The World Cup is edging closer and the hype about the tournament is just getting started. And with it all of these so called ‘experts’. The German national team is always the first thing to talk about these days when it comes to sports, so why not criticize Mesut Özil once more.
It has been some sort of sport for journalists during last season to blame our magical playmaker for everything that was wrong with world football. No reason to stop when it comes to the World Cup. Michael Ballack – a former Germany captain – did the same just yesterday. And no surprise it was as unqualified as all the reports of last season.
Dr. Phil Ballack? I didn’t think so.
Ballack claimed Özil is not the same player anymore. His move to Arsenal has affected his self confidence. Really, Michael? That’s the level you’re analysing on these days? Let’s just have a look at the facts based on transfermarkt.de:
Özil – has Arsenal ruined him?
Mesut Özil
Matches played in all competitions: 40
Goals scored in all competitions: 7
Assists given in all competitions: 14
To compare Mesut’s performance let’s have a look at a certain Eden Hazard or David Silva who have been hyped all season:
Eden Hazard – one of Chelsea’s prize ponies.
Eden Hazard
Matches played in all competitions: 49
Goals scored in all competitions: 17
Assists given in all competitions: 10
All that glitters is not Silva.
David Silva
Matches played in all competitions: 40
Goals scored in all competitions: 8
Assists given in all competitions: 16
Do you see any drop in form? I simply can’t! Oh and did I mention that Mesut Özil was injured for quite a while during our positive run at the end of the season? Or did I mention that it was his FIRST season in the Premier League? It’s just ridiculous how unqualified all these reports were and still are. It’s not even possible to silence them. So we should just be happy he’s ours and enjoy what he did and will do for the club.
I don’t deny that Özil wasn’t at his best when playing for Germany in their friendly last Friday. But to be honest, no one was. Götze was even worse. But as he is a Munich player he won’t be criticised as much as Mesut is. That’s an unwritten German press rule which already has affected Dortmund player ratings in the past as well. So I wasn’t surprised about that.
Arsenal’s cuddly German contingent.
Putting all this nonsense behind us let’s have a quick look at Poldi and BFG. Mertesacker came second in the player of the season poll which wasn’t a surprise at all. He was massive for us during last season and helped us get to Wembley. Just as Poldi he simply loves the club which can be seen in everything he does. I often get asked if he will start for Germany during the World Cup. Was that ever in doubt? He’s Germany’s best centre back at the moment and Joachim Löw simply cannot leave him out of his back four. So yes, he will start. Most certainly alongside BVB’s Matts Hummels.
And Poldi? Before Friday’s friendly I would have said he won’t be in the starting XI. But after he came on the speed of the team changed immediately. Löw has only one natural forward in the squad, Miroslav Klose. So I suppose Poldi might might be starting against Portugal in little more than a week.
Mad, Jens-like, thirty-something German. Waving the Arsenal flag in Münster, Germany. Red member. Visiting Arsenal matches for more than 10 years now. Still fussed EasyJet won’t get me free flights. Always down N5 with my dad. Worked in London for about half a year. Started my own German Arsenal blog about two years ago. Expert on Bundesliga issues. BVB my local club.
Well, read some serious newspaper and you will read critics about Bayern players as well 😉 In the Kicker Sportmagazin there was quite a bit critics for Götze and Boateng as well as Özil.
But yeah, I don’t know why everyone thinks so much of ex-players imho most of them don’t know a fuck about football some even don’t know what the difference between areal defending and man marking is and it wasn’t Ballacks first “faux pas”.
Yours sincerely
Adrian
was browsing some ozil articles and came across this.
first of all, doesnt matter if you like it or not, in very simple words -you are wrong, ballack is right.
everyone knows the stats with hazard, silva, no need to pull them up, im sure ballack and co can easily pull stats from google. did ozil join chelsea or city? no he didnt, do the three clubs operate under the same manager/players? tactics? mentality? enough said. why dont you pull some stats on how many stars have left arsenal in recent years, or how many trophies they have won? im not an arsenal fan, i enjoy watching them play, they are a top tier team in england, great at thrashing shit teams with wingers, but second tier team in europe. arsenal did ruin ozil, instead of playing with developed, mature and mentally gifted players in madrid, he is now playing with kids who are the absolute opposite, he isnt just adjusting to the epl style, he is adjusting to babysitting, for a superstar who keeps to himself, how can he improve.