Arsenal: Mesut Ozil contract vastly changes prescribed future

Arsenal’s season has not taken the shape we were hoping, but if Mesut Ozil commits himself, all of a sudden, the optimism would arrive.

Arsenal have had chances to put serious pressure on the run-away favorites, Manchester City. Not just in facing them, but in taking care of business against teams they should have defeated. But this is all stuff we’ve heard before.

There haven’t been all that many victories this season, and I’m talking big picture victories, not victories on the pitch.

The pre-silverware victory this season needs is Mesut Ozil committing himself long term. That is, assuming this is the real Mesut Ozil. It is so hard to tell sometimes.

That said, it’s now nearly ten games in a row that he has been a consistent, influential figure, taking his goal and assist tally from zero and zero in mid-October, to three and five where it is now.

It’s been a complete turnaround, and if it’s to be believed that the big change was his push to a new contract, then get the thing signed. It is a monumental hurdle that can be left behind.

The big reason why it would “change everything about the future” as I audaciously claim in the title, is because, when compared with the past prospect of replacing both Alexis Sanchez and Ozil, the new prospect feels like a complete reversal.

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Alexis Sanchez and Ozil have been the life breath of Arsenal over the past three years. No matter how much their influence waned in their suspected run towards an exit, they were still a massive piece of what was working. Replacing them both was going to be starting over. That’s daunting and it’s not an overnight thing. Just ask Manchester United.

If Ozil signs a new deal, with his new, deeper-lying success and influence, we have the biggest piece of our offense to build around. He is turning into the build up, the key pass, and even the finisher.

Building around that, in terms of on the pitch and in the transfer market, is infinitely easier than building around whatever ruins remain. Aaron Ramsey is a superb piece and a superstar when he is on, but injuries always leave him as a flimsy focal point.

Alexandre Lacazette is a big piece, but without the right service and involvement, he fades. He isn’t going to be pushing play forward from deep, like Ozil has learned to do.

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You need that central cog, the brain that operates the body, and Ozil is that. If this form is here to stay, then he changes the future we thought we had in front of us. This future of rebuilding. All we would have to do is build around the pillar so long as it is strong.

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