"If Mesut starts to score with his right foot, that can be very interesting for us." As far as understatements go Arsene Wenger's analysis of the impact Mesut Ozil can have on his Arsenal team if he can do things with his right foot other than stand on it, is up there with pointing out that Noddy's best friend has Big Ears.
It is no coincidence that Arsenal's 2-0 win at Bournemouth, their first Premier League win in five matches, coincided with Ozil's return to form. The Germany playmaker scored Arsenal's first when he latched on to a knock-down from Olivier Giroud and lashed home with the limb normally associated with just being his left leg's sidekick.
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Make no mistake, whether Arsenal go on to be crowned Premier League champions in May will depend largely on Ozil’s ability to unlock defences and chip in with decisive goals, from either foot.
The 27-year-old German World Cup winner’s ability to control a ball and kill even the most difficult of passes stone-dead is the stuff of marvel.
His passes pack punch, his drives forward purpose. Though Wenger’s side have missed Santi Cazorla’s influence and Alexis Sanchez’s energy, it is Ozil’s nous and nimble feet that do most of the damage. With the strike against Bournemouth only his fourth in the league this season, it is more telling that he has laid on 16 assists for his teammates.
With Ozil sparkling and Arsenal back winning, it sets us up for the most super of Super Sundays this week.
Arsenal, third in the table, level on points with second-place Tottenham Hotspur, face league leaders (even now I have to pinch myself as I write this) Leicester City; Spurs take on Manchester City, who are fourth.
The stakes could not be any higher for all four teams, but especially Arsenal. Win and they cut Leicester’s lead down to two points; lose and the gap becomes eight.
With a trip to Old Trafford to face a Manchester United on a mini revival to follow, plus a short journey to face bitter North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on the horizon next month, Wenger will want his team to head into those high-pressure fixtures from a position of strength, rather than trying to make up ground.
Leicester on the other hand only face one team currently in the top five – United – in their remaining fixtures after Sunday’s encounter at Emirates Stadium.
They will not spring any great tactical surprises in North London, happy to surrender possession and territory to their more celebrated opponents, soaking up the pressure and trusting their creative players to feed off any scraps that come their way.
Ozil will need to be at his scheming best to break Leicester down.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli has player award sewed up
If Tottenham’s Dele Alli is not a shoo-in to win the PFA’s Young Player of the Year, I will eat my hat.
Tottenham could find no way through a resolute Watford defence on Saturday until Alli’s introduction from the bench midway through the second half.
His cross from the left, with the outside of his right foot no less, to set up Kieran Trippier’s winner only burnished an already impressive season for the England misdielder.
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