Arsenal: Arrogant Mesut Ozil Will Have To Change His Style

Mesut Ozil has revealed that his style is not to chase after the ball. Such an arrogant outlook will have to change for the better of Arsenal.

Arsenal are suffering from a terrible run of form. They have won just three of their last nine games, two of which came against non-league opposition in the FA Cup, losing the other six. Perhaps no games illustrate their struggles more aptly and more painfully than the two 5-1 losses to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

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It was in these game where the Gunners’ weaknesses without the ball were so grossly exposed. They were slow, lacking in energy to chase down the ball in midfield and were disorganised throughout the ranks.

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One man who was singled out for his poor play was Mesut Ozil, primarily thanks to his lack of effort when it came to the defensive side of the game. The German, though, has now had his say on his defensive shortcomings, reasoning what many see as apathy as a friction with his ball-orientated, creative style that struggles in games in which he does dominate possession:

"“I’m not the type of player to chase after the ball the whole time, everyone knows that. My potential lies far more on the offensive side. I’m supposed to be dangerous, create chances, score goals. When I don’t get the ball, that’s difficult. I started strongly but – like the team in general – have not kept up my performance. When it isn’t going well overall it is twice as hard for a creative player. Take the games against Bayern, for instance.”"

Truthfully, that seems like rubbish to me. There is no reasoning for someone to be poor at hounding opposing midfielders. It is a matter of sheer effort that Ozil cannot, quite frankly, be bothered to put in the work that is required for a team to succeed.

Contrast his work ethic to the likes of Willian at Chelsea or Christian Eriksen at Spurs and it night and day between one player who is only bothered by his offensive success, what he can do with the ball at his feet, and the other who is working for his team to win.

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Football is, like it or not, a team sport, and while individual talents are needed to win matches, a collective work ethic is far more valuable and successful. It is what Chelsea this season are built on. And it is arrogant of Ozil to suggest that his style does not suit running.