Arsenal were not expected to beat Bayern Munich. But circumstances can
twist perspective, and as such regrets are had. Mesut Ozil might have a
few. Over recent weeks the scrutiny on his performances has intensified,
as if it were not already in sharp focus after becoming the club's
record signing. It appears, as demonstrated by his timid penalty versus
Bayern Munich (so rarely does that stop-start technique seem to work),
that he is suffering from a crisis in confidence.
The infamous Arsenal tale of Andrei Arshavin's career, which initially
blossomed then withered into the shadows, has been re-whispered, yet
that is surely a lazy and hasty comparison to make. Ozil, aged 25 and
considering his proven quality at the highest level, is instead enduring
a "bad moment" as managers often like to say these days. While the onus
is on the player, his coach Arsene Wenger must also utilise his
man-management skills to help the Germany international dig his way out
of the pit of apprehension.
It is not, though, that Ozil has been awful, rather that his displays
of late have not matched the standard that can rightly be expected from
someone who cost 42.5 million pounds -- while his failure to appease the
curious English demands for a player to, no matter what, aimlessly run
about a lot have not helped alleviate the media pressure. It is,
however, fairly demanded of big-name signings that they influence
matches against big-name teams, and during the Gunners' recent run it
can be argued he only turned up for the FA Cup win over Liverpool.
Wenger must now weigh up whether to see if Ozil can play himself back
into form, or whether taking him out of the firing line -- a la Joe Hart
at Manchester City -- for the next two matches against Sunderland and
Stoke ahead of yet another gruelling sequence might do him some good. It
does indeed appear he is running, or not as the case may be, on fumes,
therefore the psychological and physical rest could be to his benefit.
With or without Ozil, start and sustain as Wenger's men did against
Bayern when they host an improving Black Cats side and Arsenal should be
back to winning ways and their title charge back on track.
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