Arsenal: Mesut Ozil brilliant, but not the future

Mesut Ozil made his first start in six matches against Liverpool on Wednesday night. He was excellent. But that does not make him a part of Arsenal’s future.

This was Mesut Ozil very close to his best. Deft touches, slicing through balls, simply awesome awareness, playing on a different plane to every other player on the pitch. He was brilliant, as he often is when afforded the freedom to play in Arsenal’s ‘second XI’.

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For those that have long questioned Unai Emery’s exclusion of the German, this was proof that Emery was wrong — that is fanciful thinking, given that it is one game against a reserve Liverpool team. But even his most critical of doubters must concede: Ozil was brilliant. And even Emery was willing to admit as much:

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"“I think he played very well. Tonight, you’ve seen he is a skilful player in the team and he was very positive every time and I think he played a very good match <…> he will feature. We have a match on Saturday and we will look at the possibility to use him again alongside other players and this is the way sometimes.”"

But while this was Ozil showing his unquestioned ability, it does not mean that he is — or even should be — a part of Arsenal’s future. One game, in a meaningless competition, however heart-fluttering it might have been, does not justify his inclusion in the team when there are years of evidence pointing otherwise.

The problem with Ozil is not his talent. He is quite capable of these performances. He always has been. In fact, that is a part of the problem. Why is a player so clearly gifted in ways that few others in world football are so incapable of producing at a level that resonates with his ability — and now also his price?

Ozil is being paid to produce like a world-class attacking midfielder. That is what he did on Wednesday and it would be intriguing to see what he can do with a run of matches in the Premier League. But until he proves that he has the mental aptitude, attitude and application to perform consistently, for an entire season, he should not be considered a solution to Arsenal’s problems. Now, you may argue that he has not been given the opportunity to do so, but nearly seven years of lacking play would suggest otherwise.

Perhaps more pertinently, however, Ozil no longer fits into modern football. He may provide an intelligence and smooth creativity that few other players in the Premier League provide, but he still does not work hard enough off the ball. His pressing is inconsistent at best and utterly absent at worst, he is positionally ill-disciplined, and is routinely a clear out-ball for the opposition, who can play passes around him without feeling any pressure to do so.

Increasingly, modern football requires every player to partake in offensive play and defensive play. Ozil is only bothered with half of that. Contrast his effort levels to similar attacking midfielders, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva, who have adapted their game to flourish as, in Pep Guardiola’s words, ‘half-eights’. Ozil undoubtedly has the ability to play that position, but he does have the willingness to adapt.

This was a superb performance from Ozil. It was wonderful to see. But it does not make him a part of Arsenal’s future. For that, there is a long way to go.