Back in May 2014, Germany and Bayern Munich fullback Phillip Lahm urged Arsenal to sign a striker who would bring out the best in Mesut Ozil, also lauding the playmakers’ craft and imagination.
“Anybody who has played with Mesut will tell you how intelligent he is as a player,” Lahm said.
“His vision is probably the best I have ever seen and that is why it so important to have the right striker ahead of him.
“He is the dream for strikers and you saw that with Cristiano (Ronaldo) and Karim (Benzema) when he was at Madrid. If Arsenal can find the right striker who is fast and makes intelligence runs – then Mesut will be devastating next season.”
It is no secret that Arsene Wenger has been in the market for a top class marksman since the loss of Robin van Persie back in 2012. The likes of Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, and former compatriot Karim Benzema have all been targets at some stage or another. The latter was vigorously pursued throughout the summer, though ultimately he could not be persuaded into making the move to the Emirates.
Here we are, three transfer windows later, and Arsenal are still without that elusive striker that can not only catapult them into title calculations, but who can also bring out the best in Ozil, who’s creative talents are being wasted as each year passes by.
Arsenal’s strike force of Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, and Theo Walcott are all decent players in their own right, but neither of the trio are the complete centre-forward who combines clever, sharp movement with a ruthlessness in front of goal.
In total, Ozil has carved out over 150 chances, with only a paltry 14 of them being converted into goals. It is a damming statistic and emphasises, that not only are Ozil’s wonderful creative exploits are going unfulfilled, but the lack of a top class striker is letting numerous clear opportunities to score go begging.
During his time at Real, Ozil produced 81 assists in 157 appearances, as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain were able to feast on the delectable service from the No.10. The anger at the decision to sell Ozil spoke volumes of his genius, in particular the vocalisation from Ronaldo in his disapproval, mainly because of the telepathic understanding the two had forged in their three years together.
His exploits lead to former Real boss Jose Mourinho labelling Ozil as ‘unique’ and further to that “the best No.10 in the world”. High praise from a manager who has worked with an abundance of world-class talent.
Ozil is now into his third season at the Emirates and his record £42 million arrival from Real was seen as the beginning of a new era at the club, drawing similarities to the signing of Dennis Bergkamp back in 1995.
After years taking second best in the transfer market due to various reasons, the sight of a proven world class performer in the red and white was seen by many as the first step towards the Gunners becoming title contenders once more, after a number of years of settling for Champions League places.
The presence of the playmaker was the catalyst in Arsenal breaking their nine-year trophy drought by clinching the FA Cup in 2014, but had to again settle for a top four finish.
The next season saw an almost carbon copy result, with the club successfully defending the cup and finishing the campaign in third place. His performances at times have been sublime on the eye – rarely relinquishing possession and playing vital passes whether it is during the build-up, or putting a teammate through on goal. Ozil single-handedly dictates the tempo Arsenal play at, he truly is a master of his craft.
The German’s languid, elegant style has been criticised by some quarters of the English press, who seem to think he does not work hard enough. He was even described as ‘nicking a living’ by Daily Mail journalist Neil Ashton. He has also been a maligned figure among certain sections of the Gunners faithful, mainly due to his lack of output and his lethargic body language.
English fans ted to warm to footballers who are visibly seen working manfully for the team, but quite simply, Ozil is the target of unfair flack due to the graceful manner he plays the game. The myth of his supposed lazy nature was proven to be just that, clocking up more kilometres on the pitch then any of his compatriots since he returned from a long-term knee injury in February.
It seems the World Cup winner’s outstanding quality is under-appreciated and misunderstood by many in the English football fraternity, and although contracted to 2018, time is running out for Ozil and Arsenal to get the very best out of each other.
With the Gunners again unable to significantly strengthen in the transfer market, there are serious doubts over whether Wenger’s squad is good enough to challenge for major honours this term.
Another underwhelming season could see Ozil consider his future in North London, as a player in his prime years would preferably be vying for the big prizes on offer, like he did previously at Real.
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Yes, Ozil should be scoring more goals then he is but the failure to surround him with the adequate supporting cast could really come back to haunt Arsenal. It is a crucial season for the 26-year-old, who is still looking justify his hefty price tag.
It is now up to the current Gunners artillery to step-up and capitalise on the silver platter service that is being provided by the selfless German.
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Brilliant article!