Arsenal: Mesut Ozil captaincy exhilarating and terrifying

Mesut Ozil has been named as one of Arsenal’s five captains, which should evoke some equal and opposite reactions covering the entire spectrum.

Arsenal‘s five captains have been named, and Mesut Ozil is one. It’s okay, take your time to wrap your head around it. There’s a lot there to digest. I’m still digesting it myself. Granted, he is the main captain, he still figures to wear the armband from time to time.

It’s something I never expected to see. I’ve spent years talking about how the captain should embody the spirit that the club wants its players to have and, frankly, Mesut Ozil doesn’t have it. His body language alone gives that away.

And yes, he can be lackadaisical at times, occasionally ‘loafing’ as the haters put it. Which is what gives this appointment the negative side of the spectrum. Because we don’t want eleven guys out there all looking like Ozil. That would be depressing as hell.

But that’s just half of the argument. The other half is where the excitement comes in. Because with all that has happened in his international career and with Arsene Wenger speaking out about how Ozil needs support, this captaincy may be a stroke of brilliance.

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Not least of all because people weren’t sure how he would even fit into an Unai Emery set-up, but now he has apparently not just fit in, but excelled.

Ozil has no distractions. He’s got his contract. He’s in the latter stages of his career and the doubt is still around him. If ever there was a time for him to step up and stomp all over the haters once and for all, what better time and place than with a captain’s armband?

Call it the definition of defiance. It would solidify the character of the German maestro once and for all and he certainly in the market for a bit of “I told you so’s.”

Not going to lie, initially I was skeptical about the decision, but it has since grown on me. I do still think that Ozil has a lot of surprises. Lord knows he has the talent. Give him a bit more responsibility and we may unlock an even better version of the German than we even knew existed.

And, well, that’s the exciting part. So exciting, in fact, that I’m going to go ahead and say that it’s more exciting than it is terrifying. If only just.