Mesut Ozil has been in good from since returning from injury in mid-January, scoring three goals and creating a further four for his team-mates, but he will need to up his game if Arsenal are to challenge for the Premier League title, according to former Gunner Gilberto Silva.
Silva, who won three major trophies with the Gunners and apart of the Invincibles squad in 2003, believes the German maestro is ‘slow’ and needs to be more decisive in future.
Although the Brazilian accepts Ozil is a player with great quality and technique, he thinks the 26-year-old has to should be doing better.
Quoted in the Evening Standard, Silva said:
‘You speak about Arsenal and how they don’t spend big money on a player often but they did with (Mesut) Ozil and it is always a bit risky.
‘Coming from Spain it is tough to adapt, it doesn’t always happen straight away.
‘I do really like him as a player but sometimes in the game he does look quite slow, although he has that quality to change the game.
‘He can be more decisive for Arsenal for the quality he has, he can be much more decisive for the club.’
Ozil has received criticism for his lacklustre performances in the past, yet despite impressing in recent games and the stats proving he is actually one of the highest ranked players in the Premier League for creativity and assists, the German international is still being labelled by some as a £42 million flop by some of the Emirates faithful and media pundits alike.
Yes, at times he doesn’t look interested and is slow off the mark, but he isn’t a player blessed with pace. It’s his vision which is what essential to our side and as long as he keeps delivering in the assists and bags a goal here and there then he is doing his job.
