Arsene Wenger Comments on Mesut Ozil After Arsenal Beat Ludogorets

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised Mesut Ozil’s fresh appetite for scoring goals in the aftermath of his wonderful hat-trick against Ludogorets Razgrad in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

The German playmaker netted a trio of brilliant strikes in the 6-0 win over the Bulgarian champions at the Emirates Stadium, continuing the Gunners’ excellent recent form. Wenger is delighted to see the former Real Madrid man making the decisive touch in the final third, per James Benge of the Evening Standard.

"He looks like he has got a taste for scoring goals," the Frenchman said. "He goes more behind. Before he liked only to come to the ball and provide. We want him to be a provider and a scorer; it looks like he is slowly moving to that better balance.”

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Ozil has made strides in this area, having netted six goals in all competitions for Arsenal in 2016-17; the most he’s mustered in a whole season since moving to the Emirates in 2013 is eight.

As noted by BT Sport’s Archie Rhind-Tutt, it’s been a long time since the German netted three goals in one game:

Not getting on the scoresheet consistently has arguably been the main issue holding Ozil back from becoming one of the best players in the world. In terms of his natural talents, few footballers can compare.

The German is so gifted in possession, able to slalom his way through corridors of defenders, take the ball in tight areas and pick passes that other players don’t even see. Technically, he’s so proficient, and it’s peculiar he’s not put those talents to better use in terms of scoring goals.

Something looks to have clicked with Ozil recently, though, as he’s been so emphatic in his finishing. Squawka Football provided some statistical evidence to back that up:

An influx of goals could be due to a variety of different factors. The deployment of Alexis Sanchez as a striker this season has added more dynamism at the point of the attack, occupying defenders with his clever movement. That’s facilitated space for Ozil, tucked in behind.

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Theo Walcott’s rejuvenation has given Arsenal a different edge in the final third too, distributing the focus of the opposition defenders and allowing Ozil to float into dangerous areas with more frequency. Others will point to the opposition the German has netted against—Watford, Chelsea, Swansea City and Ludogorets—and suggest he should be scoring frequently.

Not turning up in the biggest games is a criticism that has been levelled at Ozil previously, although sports journalist Liam Canning doesn’t think that’s fair:

Nevertheless, Arsenal supporters will be desperate to see their No. 11 maintain this hot streak in front of goal with some big challenges on the horizon.

In November, the Gunners face local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain in successive games. Posting a similar return in those types of matches would cement Ozil's new-found status as both a scorer and a provider of goals.