Unai Emery has praised how hard Mesut Ozil works and trains, but says he’s looking for the German produce more quality more often.
The Arsenal boss spoke to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth, and made it clear he wants more from the 30 year old as the Gunners head into a hectic and challenging part of the season.
With 11 games between now and December 29th – including fixtures against Sp*rs, Man United and Liverpool – Emery needs the more of the Ozil we saw in that scintillating performance against Leicester and revealed he’s told the former Real Madrid man exactly that.
“His commitment is good, he trains well,” said the Spaniard. “I have spoken with him and I push him to give even more quality in matches, and keep up the good performances against big and small teams, home and away.
“Every player has their challenge to help the team. They all have a challenge individually and collectively to improve.
“And with Mesut, a big player, we need to continue working to hold that high level of quality in each match.”
Just one Premier League assist so far this season is a disappointing return from a player as talented as he is, but he has created more chances (20) that any other Arsenal player so far during this campaign.
As we head into the busiest, most demanding period of the season, we could do with him continuing to create and the players around him finding a bit more efficiency in front of goal when it comes to those chances.
That would certainly increase our chances of getting back to winning ways.
Tough for Ozil to live up to his pay grade but if he wants the fans to love him he needs to keep his effort high and show he cares as much as he can (whilst concentrating on what he is great at, laying on chances and goals).
He is 30. If he hasn’t produced till he never will. Even if he helps us win the home games against the smaller teams comfortably – like Wolves last time – it would be enough. I don’t expect anything more from him. But then he should produce at least that much.
exactly. i remember last season people defending ozil for not defending becuase he an offensive player. every player needs to do his duty on the field, and emery is exactly the kind of coach ozil needs right now. one who keeps pushing him at every point. and it shows in the match , ozil is pressing more intently and tracking back more often. only if he shows more charachter to take the game himself using his quality will we see the real quality of ozil. remember how ozil produced moments of magic to change the game, what if he keeps… Read more »
Assists reflect more on his teammates than him, if he has created the most chances. It mean they are missing a lot of the chances he creates. He is having a very good season so far statistically, it’s not his fault if Aubameyang and Laca miss some really glaring opportunities that he creates. Some narratives defy logic itself. I don’t care how he looks, moves around or his facial reactions, I want to see if he is creating chances. Ozil has also played for Mourinho, and he demands more from players that Emery or Arsene, so this pampered image that… Read more »
We should be Giving Özil the ball more and making the right runs, he will find them.
Fabregas would be ideal next to Torriera to link everything up nicely. Personally I’d welcome him back.
Fabregas wasn’t defensively reliable at his peak (thus why Wenger player him as a 10), why would he be any better now at 30? Especially as his lack of athleticism and defensive ability is exactly why he isn’t starting at Chelsea.
A world class player is pretty much defined by the rest of the team. Assists are counted when the ball goes in. Let him play with Barcelona and then compare his assists at Arsenal 😉 He is a pure setup machine, but that works only if you have player that can play on his level ….
Emery must know he needs a distributor to supply balls to ozil .. if he doest bring fornals then ozil wont be who he was at real.. ozil had the likes of alonso di maria who gave him an easy play.. ozil aint a struggler .. facts.. he needs that final third.. he is not a build up player.. he is good in counters but when it comes to creation.. someone has to do that work for him.. examples are leicester .. chelsea 3-0 liverpool 3-2 he knows how to play with two players .. but building dead balls is… Read more »
Ozil will be sold on at the earliest opportunity, Emery won’t put up with his inconsistency for long.
His pay grade is more down to his marketability. So its not just football through which he has to justify his salary.
True, he will attract fans from around the world to Arsenal and he is a nice guy.
But they will all judge him on what he does on the pitch.
ha, we have been saying that for a few seasons now, lets hope em can do it, though it might be a bit like flogging a dead horse
Yes, yes, Özil and Auba and Laca also need to deliver more constantly. They are now the biggest recruits of the club and they are never so much questioned as Özil has always been. They ALL need to do it constantly…
They need a person who is bought footed who thinks straight .. a combination of ozil and mhki …
Both*** ? my keyboard..
Santi?
i know nothing to do with the article and some dont really like him but if some havent see this interview of wenger, really interesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPQREjBg9SM
Interviewer: When you get to heaven what would you ask God?
Arsene: Where are the referees?
Funny man.
that’s about as funny as a poke in the eye
What a man.
20 chances created and 1 assist, it’s hardly his fault is it? However, it would be nice to see him bossing games more often, in a way that the Silva’s and Hazard do.
I know we have ESR coming through as a possible long-term replacement for Özil but if there is any chance whatsoever we need to try and get Kai Havertz from Leverkusen in the next couple of years. Reminds me so much of Mesut with his ellegance and his sublime left foot. Plus he scores goals, is taller and not a bad header of the ball, has a decent right foot and can also play as a number 8. He is 19 and going to be Özil’s successor in Die Mannschaft. Amazing Talent that guy. We may not need him right… Read more »
This is always the issue. Whether it can be replicated consistently and whether he can also measure up his defensive gumption.
We need a lot more from the attack as much as we need to tighten up defensively.
We have been wasteful and in recent games, we have been a bit flat creatively.
Until we can sort ourselves better defensively, attack is the best form of defense, at least we need to be less forgiving when opportunities arise.
This isn’t an issue of Ozil but the strikers etc must also be sharper.