Arsenal: Unai Emery relentlessness perfect for Mesut Ozil

Unai Emery is willing to push Mesut Ozil hard to see the German improve. His relentlessness is perfect for the Arsenal midfielder to rediscover his artistic best.

The curious case of Mesut Ozil. It just runs and runs. The German still continues to divide opinion. And he is now leading to contradictory reports and statements regarding his relationship with his manager, something that rarely happened under Arsene Wenger, perhaps his most precious and protective champion.

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But still, the Arsenal midfielder frustrates. His talent is undeniable. Even his most vehement detractors will concede that he has a natural flair that is sensational to watch, when he is in the mood for flourishing. But the production does not match the potential; the tallies do not match the talent; the contributions do not match the quality.

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It seems as though Unai Emery agrees, although not to the same detrimental effect. Emery, speaking in his Friday morning press conference prior to the Gunners’ trip to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon, admitted his belief that there is more to come from Ozil and that he is pushing him to squeeze out every ounce of ability:

"” I want to push them [the players], I want to be demanding to prepare this match – Mesut the same. I want to find with him the possibility to do the best, to make decisive passes, to do more near and in the box to score. Also I think he is working for the team to help us with his quality. But he is feeling like I am feeling. He can improve, he can do more. In this process, we will work, we will help him, give him the possibility on the pitch to be together, to find his qualities for us.”"

It would be fair to say that Ozil has not delivered on his delightful ability. He does not provide the same contributions and influence as lesser players than him. For whatever reason, what he should do and what he is capable of doing and what he does actually do are two very different things.

Thus far, he has largely been mollycoddled. Wenger was extremely guarding of his most prized possession. At Real Madrid, Ozil was revered by his teammates for his creative output. At Werder Bremen, he was exalted as the next big thing, similarly for the German national team. He has always been positively endorsed. Perhaps it’s time for someone like Emery to push him out of his comfort zone.

Has Ozil ever truly been challenged on certain aspects of his game? Has he ever been publicly criticised by his manager, as he was after the opening-weekend defeat to Manchester City, and the substituted midway through the second half a week later because of a lacking, uncommitted performance? Emery is not going easy on Ozil.

And that might be the perfect way to manage him. To rile him up. To aggravate him. To make him prove you wrong. Hopefully, a new Ozil is seen this season. If that’s the case, then great credit must be given to Emery’s managing of a much-debated, vastly misunderstood, highly divisive, brilliant and yet underwhelming star.