Today a guest post by Tim Head
Mesut Ozil, one of the all-time greats …
Throughout the summer we heard calls for a marquee signing, and a suggestion that Arsenal under Wenger could not only not compete at the high end of the transfer market but actively didn’t want to do so. Some fans suggested that was because Wenger and the Board were trying to fleece the loyal supporters in order to feather their own nests, whilst others maintained that the reason was a dithering out of touchness with the realities of modern life. It seemed fashionable at the time for the media to portray The Arsenal as a once great club whose stubbornness and old-world values would confine them to forever play second fiddle to the truly great and lavishly funded new-era mega clubs. The views of some fans were even less charitable.
And then came Özil, and for a while everything changed. He was the greatest midfielder in the world, Madrid were mad to sell him, The Arsenal were back, he was the signing of the summer. All these sentiments and more were expressed with varying degrees of sincerity and politeness on TV and in the papers while the Twitter world was awash with pride and envy. All through the Autumn a newly confident Arsenal eased the ball about the park, with Özil’s orchestrations seeing an inexorable rise to the top of the table and Champions League qualification. The memories glow and linger: the ball plucked from mid-air and delivered on a plate to Giroud; the first time drive and assist to destroy Napoli; the brace against Norwich; the telepathic combination with Ramsey before passing the ball into the Tigers net, and always, always vision and grace, even when juggling gum. The Arsenal had found their man, and although clearly not genuine title contenders, they were at least able to provide a different narrative for the press and compelling evidence that despite the inexplicable stumblings of the heavyweights, the Premier League was the best in the world.
And all of this was fine for the vested interests (so ably served by their punditry puppets) in October and November, because although top of the league, Arsenal could not win the title. They needed a striker (despite Giroud’s top form), their defence was still vulnerable (but it took an example several seasons’ old to illustrate this), there was no back up to Giroud (but step forward Lord Bendtner), Wenger doesn’t do tactics (oh really?), December’s run of fixtures would see them slip (almost but not quite, and if it hadn’t been for schedules and prehistoric refereeing, then not at all). So here we are, on January the whatever, and still The Arsenal are one point clear at top, having played everybody at least once, just like all the other clubs. And does this make everyone happy? Are the League Bosses pleased? Are the TV companies delighted? Are all the Arsenal fans ecstatic? Strangely – indeed bizarrely – it would seem very much not.
So now cue the most insidious whispers of all: Özil is not the player everyone thought he was. He is lazy. He goes missing. He was only good because of Ronaldo. He doesn’t tackle back. He isn’t really cut out for the hardest league in the world. He is another Arsenal pretty boy. He wasn’t worth the money, because he isn’t a match winner. And do you know what, people who have played and watched football all their lives (and some who have played at the very highest level) choose to believe these vile slanders. And because they pass on these ideas, so to do all the young Twitter warriors, and, no doubt in time, so will some of the supporters, who will inexplicably start to doubt and to jeer and possibly to create an atmosphere where one of the greatest players of all time loses confidence and decides that playing for The Arsenal isn’t such the great idea it seemed back in October. And that will be job done for those who can’t bear the thought that success might be honestly earned and planned for, for those whose snouts are firmly in the oil-fueled slush bucket, for those who for their own strange reasons want to see a change of managerial regime at The Emirates. It is called misinformation and as Orwell predicted, whole sections of the media are devoted to saying the opposite of the truth. I leave you to guess at the reasons for this.
But these lies can and must be resisted. Believe me, Özil is one of the all-time greats. He does something that very few can do, for he takes the opposition out of the game. Good players look as if they are everywhere and create the impression that their side are playing 12 against 11. Great players make it seem like 11 against 10, for their vision reduces defences as surely as if a red card has been issued. Özil is a space maker and a game changer. He makes good team mates into great ones: great ones into legends. He is unique, and he is ours. Bother to look at him properly and you will see what Arsene saw, but what Jose only glimpsed. Savour every moment, shout his name out loud, defend him against the doubters and above all be proud. He is very, very special, and if you can’t see that you either don’t know your football or you have sold your soul.
And perhaps most importantly, my daughter Katy, all 10 years old of her, wanted an Özil away kit for Christmas more than anything – and I seriously wouldn’t recommend getting on the wrong side of her….
Tim can be found on Twitter @foreverheady .
Positively Arsenal 
Totally agree ,He can change a game with three passes and is our x factor .Contrary to the Neanderthals that think work rate is God ,Class will out . Tom S
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at last, normal service has been resumed . Ozil is TOP. CR would not have voted for a donut. Mourinho loved him and knew Arsenal were instant contenders. We weaken ourselves with this Ozil is so-so BS.
PS never listen to Stewart Robson
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good read foreverheady, and thanks george.
honestly i have never been part of those who sing songs of ozil to high heaven when we newly signed him or over elaborated his performances earlier in the season. the reason is that i know that just one big name player is not enough to change the fortune of the club as some want us to believe. i also know that our team have been on the rise since the second half of last season. so addition of ozil into the team has only improved an already improving squad.
our best players up till now have been players the pundit wrote off in the past, hence they dont want to admit they were wrong.
ozil will fulfill his potentials here at arsenal but not as the pundit wanted but how wenger want him to play. i personally dont like players who shine in their first season for two reasons.
first, it make them victims of their success. second, it doesnt allow them chance to study their game well and see why they have failed and the areas they realy need to improve. ozil will suprise many next season when he might have been used to the league. just like martesacker, kos, giroud and many before them. unlike benteke and michu and many who are first season wonders who later fizzle out in the second season.
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Brilliant piece ! Ozil is supreme! I was more convinced about this guy in the match against Borussia Dortmund away. Although many would remember Ramsey for scoring the lone goal…..the actual creator of that goal was OZIL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Great read and I agree 100%
Thanks
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Another great comment on Ozil can be found at Poznan’s blog
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Santi is getting similar treatment now.
Some fans will never learn
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and the price tag on him is nothing. anyone that will strenghten this team will certainly come big. going by the current market price, i doubt if any of our regulars is less than 30m. ramsey, wilshere and walcott are definitely 50m+. if mangala is 45m then kos is 60m. no one should just expect ozil to stand out every game as if he plays for one small club. there are times he will and there will be times other will. just like wilshere did against villa. we are no bolton where okocha shined every week.
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i think its still very early to judge ozil. the guy has just arrived actually…and wenger ..lol such a legend…plays him every game ,..90 mins so that he settles quick!!…when he fully settles in this league’s climate of kicking and elbowing and establishes telepathic communication with teammates like he has with ramsey he could turn out to achieve historical things for arsenal. sometimes it feels he walks on water…..such comfort on the ball. on the other hand i genuinely understand some concerns regarding his diva attitude and whether he would have the personality to “talk” in the big and defining momments of a season. but this cant be taught or trained, you either have it or you dont…..then again we are a team..they must all “talk” when the time comes not just one or two players. ideally speaking. ozil rosicky cazorla ramsey can destroy teams …easily.
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The single characteristic that Mesut has and which stands out for me is he is entirely professional. Nothing is wasted, nothing is random or snatched.
Good piece F
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No AST meeting in January I see !!!
Rudderless
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shhh…we are preparing our choreo ……. in next home game fans in block 44 will bring out a massive black bin bag that will cover all the way to block 96 …half the stadium …yeah ..that will show em!
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for march we have scheduled david copperfield to arrive who will perform the 2014 millenium cameo of the ” lets disappear the statue of liberty” ….only this time he will disappear cashburden grove….who says we lack ambition?
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in the summer we are bringing beyonce and shakira …just dont tell mesut….we dont want jayz and his ghetto gang coming to our players homes to check ….they might bust a cap in his arse … …
1.
bust a cap in your ass
The origin of bust a cap meaning to discharge a firearm has become a general threat of violence with the implication that a gun will be involved. To threaten to bust a cap in someone’s ass is also not intended to be anatomically specific, as kick ass or whip your ass are not descriptive of specific actions against someone’s posterior. Ass as in “your ass” “my ass” etc refers more to the whole of the physical person. Further appellations such Honky, nigga, nigger, white boy, bitch, etc. are context dependent and may not have racial or gender implications.
“I’m gonna bust a cap in yo ass” “I would never bust a cap in your ass” “Please don’t bust a cap in my ass” etc
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As George said this post is a blinder foreverheady.
Mesut will grow into this league, most sane people can see his quality is above that of probably any other player in the division. He is different to santi and before him Andre, apart from his assist he is also a better all round player.
I have always thought santi has something of the ginola about him and his brilliance will always be tempered by that small percentage of liability. This means against the bigger clubs I would be hesitant in playing both players. What alot of fans do not understand is managers do allow for this and I’m sure teamates are aware of the fact if you want a genius in your side you have to accept their idiosyncrasies.
Santi, despite his error the other night, has improved in this area.
The last thing I would remind the doubters of is the way both Denis and Theirry had to work to adapt and certainly didn’t hit the ground running
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Excellent piece Tim and a version of which could have been written about Ramsey, Sir Ches, Theo and as George and AorB point out, Santi and Denis and Tel.
That there is a breed of Arsenal fan out there falling over themselves to start some kind of hyper-critical bandwagon at the first sign of a misplaced pass is hard to ignore. Certainly, monitoring twitter during a game (which I’ve done twice now, since Xmas), one can see the full range of over-emotional, knee-jerkingly reactive nonsense which can only be dismissed for the nonsense it so largely is.
The problem with it is that mud sticks and rapidly grows into something capable of taking on a life of its own. The assassination of Ramsey’s reputation shows that players can come back from this but for every Aaron, I’d argue, there is a Gervinho and every time an Arsenal fan turns on any of our players, be it Ozil or Jenkinson, they are risking the next Gervinho.
George does a wonderful job on twitter confronting the worst of this kind of behaviour but in turn attracts criticism himself for doing so. I for one think our self-destructive tendencies HAVE to be addressed. I’m really not against constructive debate but that’s a world away from much of what even now, after the giant strides we have made as a club this season alone, we are seeing all too readily and all too often.
***
Some great points, layksite (9.10 am).
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George does a wonderful job on twitter confronting the worst of this kind of behaviour but in turn attracts criticism himself for doing so
been trying the last year and a half to understand how twitter works…whomentions waht in what thread and adressed to who….have made 3 or 4 accounts…lost them all…
i would luv it. luv it ..luv it to just join there and take scalps…
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i remember tormenting gary lineker till he banned me..whats the point if they can ban you and cant see what you tell them? defeats the purpose of wanting to troll all these arseholes and the crap they talk about arsenal.
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Twitter is tailor-made for sociopaths like you, Hunter!
It’s a strange place and took me a couple of goes to get the hang of. Suggest you try again and just follow the likes of George and watch how his account works then join in! I usually follow people I know, like, are entertained by or just generally agree with. I also follow a small handful of those with diametrically opposite views of mine just to keep in touch with what people are saying outside my ‘circle’.
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Still like a dream having Mesut in our team….
They can talk all they want….. I just hope they won’t continue crying when we quote them in future…
I retweeted the other day what Goonerdave tweeted back in february “Arsene should sell Per and replace him with Bassong” he was very furious..hahahahaha!!!!
Will they ever learn??
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People hate being reminded of their howlers, Sammer.
Can’t imagine why.
#hostagestofortune
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Left for them, Per won’t be our player, and to think they want Samba, Scott Dann etc….
I can’t find all those Neanderthals that wanted Julio Cesar in the summer….
Thank God we have Arsene
#OneArseneWenger
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From an interested Liverpool fan. This was an enjoyable read, if tending towards the hyperbolic. One of the all time greats? Really?
I haven’t watched as much of him as you will have done but based mainly on his time at Madrid I don’t think he’s got the personality to stamp his mark on the biggest games regularly. For me there’s a huge question mark over his mentality. Against most teams, he’ll run the show.
He’ll tear us to pieces at Anfield now but then again, we’re not one of the biggest games. Give it another year, though…
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Yes Sammer .I retweeted that retweet you did.You’re right,he did not take it well.
Like when I reminded him that he said”Ramsey will not make it at Arsenal” And in the next sentence said “Jack is already world class”
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Özil is not that good without Ronaldo? Hahahahaha.
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ArsenalAndrew
January 15, 2014 at 2:49 pm
heh…when i was in the army (air force actually…dont laugh) they wanted me to sign a paper declaring myself as unfit for military service because of being absolute shit at following orders or even resembling a soldier. they basically wanted to brand me a lunatic and issue me a certificate of madness which follows you for life. I claimed to be, ideologically speaking, a conscientious objector. muahahaa
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I don’t think he’s got the personality to stamp his mark on the biggest games regularly.
hmmmmmmm interesting…….i also want him to convince me otherwise….. and i agree partly…a zidanne or bergkamp, yet, he is not. should he shove his balls down mourinho’s and pep’s throats the myth about his personality gets busted. do it mesut!!!
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how much do you want for luis again ?
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Why am I not surprised by any of that, Hunter 😉
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sammer as in the legend dortmund captain ? fantastic choice. one of my alltime favourites.
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Whilst it proves very little, it’s interesting to see that Mesut has just today made UEFA’s Team of the Year 2013. At 25, he’s been playing for the German national side for the last 5 years. He now enters seven of his best years; could be worth getting back together in 2021 and see how he got on …
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I agree, Hunter, that a player either has or it or he doesn’t. If Ozil did, he’d have showed it by now. Doesn’t diminish his worth as a controller and general wreaker of havoc in 90% of games, though.
Rumour has it that if we don’t qualify for CL then his release fee is £120m and only to foreign clubs. Still, if you bid £120,000,001…
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Özil is not an all action type of player, so forget about him stamping his authority on a game. What he does is mete out perfectly weighted passes which put his teammates in on goal.
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And he does that better than anyone in Europe.
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In the big games too? 🙂
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i agree with gains and i also agree with the soulseller . thus the matter becomes…when that cunt mourinho sends three players to kick ozil out of the game, will he rise above it and still provide the passes or will he disappear from the game? due to my lack of laliga games has anyone seen any classicos were ozil owned barca? indications please? clues? we have to reach a verdict after all. like true supporters!
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There was one game where Ozil reamed Barca. Kaka was in the middle and created a shitload of space for Ozil to work in. But in the main … no. He tended to disappear. I think Ozil can be shut out of the game by a team determined to do so. But even then, he has his value in creating space elsewhere on the pitch.
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I’ve Sold My Soul, I really hope Liverpool make the top 4 this year and can keep Suarez. Especially if its at United expense.
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I agree entirely with your sentiments, George! For my part, since we’re not going to win the league, I hope you do. I have a great deal of time for The Arsenal, and I think what Wenger has done over the years is nothing short of miraculous.
PS I also think that Piers Morgan is a cunt.
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That’s quite funny, I’ve had that exact same conversation with two other Liverpool supporters!!
And how good would that be for Liverpool to replace Manure in top four, a possibility so heinous that some in the media have started up talking about Top 7 as if it’s somehow the new Top 4.
And exactly how far would Manure’s already collapsing share price continue its steady descent?
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I’ve Sold My Soul, I really hope Liverpool make the top 4 this year. Especially if its at United expense.
bless you god !!
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And exactly how far would Manure’s already collapsing share price continue its steady descent?
thank god they got soros and facebook …muahahaha
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ArsenalAndrew
January 15, 2014 at 5:40 pm
doesnt surprise me…liverpool and arsenal are the two teams which have been sodomised the most in favour of manure and them moneylaunderers in sloane square…
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Good post Tim. I agree with those who say that Ozil needs a season to settle into the premier league and Arsenal. I think he will improve with our team and under Wenger. I think he will be devastating next season.
There was the initial honeymoon period of about 5 games and then came the difficult patch. He will probably start to come good around the last third of the season. It will be a crucial time and he will help us win games then. Not that he is not already doing that. Even during his supposed rough patch, his pass to Monreal in the Villa game was exquisite.
It is a bit similar to our team from last year. After Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla came in, we played well at the start and then hit a rough patch as the team truly had to gel. Then, as we played games and the steel was forged after the defeat to Tottenham, we started rollin’ baby! Some Arsenal fans expected a title challenge after a few games of that season and went nuts when the new team hit a rough patch.
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I’ve sold my soul, so good to hear from you. I hope you come here regularly from now on.
Thanks for understanding what Wenger has done and has been doing.
I have more respect for Liverpool than all the other big clubs combined. The way Liverpool fans back the players and manager on the pitch is amazing. Respect.
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This is a really great piece. When people say Ozil drifts in & out of games, he is actually leaving what THEY are focusing on to exploit an opportunity elsewhere. Often that opportunity goes to a teammate or less often it is closed off, but neither diminishes the effort that goes into the move. It’s just not the obvious, physical effort that many observers are accustomed to seeing.
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obviously the dream top four would be ARSENAL, Liverpool, Everton, Southampton, oh my god how good would that be
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“In my opinion Tomas belongs to the best midfielders in the Premier League. When you see how much he gives for the team and how he enjoys being on the ball it makes us happy to have a player like that in our ranks.” – Ozil
So once more, a big fuck you to all those who wanted Rosicky gone. Expect a similar one for Diaby soon.
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What on earth is wrong with some of the ‘fans’?
I think it is a psychological defect – some people want to be right about being wrong, and to be the eternal pessimist means you can never be accused of being overly happy about things ever going well.
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I’ve Sold my Soul 5:27pm
We can all agree on not wanting either type of manc or oliy russian team to win.
We can agree about Piers ‘bandwagon’ Morgan too.
And welcome to our world of getting shit football decisions.- buy yours do balance out.
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