Arsene Wenger spoke in awe of Mesut Ozil after watching the German international deliver another sparkling display in a 2-0 win over Bournemouth.
The Arsenal boss called Ozil, who was the mastermind in assisting Gabriel and then calm in scoring a second, the best in the league and the driving force which has taken the Gunners to the top of the table.
They had to blow away some cobwebs of the devastating loss to Southampton out of the system, but once that was overcome and Gabriel headed Arsenal into a lead, it was a somewhat routine, professional performance.
Mesut was the focal point of our team because we had a new midfield today and he gives reassurance with his technical security and ability. When we had problems in the first part of the game it went always through him and it gives you confidence and security.
I have seen a few good games from Ozil but what is important is that he convinces everybody that he is not only a talented player but a player that is always willing to work for the team and work hard.
He has added scoring goals to his assists and overall he is a complete player.
He certainly showed he was a complete player with a typical assist from a corner, a calm finish to slot past Artur Boruc and a tiresome menace, tracking back to win back the ball and setting up chances all evening.
Altogether, Ozil created nine chances, the most by any player this season. The last time an Arsenal player did that was Alexander Hleb in 2006. The German is also well on course to beat Thierry Henry’s assist record set in 2002/03, with 20.
Wenger said that now he is adding goals, it makes him the best player in the league, when asked if he thought the former Real Madrid man was out on his own.
Look at the numbers and assists and they speak for him.
His career no matter what he does is to be better every day. That focus, that consistency. Some cannot [do it] but he is consistently showing he is going upwards.
Something that I enjoy very much is the timing of his passes. It is never surprising. If you think in the stand he should give the ball now – it is now. By the time you have finished your thinking the ball has gone already. He is somebody whose song is always the right tone and that is something that is very difficult to achieve in the game because on the pitch the decisions you have to make are so quick and to get that always right is not easy.
Wenger also compared him to Dennis Bergkamp.
Yes. Bergkamp was more of a goalscorer and Mesut was more of an assist [player] but now he becomes more of a goalscorer. They are really comparable.
Another story to come out of the win which lifted Arsenal above Leicester was Petr Cech setting the record number of clean sheets in the Premier League.
He now stands alone with 170, which the Arsenal manager was equally commending of.
I think he can be very proud of that because it is a remarkable achievement and people once again don’t realise how much commitment is behind that; the focus and consistency in his attitude.
On top of that, he is a remarkably gifted goalkeeper. The consistency is the most difficult to achieve for somebody.
The confidence boosting win was imperative having been thrashed two days earlier, but Wenger was not bothered to be sitting pretty in first place.
For me it is more to win the game. If we are one point ahead or one point behind it is not too important, it is more the consistency of the results and the feeling that we go on stronger and we play in a very efficient way like we did today.
