Mesut Ozil: Number 10 role key to Arsenal form

Scott Anderson
Mesut Özil: Not committing future with Gunners yet

Mesut Özil: Not committing future with Gunners yet

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil says his wonderful form this season is because he has cemented a place as “the number 10 in midfield”.

The German World Cup winner has starred for the Gunners this season, recording 11 Premier League assists and three goals in all competitions.

Ozil, who signed for Arsene Wenger’s side in a £42.5million deal from Real Madrid in 2013, says he is now loving his football at the Emirates Stadium and hopes to win more trophies with Arsenal.

Speaking to Sport 1, the 27-year-old said: “I am an absolute team player. I don’t need goals for my ego. Whoever is positioned best in front of the goal should shoot. But I understand that I need to try to score myself from time to time. I do that now.

“On top of it all, that I have my position as the number 10 in midfield now. And you should also not forget that we’ve got a super team, and get along really well.

“We all know how the others play, and you also predict the running path of a teammate in a situation.”

Arsenal are currently fourth in the Premier League table, two points off the top, after losing to West Brom at The Hawthorns last weekend.

And Ozil is confident that Arsenal can end their 11-year wait for Premier League triumph.

When asked if his great run of form could be a decisive factor come May, he replied: “Not because of Mesut Ozil, but with Mesut Ozil.

“We’ve twice won the FA Cup, and won the Charity Shield this summer too. We definitely want to improve that. Should we continue like that, and become just a tiny bit more consistent, it can work out. But the others don’t sleep.”

Ozil has been criticised in the past for a number of poor performances, but manager Arsene Wenger has heaped praise on the playmaker after another top display in their 3-0 Champions League win against Dynamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

Speaking to BT Sport, Wenger said: “He had an outstanding first half, he has got the taste for scoring now.

“I’ve never seen him in the box so many times this season, especially in the last five or six games.”