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Arsenal manager Unai Emery said Mesut Ozil “showed what he wants” on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League clash with BATE Borisov.
The German was handed a rare start in the contest, with the Gunners needing to overturn a shock first-leg 1-0 loss. In the end, they were comfortable in a 3-0 win, ensuring their safe passage into the last 16 of the competition.
Ozil displayed moments of trademark class, offering a reminder of what he is capable of to his manager. Afterwards, Emery said we’re likely to see a lot more of the playmaker in the coming weeks, per Mark Manns-Bryans of the Press Association (h/t the MailOnline):
“Today he showed what he wants. If he is available, like the last two weeks, we are going to play a lot of matches and maybe sometimes we need him in the starting XI and sometimes on the bench because we have a lot of players to also help us.
“His spirit like today is good and his quality and capacity and combination with some players is good, I think we need every player and today playing Mesut was important and positive.“
Per Sam Dean of the Daily Telegraph, Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi said after the game he was pleased to see Ozil back in the starting lineup:
Sam Dean @SamJDean
This is pretty strong from Iwobi on Ozil:
“We know what Mesut is like because we see him in training every day. He’s world class. We scored three goals as a result of him playing. I know if I make a run he has the vision to find me. Hopefully he can keep on playing.” #AFC
Having started just one game since Boxing Day, there have been questions asked regarding Ozil’s long-term future at the club. Despite being the highest-paid player at the Emirates Stadium after signing his new contract in January 2018, he appears to have fallen well down the pecking order.
For all he offers in terms of vision and technical ability, Ozil lacks tactical discipline and isn’t renowned for putting in hard yards off the ball.
Even so, against opponents like BATE, who sit deep with little attacking intent, the 30-year-old is a brilliant option to have in the starting XI, as he’s adept at picking locks. These figures from OptaJoe show how productive Ozil has been in the final third in the Europa League:
OptaJoe @OptaJoe
1 – Since the start of 2017-18, Mesut Ozil has been involved in more goals (7) and created more goalscoring chances (33) than any other Arsenal player in the UEFA Europa League. Recalled. #ARSBAT #UEL https://t.co/cHn2BeJ5XK
While Emery may have doubts about Ozil, it appears unlikely he will be going anywhere for a while yet given his salary. With that in mind, it would make sense for the manager to use him when the situation demands it between now and the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
Ozil has shown frequently down the years that he can be an asset to Arsenal, and if the team are to challenge for both the Europa League and a top-four spot, he will have a role to play.
After a positive showing on Thursday, it will be intriguing to see whether he’s involved on Sunday, when Southampton head to the Emirates in the Premier League.
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