When Mesut Ozil arrived at the Emirates in the summer it instantly transformed the Gunners into title contenders in my eyes. The Germany international was one of the most efficient playmakers in Europe last season and it was a real coup when Arsene Wenger brought him into the club, and he was quick to show why Gooners were so excited to see him come into the club.
Ozil has 63 key passes to his name from his 21 Premier League games this season and also has four goals. His pass success stands at 88% and he has hit the target with 84% of his 19 shots, but his form has dried up a bit of late.
So much so in fact that he has been slated by a variety of fans, pundits and wind up merchants, so Manchester United was the game to give him a platform to build from.
He had an average game – he didn’t do enough to impress me, but he wasn’t by any means the worst player on the pitch. He is a player who would rather play a killer pass than take a shot, which explains his one blocked effort on goal and his six key passes during the game.
He’s a delightful player to watch when in form but there were a lot of times that Arsenal were on the back foot, and with Ozil such an attacking player he’s not one to get back and help out. It’s not his job to do so, though.
Overall I’d give him a solid six or seven out of 10.