Arsenal: Mesut Ozil teammates’ comments must say something

Both Sokratis and Alex Iwobi have heaped the praise on the Mesut Ozil this week. Their comments must say something about the Arsenal playmaker.

Mesut Ozil is the talk of the town at Arsenal football club. In and out of the team with illness, back trouble and tactical nuances, the German playmaker has not had the season that he would have been hoping for when he was named one of Unai Emery’s five captains in the summer.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Huddersfield, abuse and a difficult question

One of the major problems surrounding Ozil is ambiguity. No one really knows how influential he is. No one really knows injured or ill he actually is. No one really knows whether he is really lazy or fully committed.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Any true analysis on the Ozil situation is written with a blindfold on — and I say this as someone who has written extensively on Ozil throughout his time at the Emirates. So perhaps it might be best to listen to those who know him best, who work with him day in, day out, who play with him every week.

After Thursday night’s 3-0 win over BATE Borisov, in which Ozil was reinstated to the starting line-up and immediately began to smooth out the attacking play of the team, Sokratis was asked about how his teammate played. This was his response:

"“He played very good. Mesut is a fantastic player and when he is fit he is one of the most important players in the team. Of course when something is not going good, everybody is there to criticise but we have to see also what Mesut did in the last years for this team. All the team, all the players are behind him and we need a good Mesut to go (forward) because we know that he is very important for us.”"

They are strong words. Alex Iwobi towed the same, high-praising line this week as well:

"“We know what Mesut is like because we see him in training every day. He’s world class. We scored three goals as a result of him playing. I know if I make a run he has the vision to find me. Hopefully he can keep on playing.”"

I am still unsure of what to make of Ozil. His £350,000-a-week wages, which should shape any discussion that involves the German, are a problem. His seeming unfit with Emery and Emery’s approach is another issue. But surely what his teammates say about him must count for something.

Admittedly, they are hardly going to slate their own teammate and friend in public. And it could easily be the case that Iwobi and Sokratis are just flat out lying to encourage their teammate and help arguably the team’s most influential player. But there is no need to be so strong in their comments.

Neither Iwobi or Sokratis hold back in their praise of Ozil. They are glowing in their appraisal of him, his performance, and his qualities. And that must count for something, no matter my hesitations.