Arsene Wenger is not known for having a slow working brain. On the contrary, there are some arguments that suggest that his grey matter is very sharp. Arsenal’s coach speaks five languages fluently (French, German, English, Italian and Spanish), and he can also hold a conversation in Japanese. That means that when he speaks about an act that has finished before he could finish thinking, then that must have been a quick act. Here is the original quote: “Whenever you think he now has to play the ball, he’s played the ball – and all before you can finish your thought.” Wenger’s words refer to a magician: Mesut Özil, the Wizard of Oz. Lucky Luke shoots quicker than his shadow, Mesut Özil players quicker than his coach can think.
Wenger has spoken a lot about Özil recently, and it has mostly been nothing but adulation. His last praise of Özil went on for four minutes, and the coach just lauded him with compliments: “He has become a sensational footballer”; “He convinces everyone not only that he has talent but also that he is a player who wants to work hard and toil for the team”; “He now not only assists goals, but scores them himself. And that makes him a complete player.”
Player of the month x3
Without a question, Özil is Arsenal’s player of the moment. He is receiving awards just as quickly as he passes the ball. Arsenal’s player of the month for October was: Mesut Özil. Arsenal’s player of the month for November was: Mesut Özil. Arsenal’s player of the month for December was: Mesut Özil. A perfect hat trick. The overwhelming result of the votes in favour of Özil were the sort that would arouse suspicion in a democratic society. In December, the World Champion won 81.2% of the vote (Olivier Giroud was second with 9.2%).
Özil is Mr Arsenal – and it would be difficult not to say that he is Mr Premier League right now. The question of whether Özil is the Premier League’s best player, even better than Sergio Aguero or Eden Hazard, was soon put to Wenger. He answered, “Look at the numbers. I think they speak for themselves.”
Hunting for records: 16 assists in 19 appearances
His coach is referring to these figures: The Germany international has so far made 19 appearances in this Premier League campaign. In that time he has scored three goals and assisted 16(!!). Özil currently leads the league’s table for assists by an almost similar margin to how he won the last player of the month vote. Second place is currently Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne on eight. Özil’s 16 assists is almost as many as the entire Chelsea and Manchester United squads (both 20).
And there could have been many more if his teammates had been more efficient in putting away his set-ups. In the game against Bournemouth, Özil created nine goal-scoring opportunities, a league record for this season, but only one of those was successfully converted. It’s no wonder than his teammates are in agreement with the manager in speaking about the 27-year-old in such glowing terms. “It is fantastic for us strikers to play together with him. He knows my runs so well, he knows where the ball has to go,” says Theo Walcott. He also adds a little ironic self-criticism when looking back on the Bournemouth game, “It would help, of course, if I could convert some of the chances.”
Arsenal’s dream of a first title since 2004
In the meantime, Özil’s assists have fired his team to the top of the table. The Gunners currently sit on 42 points after 20 games, two points ahead of surprise package Leicester City and three ahead of surprisingly-only-third Manchester City. Champions Chelsea are currently 14th on 23 points and Manchester United are fifth with 33. Arsenal last won the title in 2004, and this year seems their best chance in a long time. Competitors Chelsea and Manchester United have faded away. Arsenal have also learned how to win games despite not being at their best, such as on New Year’s Day at home to Newcastle. The Gunners found it difficult, they had few ideas. Özil neither. “Our legs were tired, we had no fluency to our game, no movement,” said Wenger.
All the more welcoming is the small downtime that the schedule now offers. Arsenal’s next league match is on 13th January when they face Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool. They will go into that with fresh energy, and an old recipe for success. “When you don’t play well, you have to stay together and find a way to win regardless,” said Wenger after the win over Newcastle. “In the future we can remember how it felt today.” And so, Arsenal won the game 1-0 thanks to a goal from Laurent Koscielny after a corner from… Mesut Özil.
