“I’m in a good way, I feel at ease and you can see that the team and the manager give me their trust."
That is what Mesut Ozil had to say after playing his part in halting Bayern Munich's imperious run of form. Too often since his 2013 move to North London the World Cup winner has been slated for failing to show up in the big games and disappearing throughout the season. Finally though, this season it seems like the 27 year old has settled into his stride and is winning games on his own for the Gunners, a quality which defines the best of the best and elevates players to the upper echelons of football greatness.
Recently, Ozil made headlines, as he set the benchmark for the best games per assist ratio in Premier League history with 2.71 matches enough for him to create a goal. To do this while at the same time 'flopping' is both laughable and a joke. Ozil has excelled in all departments this season and leads the way in terms of chances created, forward passes and assists when compared to attacking midfielders from other rivals, per Squawka.
It seems to be another example of pure German efficiency, as he can boast 93 assists since August 2008. Only Lionel Messi has created more goals in that timeframe. At £42m Ozil has been a real coup for Arsenal, they just don't make players like him anymore. It's the class and precision you can't teach which he possesses, that makes him one of Europe's most frightening playmakers to defend against on his day.
Even former managers and teammates have lauded Ozil for his talent. Xabi Alonso, now at Bayern Munich (who recently lost to Ozil's Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League), described him as "the kind of player you don't find these days". Ozil's former manager at Real Madrid - Jose Mourinho - had this to say of the incomparable qualities which define Ozil: "He (Özil) is unique. There is no copy of him – not even a bad copy."
Germany's charge to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final would not have been possible without Ozil. He was trusted to fill in for the injured Marco Reus throughout qualifying, and obliged. Helping his country through to the finals in Brazil as top scorer in qualifying from an unfamiliar position was another task he succeeded in with stupendous fashion. Not only that, but in Brazil itself he was spectacular, totalling the most passes in the final third by any player, and scoring a 119th minute extra time winner against Algeria in one of the tournament's most exciting matchups. UEFA President Michel Platini was so impressed he took Ozil's shirt as a souvenir from the Final.
- Germany's Mesut Ozil celebrates scoring their second goal during extra time in their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game against Algeria at the Beira Rio stadium in Porto Alegre June 30, 2014. [REUTERS/Darren Staples]
Looking forward, Arsenal will be eager to keep him on their books for at least another 2-3 seasons. His presence is paramount to North London seeing a league title again for the first time since 2004. If Arsene Wenger, or indeed a new manager in the forseeable future can play his cards right and get a world class striker to feed on the elegance and magic of Ozil's creativity, then Arsenal fans have every right to be buzzing about what the future beckons.
For Germany too, Ozil will be the key to winning Euro 2016 and by working in tandem with his sidekick Mario Gotze, or Gotzil, as they are better known in their home country, Die Mannschaft have every reason to retain their World Championship in Russia 2018.
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