Hull City Display Shows Mesut Ozil Has Found His Confidence for Arsenal

Arsenal secured a comfortable 3-1 victory against Hull City on Monday to reach what has become a familiar landmark: The Gunners now know they will finish above Tottenham for the 20th consecutive year.

In a week when debate has raged about the aesthetics of the Premier League champions—as noted by The Guardian's David Hytner—the team currently in third place certainly delivered on style. There was no more stylish player on show than midfielder Mesut Ozil.

Ozil’s improvement since returning from injury in January has been dramatic.

He never lost his quality, but he certainly lost some of his self-assurance. All too often, his head would go down when things didn’t go his way. Now, he plays with his head up, and the results are spectacular to see.

There were several moments in this match that demonstrated the fact that Ozil now allies his outrageous technical ability with confidence. Perhaps the most memorable was a one-touch, back-heeled flick played when a pass was fizzed at him at knee height.

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That was not the only moment of casual genius Ozil provided in this game. He made use of his quick feet to nip away from markers throughout the 90 minutes, skipping balletically away from defenders with consummate ease.

You could almost have forgiven the Hull back line if they’d stood and gawped at Arsenal’s record signing.

At his best, Ozil makes the extraordinary look routine.

He’s not perfect, though. Manager Arsene Wenger would doubtless like it if he added a ruthless streak to his game. However, his improvement in the last few month suggests he will be a crucial component in Arsenal’s attempt to launch a serious title challenge next season.

When you spend as much as £42.4 million on one player, you are effectively obligated to build your team around them. Ozil’s performances last season didn’t justify that strategy, but his recent form suggests Wenger can rely on him as the creative hub of this side.

We saw another aspect to his game on Monday night.

Perhaps invigorated by those magical moments, Ozil worked harder defensively than we have been accustomed to seeing.

An important part of the No. 10 role is closing down the opposition’s holding midfield player, and Ozil did that to great effect. Twice he pinched the ball away from Tom Huddlestone to launch devastating counter-attacks. Ozil is adding a touch of graft to his guile.

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He was not alone in turning in a fantastic display of attacking football for Arsenal.

Forward Alexis Sanchez grabbed two goals and might have had a third, as his constant movement terrorised the Hull defence. Behind Ozil in central midfield, Santi Cazorla was in wonderful form. Few predicted that the diminutive Spaniard would become such a force in the central midfield of the infamously physical Premier League.

Many shared similar doubts about Ozil, but he is now proving them wrong. Flair can win out over fight. Little by little, he is imposing his talent on the team.

Arsenal are beginning to play to Ozil’s beat, and it’s wonderful to watch.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.