Although Leroy Sane has been receiving all the plaudits following Arsenal and Manchester City’s 2-2 draw, Mesut Ozil had a better game than will be reported.
Ozil completed 37/47 passes overall – the second most out of any Arsenal players – just one fewer than Kevin De Bruyne and more than both Sane (25/32) and David Silva (32/40). He also had more passes in the final third than everyone apart from De Bruyne.
The German had one shot on target compared to De Bruyne’s zero.
Ozil created three chances and nabbed an assist for Shkondran Mustafi’s goal from a corner – the most along with Silva. This means that the playmaker now has 38 Premier League assists since he joined Arsenal – more than anyone else. In fact, just this season, a season where he’s admittedly fallen short of expectation, he’s got six, the same as Silva and six times the amount that Sane has.
So, why is it that many praise the City men yet still believe that Ozil had a poor performance?
The German certainly divides opinion if Twitter is anything to go by.
Ozil's been missing for weeks and he comes back and plays like that. Piss poor.
— Arsenal Customer (@GoonerDave) April 2, 2017
In this 11, the only player that is not replaceable is Ozil. Period.
— Hectör Henry (@HctrPan) April 2, 2017
Classic picture of Mesut Ozil from 2006 in his Schalke days.
Coincidentally this is also the last time he turned up in a 'big match'. pic.twitter.com/NRCeQOueAn
— Historical Sport (@HistorySport_) April 2, 2017
Mesut Ozil has gone missing again. pic.twitter.com/gcfIR7eXtL
— SlashFootball (@slashfootball) April 2, 2017
Nice change from Ozil today. Not invisible in a big game, instead deciding to be so bad everyone notices him
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) April 2, 2017
Ozil's confidence is at a all time low… you can just tell!!!
— daniel sahyounie (@danielsahyounie) April 2, 2017
Stats via Statszone & Who Scored.