The figures show the Gunners playmaker was very involved against Olympiakos… but didn’t actually do anything.
The enigma of Mesut Ozil’s Arsenal career continues – except it’s become rather predictable.
Indeed, the 26-year-old German produces the odd good performance for the north London side that leaves fans dumbstruck by some of the exquisite touches and passes on show.
Then he doesn’t do anything for anywhere between four to 10 games. It’s like Arsene Wenger has cloned himself into a modern footballer.
Against Olympiakos, Ozil was at it again, with Arsenal fans left infuriated by the midfielder basically going into hiding. But fans will also be left confused when they see his numbers for the game, especially when compared to Alexis Sanchez.
| V Olympiakos | Touches | Chances Created | Accurate Passes | Final-Third Passes | Dribbles | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesut Ozil | 117 | 2 | 81 | 35 | 1 | 90 |
| Alexis Sánchez | 95 | 4 | 38 | 20 | 12 | 90 |
As Opta stats show, some of the Arsenal playmaker’s stats suggest he was very involved indeed. Ozil took 117 touches of the ball against Olympiakos, completed 81 passes and landed 35 final-third passes.
All of these figures rank the 26-year-old above Sanchez and would leave any Arsenal supporter thinking the German was instrumental on the night.
And yet what did Ozil actually do? There was nothing of note; simply another anonymous performance.
Despite completing less passes, Sanchez created double the amount of chances and also registered an assist (that’s without even mentioning the fact he scored). And the most telling stat of all: the Chilean beat his man no less than 12 times. Ozil did so just once…
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
