Why Mesut Ozil Is Arsenal's Most Important Player in 2014-15 Champions League

Let's talk about Mesut Ozil.

He obviously does not get enough press or column inches devoted to him. But his current role in Arsenal's team is in question, and he will be under exponentially more scrutiny in this, his second season with Arsenal.

Usually players struggle a bit during their first season in the Premier League and drastically improve the second time around, as they cohere better with their team-mates and get used to the most physically challenging league in the world.

But Ozil did not appear to be much better at the end of his first season than at the beginning, and his performances so far this year have left fans unsatisfied.

Much of the blame for that lies at the feet of Arsene Wenger, though. The boss has, at least temporarily, stopped playing the 4-3-3 formation that he has persisted with for several seasons in favor of a much-despised 4-1-4-1 setup.

Fans await the announcement of every game's lineup even more eagerly than usual nowadays to see whether Wenger is putting his best players in positions they are not suited for and overloading attacking positions with midfielders.

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The net result is a team utterly devoid of diversity that constantly tries to play through the middle.

Yet a large determinant of Ozil's success this season will be how he performs in the left wing role he is unaccustomed to. He will have to become more focused on his new defensive responsibilities and resist the temptation to drift to the center.

Much of the criticism of Ozil is derived from the fact that he is expected to be Arsenal's main creator. He played that role for Real Madrid and certainly has for Germany since the 2010 World Cup.

Of course, when someone is a club's record signing (for £42.5 million at that) he is expected to consistently perform at an exceptionally high level. And Arsenal rely heavily on Ozil to create chances against elite teams.

The Gunners' best Champions League performance last season came against Napoli, when Ozil orchestrated the attack and even scored an atypical goal from outside the box. He played centrally, of course, and made everyone around him considerably better.

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Despite the vitriol Ozil receives on a weekly basis, Arsenal looked stifled when he got injured toward the end of last season. He tends to lull opponents and fans alike to sleep when he plays, but he is liable to slice a defense open at any given moment.

The problem is not that he has too few options ahead of him. Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck are both speedy options who have a knack for getting into advantageous positions. Theo Walcott's imminent return will exponentially improve Ozil's performances as well.

Despite Ozil's often frustrating performances, he is the oil that greases Arsenal's engine when he performs anywhere close to his potential. That is why Arsene Wenger refuses to bench him despite dips in form and changes in formation.

Wenger must know that Ozil does not fit on the wing, but he has enough confidence in his talent and believes he can mature enough to succeed in the role. The manager is obviously better at evaluating players than you or me.

But he is taking a risk by putting one of his most naturally talented players, who has never quite flourished in England, in an unnatural position. Ozil is still Arsenal's linchpin and the club's most important attacking player in the absence of Olivier Giroud.

The Gunners' Champions League success largely depends on his ability to create chances in any position Wenger decides he should play.

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