Arsenal: Captain Mesut Ozil must deliver

Arsenal host Liverpool on Saturday evening in a crucial Premier League contest. Recent captain Mesut Ozil tends to go quiet in these games. Can he now flip the narrative and deliver when it matters most?

Arsenal will look to extend their stupendous run of form against title contenders, Liverpool, as they prepare to welcome Jurgen Klopp’s men to the Emirates on Saturday.

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The rather topsy-turvy win over Blackpool made sure that they are unbeaten in their last 13 games in all competitions, but it will be difficult to extend that run to 14.

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In games like these, there is negligible room for error because of the high level of quality on show. Saturday’s game is no exception. It will be a battle of two of the fiercest strike forces in the Premier League. If Arsenal want to win, they will have to score. Relying on their defence would be worrisome. And so, there is one man who must deliver: Captain Mesut Ozil.

Ozil has often been the centre of criticism for his inconsistency and lazy attitude on the field. Every fan must be familiar to the phrase ‘Ozil disappears in big games!’ Everybody knows what an on song Ozil can do to even the best of teams. He has the ability to destroy defences with his creativity and one-touch play. When it is clicking into gear. He did precisely that to this very Liverpool team last year at the Emirates, and that too within a span of a mere 10 minutes in what was one of the most enthralling matches of the season.

But it is these startling performances that peak through the mire of mediocrity that make his inconsistencies so frustrating. Failing to achieve something is so much infuriating when you know that you are capable of achieving that very thing. For Ozil, he is capable of almost anything. And yet he so rarely produces like it.

That said, Ozil has looked a changed man under Unai Emery, especially more recently. He seemingly wants to dictate the game with a greater influence and aggression. He has looked far happier and purposeful. It looks as if he has started caring, which has been a criticism of him in year’s past.

He is scoring goals, creating play and his performances have looked far more consistent this year. He is also tracking back and defending with a greater diligence and discipline, which was never really his cup of tea. The hunger for winning appears to have been rekindled — or just kindled, for those that believe he never had it in the first place.

However, Liverpool stands as a big test for the rejuvenated Ozil. He must lead from the front and grab the game by the scruff of the neck. He must remove the stain on his character, the deaden the shouts of his critics, right his former wrongs. This is the perfect opportunity to flip the narrative. We will have to wait to see if he can.