Arsenal’s assist king’s crown is slipping.
Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil scored one of the most memorable goals of 2016 when he ran through the Ludogorets defence, but apart from that it has been a disappointing individual year for the Gunners star.
Ozil’s performances in the Premier League over the past two games have seen him come in for a fair whack of criticism even from his own fans, with his contract situation dragging on.
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil applauds their fans
This season the so-called ‘Assist King’ has only two Premier League assists this season, and five across the whole of 2016.
Arsenal teammate Alexis Sanchez has nine, but concerningly for Ozil, as many as four players of rivals Tottenham Hotspur have delivered more.
| Team | Premier League Assists in 2016 | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Eriksen | Tottenham | 11 | 35 |
| Dele Alli | Tottenham | 7 | 32 |
| Erik Lamela | Tottenham | 7 | 26 |
| Kyle Walker | Tottenham | 6 | 32 |
| Mesut Özil | Arsenal | 5 | 33 |
Tottenham’s Danish star Christian Eriksen has more than double the number Ozil has delivered, while Dele Alli, Erik Lamela and defender Kyle Walker all have more than the German international.
It is quite the drop off from the previous calendar year, which saw Ozil provide as many as 20 assists in 2015.
Eriksen contributed just seven in this period, but while he has improved, Ozil has dropped off.
Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen scores their first goal
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
