Mesut Ozil started his second Premier League game of the season against Wolves and, while Arsenal didn’t win, it’s clear with him in the side Arsenal score more goals…they also concede more too.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 02: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal in action during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on November 02, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 02: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal in action during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on November 02, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

Due to Unai Emery not knowing how to use Mesut Ozil, the German’s sample size of games this season is small.

We could look at the game against Nottingham Forest, and those five goals Arsenal scored, as a match that skews stats but let’s not pretend Arsenal couldn’t just have easily lost to a side from the Championship given how awful they are at present.

So, I thought it would be interesting to see what the stats tell us about games Ozil plays v the ones he misses. Does he really help us score more?

Well, it seems he does. And it’s not even close…

With and without Mesut Ozil

With Mesut Ozil

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal is challenged by Sepp Van Den Berg of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Round of 16 match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on October 30, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal is challenged by Sepp Van Den Berg of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Round of 16 match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on October 30, 2019 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
  • Games 4
  • Goals scored 13
  • Goals conceded 8
  • Goals scored per game (average) 3.25
  • Goals conceded per game (average) 2
  • Average GD +1.25

Without Mesut Ozil

Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil (L) passes Arsenal's Spanish head coach Unai Emery as he leaves the pitch after being substituted off during the English League Cup fourth round football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on October 30, 2019. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Arsenal’s German midfielder Mesut Ozil (L) passes Arsenal’s Spanish head coach Unai Emery as he leaves the pitch after being substituted off during the English League Cup fourth round football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on October 30, 2019. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
  • Games 12
  • Goals scored 23
  • Goals conceded 14
  • Goals scored per game (average) 1.9
  • Goals conceded per game (average) 1.16
  • Average GD + 0.74

Of course, there is little that can really be gleaned from these stats as the sample of games with Mesut Ozil has been far too small to have any significance.

Still, all the German can do is play the opponents he’s selected against and so far this season he’s done exactly that.

And if you think Ozil is the one responsible for stopping us conceding, then you don’t really know what Mesut Ozil is about.