There are so many clichés in football and the use of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ is an overused simile but only because of its appropriate descriptive accuracy. Mesut Ozil, the now-retired former Arsenal number ten, is appreciated by many for all the good things he did, seen indifferently by others for the bad moments and even disliked by the rest for what was an ugly end to his time in north London.
However, despite the temptation to fall into a structured description of what those good, bad and ugly moments were, in a season where Arsenal might win the league it is perhaps much better to appreciate how Mesut Ozil’s presence from 2013 through to 2021 was a necessary and even integral part to getting the Gunners to where they might place come May. Mikel Arteta, although ending up the man who brought the curtain down on the German’s career with Arsenal, has certainly some reason to be thankful for having the chance to work again with his old teammate.
It was Arsene Wenger who brought Arteta and Ozil together when he signed the German from Real Madrid in 2013. After nine long years, the wait for a trophy came to an end by winning the FA Cup that very same season.
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This would be something repeated the following season too. Comedian Alan Davies on The Tuesday Club podcast reviewing the 2015 final win joked about the medal ceremony: “Ozil, I think he just gets a medal at the end of every season and that’s what he thinks is normal.”
But, despite the 2017 cup final victory, Ozil’s reputation was already under scrutiny from a growing proportion of the fan base. His new mega-money contract began the decline and under Unai Emery, there were periods of absence and friction which did not ease with Arteta’s arrival.
Yet when you look at the managerial period of Arteta at the club, the entire Ozil saga provided a burgeoning coach with a great experience to learn from. The Spaniard entered the club with rigid principles and chose not to deviate from them.
Looking at the squad now, the togetherness, unity and focus as it fights for the title, the experience with Ozil and the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have stood as a reference for the team. Ozil’s tweet after the 5-0 defeat to Manchester City, who they currently lead by five points this season, appeared to aim a dig toward his former coach.
‘Trust the process’ was a tagline that Arteta and his players have used that seemingly, despite the satire during the tougher periods, has stood the test of time and the journey is reaching a new peak. Ozil arguably had a hand in the reason the new club captain of Arteta’s side has been such a success.
Before getting there though, hearing what Emery had to say about Ozil’s relationship with leadership in the dressing room is a telling one. Perhaps one of the best examples to highlight how well-regarded his soon successor would become.
“In pre-season, I told him I wanted to help recover the best Özil,” Emery told the Guardian in May of 2020. “I wanted a high level of participation and commitment in the dressing room.
“I respected him and thought he could help. He could have been a captain but the dressing room didn’t want him to be.
“That’s not what I decided; that’s what the players decided. Captains are ones who have to keep defending the club, the coach, teammates.”
Although Arteta doesn’t necessarily play with an out-and-out number ten now, there’s a clear figure of creativity in the Arsenal midfield three - Martin Odegaard. From the moment he arrived, the Norwegian added something that his manager seemingly believed his predecessor couldn’t bring.
Watch any game that Odegaard plays in, be it one of his best or one of his quieter matches, and you’ll notice the 24-year-old sprinting, pressing and inspiring his team with his application. Whilst the statistics say Ozil covered plenty of ground, the focus of those runs tells a different story and fell below the expectations of Arteta.
Odegaard is in line to be considered for the Premier League player of the season on his current form. He walks the perimeter of the field at the end of every game clapping the supporters and is usually the last to leave.
With Odegaard, it is effectively like having Arteta’s vision of an Arsenal footballer on the field. Ozil, although certainly not that player, enabled Arteta to realise what this team needed in that position.
There’s a good argument that Ozil’s ability at his peak was better than what Odegaard’s is now. But the similarities in vision and execution of some of the touches and passes they produce are undeniable.
The Norwegian has plenty more to give and years still to develop too. What he has already achieved however is to justify his place in the Gunners' side and proven Arteta right to make the transition from the now-retired Ozil.
I will look back on Ozil therefore not with frustration or even regret. I will appreciate Ozil as what could be described rather ironically, considering his social media activity, as a critical part of ‘the process’ that sees this club we care for so much climbing its way back to the top and who without maybe we might not have what we are experiencing now.
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