Speaking on the BBC Match of the Day Top 10 Podcast, Micah Richards has been discussing Mesut Ozil and his time at Arsenal.
Richards was tasked with picking the 10 greatest number 10s in Premier League history, and the pundit put Ozil in his top 10.
Unfortunately, the German didn’t quite make it to number one, but Richards says that things could have been different if he’d been fit and stayed at Arsenal for a bit longer.
The ex-England international stated that Ozil is probably one of the most gifted attacking midfielders the Premier League has ever seen.
What’s been said?
Richards gave his view on Ozil and his time at Arsenal.
“If he would have stayed fit and been at Arsenal longer, it would have been different. He’s probably one of the most gifted in that list. I played him in the U21s, and he took the mick out of me, it was one of the best performances I’ve seen from a young player, and you could just tell he would be special,” Richards said.
Should have been different
Ozil has left something of a Premier League legacy behind, hence why he’s made Richards’ top 10, but he should have gone down as an all-time great.
The German came to the Premier League from Real Madrid where he looked like a truly immense footballer, and while he was excellent at Arsenal, it was a case of being the wrong player at the wrong time.
During his peak, Arsenal were in decline, and while he did win three FA Cups, the Gunners weren’t in a position to challenge for a Premier League title at that point.
If Ozil had been at Arsenal 10 years prior, he’d probably be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever have played in England’s top-flight.
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