play for us anymore. I was disappointed. And until I see him give a little more for us, like he did today, I remain unconvinced he has his head in the right place. Slating me… Read more »
No doubt now he knows this, winning you over will be his main motivation for the rest of the season 😉
He is a great player. World Cup winner, can’t be bad.
He’s been injured so hopefully will stay fit and take advantage of the rest he’s had, especially in the matches in November.
He’s a real talent, when he plays well he is exceptional. Unfortunately he is far too inconsistent.
I won’t sulk but I am genuinely curious as to why I got voted down so heavily for stating the truth that Ozil is far too inconsistent.
Bizarre
Ps a suggestion for Arseblog – get rid of the voting buttons. I think it’s unproductive and promotes unecessary angst and passive aggressiveness.
And it’s lazy.
If people disagree with a point, then make a comment to retort.
I disagree.
How would you know when you’ve said something silly?
About a player that is so inconsistent he has been German player of the year 4 times out of the last 5?
But what have Germany won recently?
This website is about Arsenal, not Germany. His Arsenal performances have been highly inconsistent
Does seem a little harsh, but after every single point we drop people just come on here and lambast Ozil. Regardless of how terrible other players he seems to be the focal point of their anger.
After a week of criticisms from just about everyone involved in journalism, ex footballers and fans bar Bobby Pires, the man has come out and silenced them. I think we just want a weekend free of Ozil bashing.
Does it really take 3 posts to work out people disagree with your comment? Or do you need the individual 24(at time of writing) down voters to all post a comment saying disagree?
I think posting 3 times with no reply crying over downvotes is arrogant and narcissistic, replies can be sent in on the back of a post card to: P O Box AR5 3NL
This forum should be about football opinion,
Do you think Ozil, on his huge wages, has been a consistent player for our football club? That’s what I’m asking.
I would suggest he has been very inconsistent the last 1.5 seasons.
I’m not saying he isn’t a talent.
We can keep on thumbing you down until you realise most of us disagree with you on this, that is our opinion. Let us know why you don’t understand that.
You aren’t thumbing me down are you?
Some would say that ‘it’s unproductive and promotes unecessary angst and passive aggressiveness.
And it’s lazy.’
Arsene actually said that we have to deal with fake news. Messut has also denied the rumours that he has any interest in moving to manchester, so hopefully we are in the process of signing him up. That would make me very happy and maybe influence Alexis as well.
Arsenal is very Donald Trumpesque sometimes so not surprised he’s jumping on the fake news bandwagon
Özil denied the whole United thing and others on saturday.
Ozil doesn’t do his own PR.
His advisors are hardly going to admit it?
Legally he can’t talk to United until June or clubs outside PL until Jan.
Unlike a lot of players who are pawns in agents hands Mesut seems to be very involved with his own decision making, and surrounds himself with quality people who care about him. He has never said or done anything that has indicated that he wants to leave, and hopefully we can sign him up and strengthen the team so that he has a fighting chance of winning the league with us.
Crisis mongers.
Meanwhile the cult of Klopp marches on.
Ozil is an excellent player better to have on the team than not.
So now that he turned in a ‘performance’, the media has marched on to the Arsenal will be in trouble without him train of thought.
Will cross the bridge when we get there sunshine. Meanwhile we will enjoy the day in the sun. Next up in league Swansea. Lets keep building.
It’s fantastic having such a rare talent as Ozil at the club. I don’t have much faith in him staying after the season but I really hope he does.
I’ve been critical of Ozil and wanted him to leave. But this performance goes some way to changing my mind. The issue with him as a big player who wants to be among the top earners in the club and premier league overall, is that he does not perform well in crunch matches and when the chips are down. Well, they were here and he scored the second goal. Perform at that level more consistently and don’t disappear over the winter and I’ll gladly say he answered his critics and support him. Thoroughly enjoyed watching him today, a real breath… Read more »
The difference is that today he had the movement in front of him that he needs. How many games do we see him with the ball and nobody making any decent runs? When the team is static even Mesut can’t make it happen. This match has made me excited all over again!
Fair enough Vonnie, its not my view but it is a popular one. I’ve not doubt that better players will get the best out of Ozil but I still think ducking out of challenges and headers, not pressing, losing the ball in his own half, and other things are annoying from one of your highest paid players.
That said, very happy with the performance against Everton and hope he goes from strength to strength from hereon.
How a goal changes perspectives.?
Please spare is the embarrassment by heaping praise on a player who is leaving and most probably to our rivals.