Arsenal: Mesut Ozil offers stark reminder of key fault

Mesut Ozil was instrumental in Germany’s dismantling of Norway, playing with a creative freedom that has not been seen at Arsenal, offering a stark reminder of Arsene Wenger’s key tactical fault with his star midfielder.

At half-time of Germany’s World Cup Qualifier against Norway, the World Champions had orchestrated a four-goal advantage with some slick passing moves, exquisitely played football and creative freedom that only the recent Germany team have been able to master on the international stage in recent years.

While the quality of the opposition should be factored into any conclusions drawn from the dismantling first-half display, from an Arsenal perspective, there was a significant reason to pay close attention to the German’s performance. That reason is Mesut Ozil.

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Playing in a free-roaming role behind the pacy Timo Werner, where he is best suited and most influential, Ozil, alongside the equally creative Julian Draxler and Thomas Muller, was able to pull the proverbial strings at his infecting best. His passing was sharp and incisive, his vision was extraordinary, as he played several piercing passes into the feet of the Germany attackers, and his decision making, particularly in the final third, was near faultless.

Ozil scored the opener, sweeping a near-post finish past the stranded goalkeeper after initiating the move earlier on and then finding a pocket of space, anticipating the low cut-back from out wide, assisted the second with a neat slid pass square to Julian Draxler, spurning the chance to shoot, and then played a part in the fourth, holding the ball up before seeing the space to his right and playing a square pass to Werner who could then drive forward and instigate the attacking move that ended in his impressive header.

And Ozil’s performance serves as a stark reminder for Arsene Wenger. Ozil, while costing £42 million, is not a player to carry a team. He is not an Alexis Sanchez or Eden Hazard or Thierry Henry. He does not have the skill or the ability to single-handedly win games.

But in the right system, played in the right role, with the right weapons around him — pace and intelligent movement are the most important attributes — Ozil is the perfect facilitator of success. That may seem like a passive, unneeded player who is not deserving of the wages or the fee that Ozil commands. But that would be selling his influence short.

What Ozil offers, perhaps more than any other in the Premier League, is the ability to bring the best out of those around him, as long as those around him are able to benefit from his infecting influence.

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Wenger has made a key fault in failing to provide the players and the system in which Ozil can flourish. Ozil is a player who needs that infrastructure around him. But when given it, like with the German national side, he can breathe life into even the most lifeless of teams.

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