Arsenal: Mesut Ozil needs to be Gunners’ Dennis Bergkamp

Mesut Ozil is honoured by comparison’s to Dennis Bergkamp but also stated that he has his own style. While that may be true, Arsenal need him to have the same impact as the great man.

Dennis Bergkamp was one of the most naturally gifted footballers of his generation. Built out of poise and precision, he was a wonderfully creative and ingenious player. Drifting in his movement, slight in his body swerves, deceptive in his little touches, as if crafting a painting that no one knew was coming until that last brush stroke was complete. He was unique.

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But he wasn’t just talented. There have been many players to possess the same natural flair as Bergkamp. There will be plenty more. What made Bergkamp so special was not his natural skill but rather his use of that skill to produce. It is one of the most pertinent detractions of the modern-day player. All show and no dough.

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There might not be a player that such a critique so aptly applies to than Mesut Ozil. For all of his brilliant moments, his truly breathtaking assists, his rare, precious quality on the ball, his astonishing vision and awareness, does he actually provide the quality and quantity of contributions that his talent suggests he should?

The Arsenal midfielder is regularly compared to Bergkamp, something that Ozil himself is honoured by but also believes is not quite accurate:

"“I’ve been told so many times over the years that this is how Bergkamp played. Of course, that makes me proud and it is an honour to be compared with him. Bergkamp is a living legend at Arsenal and he was an amazing football player. But I do not want to compare myself with anybody. I have my own style and I’ve had it since I was a kid. I am proud of these comparisons, but I am Mesut Ozil and I’m not finished yet.”"

Whether Ozil is like Bergkamp or not is by the bye. There certainly are similarities between the two players. Bergkamp is a striker who plays off a centre-forward; Ozil is a midfielder pushed into an advanced role. Bergkamp is as much a goalscorer as a creator; Ozil is almost exclusively a creator. Bergkamp brought a surprising element of power and physicality, something that is so often overlooked; Ozil relies more on his quickness and spatial intelligence. But there are also many similarities: the spaces that they tend to occupy; the free roaming that frees them up to flourish; the creativity in their passing.

But there is a key distinction between the two players: the consistent impact that they have on their respective teams is vastly different. Bergkamp produced on regularly — 181 goals and assists in 315 Premier League games, roughly two every three games. Ozil is at approximately one assist or goal ever two games, with 78 assists in 148 games. Their talent may be similar, their styles may be comparable, the manner in which they play the game may share elements, but there is a great disparity in the impact that they had on their teams. After all, Bergkamp won three Premier League titles. Ozil hasn’t won any.

Ozil may believe that he and Bergkamp are different players in style. And there are certainly arguments to be made that they are. But it is their influence where their differing characteristics come to the fore. Arsenal need Ozil to be Bergkamp in production, not just mirror his approach.