The haters shall hate, we shall move on
42 incredulous million were spent on a German international on the last day of the transfer window by The Arsenal and in came a player who most of the world considered a genius. The name was Mesut Ozil.
Let me tell you what 42 million means to Arsenal. The highest amount spent on a player before this was around 15-17 million on Jose Antonio Reyes and that was more than 10 years back. Before that was Silvan Wiltord for around 13 million. Arshavin bought in the jan transfer window of 09 was paid around 15 plus bonuses, so 42 was unheard of. Heck i am certain Wenger could have built a team of atleast 11 good players with that money.Yet this was Mesut Ozil. A player who is impossible to say no to unless you are deluded or david moyes.
Mesut Ozil was a sensation wherever he played, be it Bremen or Madrid, he was the kind of player teams dream of.The madristas wept when he was sold, yet why would he want to come to Arsenal right!!!!!! afterall this was a team in turmoil and in no chance of winning anything again Yet he came, he said he was not valued at Madrid( no one gets that Mesut there), but the moment he spoke to Wenger, he felt the respect.
5 months on, mid way in the season, Mesut Ozil has had opinions divided, be it from the critics( tell them to get a life) or more so from the Arsenal fans or the so called ones.
What did Arsenal get by buying him?- a handful of goals and assists? An on-off performance card? A sense of class or a groan of disappointment more often than not???? A feeling of he is too laid back and casual or he is too good for others to understand him???
Mesut Ozil is an assist machine. The kind of player who makes strikers superstars, the kind of player who makes efficiency their middle name. He was and never will be a Ronaldo, Messi or a Suarez kind of a player. He is not a Xavi, Scholes or Pirlo kind of player as well, he is more a Zidane, Bergkamp, Iniesta type player. No i am not saying he is as good as them, he is in that mode.
When there are exasperated groans and complaints that Ozil wasnt good enough, he is too lazy/disinterested, people need to understand he is that type of a player. No i am not defending him but his overall style of play borders on lazy elegance. What appears as relaxed or casual is his way of sizing up things before picking that exceptional pass.
What makes a player great is making the game simpler, Ozil does it with ridiculous ease. What looks easy on screen is achieved with immense skill and hard work. The man loves to play the game, give him a ball and he will say lets play anytime.
Yes he gets frustrated, yes he admonishes himself, yes at times he feels why cant his team mates understand him and his movements, fact is its very tough to be on his wavelength. This doesnt mean any dis respect to our players, each one have their own special ability,ex- Ozil can never be a Ramsey, our dear rambo is the box to box player that Mesut can only stand and admire, yet Mesut is unique.
So critics and the so called Arsenal fans who feel he doesnt try enough, remember all it takes is one pass to score, Mesut is that master key to all passes. He is a joy to behold, a player of unique skill and ability and he is a team player. He is not selfish as made out to be, he is just a footballer who wants to be in everything.
Will he be a legend/great for us??? unlikely for i dont see him staying too long with us, i pray he does but i sense he wont. He is a lot like Suarez, he wants it all,once he proves something, he moves on, so lets enjoy his stay, lets not make him our talisman but lets see him as our magician, someone who came, waved his magic wand or in his case, left foot and left us mesmerized . He will win us something dont worry, if not he has already won our hearts. Thank you Arsene Wenger and the board for giving us our magician.
P.S. the ones criticizing him all would have died a thousand deaths and cursed Wenger and the board to their graves, if he had gone say to united, please realize what we have got and what he means to the club and the team.
Regards
Vinay