Arsenal: Mesut Ozil gives us glimpse at his genius

Arsenal overcame a stubborn Sunderland team in a 2-0 victory on Tuesday night, with a superlative display from Mesut Ozil, giving us a glimpse at his genius.

For me, Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Sunderland was an unheralded pleasure. It was the first time that I have been able to see Arsenal in the flesh this season, snapping up tickets that had gone on general sale as a result of the half-hearted boycott from many other fans.

While the coverage that football enjoys through a variety of TV, radio and online avenues is extraordinary and only increasing, there is nothing like being at the game in person, soaking up the atmosphere, even if it is the library-esque quietness of the Emirates, buying a pie at half-time and watching finely-tuned sportsman play at their peak from just a matter of meters away.

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And of the many inexorably and undeniably talented stars pervading the Arsenal squad, it was Mesut Ozil that put the biggest of smiles on my face, stretching from rosy cheek to rosy cheek as he shifted the ball onto his dead-eye left-foot time and time again. Although it was Alexis Sanchez who ultimately rippled the net in the second half, it was his German teammate who was the primary creator and instigator of the sweeping attacking moves that cut open the Sunderland defence.

The first-half was a frustrating period for the Gunners. They were able to engineer many half openings, with Aaron Ramsey looking especially sharp in and around the penalty area, playing off of Olivier Giroud. But, consistently, the final pass, shot or touch was lacking the needed quality as the space began to contract in front of goal.

However, as the game progressed and Sunderland tired a little, Ozil was further able to enforce his influence on Arsenal’s play. The reverse passes to outmanoeuvre the defence, the incisive runs in behind, the fluidity and fluency he brings to the team’s passing as he drifts in from the right flank, biding his time and patiently waiting for the right angle to appear.

And the stats back up his passing of the eyeball test. Ozil amassed 112 touches throughout the 90 minutes, completing 85 total passes, executing 15 crosses, won four recoveries and showcased all of his ingenuity and technical skill in assisting Sanchez for the opening goal, with a cushioned, side-footed pass on the half-volley from a slick and sliding ball.

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Perhaps, though, the stat that showcases Ozil’s brilliance more than any other is the number of key passes that he registered: 12. For context, that is more than any other player in any other Premier League game over the past eight years. It was an honour to enjoy a glimpse of the German’s genius.