Mesut Özil played for 73 minutes in Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Newcastle on Monday night. With the Magpies offering little to no threat throughout the match, Arsenal’s German playmaker saw a lot of the ball – and used it extremely well.
Let’s take a look at Mesut’s performance throughout the game:
Passing
Özil completed 94% of his passes against Newcastle (4% higher than the team’s average) and seemed to be drawn to Arsenal’s right flank whenever he wanted to ping the ball around. Unusual for a left footed player – this only highlights the 25 year old’s style. Not one to simply take the ball out wide and cross using his favoured foot; Özil was looking to start off one-twos all night. He frequently linked up with Ramsey and Cazorla, and was vital in Arsenal’s “tiki-taka” passing displays in the first 45 minutes. It is here that Mesut’s quality shines, as he has the ability to pass the ball without adding any spin, allowing the receiver to control it much more easily.
Key Passes
Not only was Özil neat and tidy on the ball – he was the main man when it came to creating chances. His total of four key passes was more than any other Arsenal player’s on the night, and they all followed a similar pattern. The Arsenal faithful could only watch in awe as Mesut repeatedly manoeuvred himself into wide positions through intelligent one-touch football, only to play dangerous horizontal passes along the edge of Newcastle’s box – each one timed to perfection in order to catch the runs of Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla.
However, the £42 million man’s assist didn’t come from any of these moves. In the 66th minute, the young German made a dash down Arsenal’s left flank and – after a clever reverse pass from Ramsey – executed a beautiful low cross that Giroud headed into the back of Tim Krul’s net.
Shooting
Although not as trigger-happy as the likes of Santi Cazorla, Özil ended the night with a goal and a near-spectacular volley. The latter occurred after an Arsenal corner was knocked to the edge of Newcastle’s box, only for Özil to strike the ball in mid-air – sending it whizzing past the post by couple of inches.
His goal wasn’t quite as impressive though. After Mikel Arteta played a long ball to Giroud, the Frenchman saw both his attempts on goal saved by Krul, resulting in a scruffy rebound that Mesut was able to tap-in from close range.
Despite the unusual build-up, Özil demonstrated a poacher’s mindset along with a cool head to slot the ball away, and he deserved the goal on a night which saw him named Man of the Match by Fresh Arsenal fans.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Mesut Özil had an excellent match. His passing and vision helped Arsenal to control the game, and his presence improved the performance of Ramsey and Cazorla, whose runs into Newcastle’s box were spotted by the German time and time again. Although a pacy forward/winger would have given him the option to play some killer through balls – something which he never seems to attempt without Walcott stationed on the right – last nights performance was another reminder of his overall quality, and the impact he has on our results.
If Özil can continue this form until the 17th of May, Arsenal could finish the season on a major high. Fingers crossed.