Mesut Ozil Named Most Intelligent Player in Europe as Philipp Lahm Slams Critics
Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm has hailed the cerebral talents of Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, labelling the Germany international as the smartest footballer he’s ever played alongside.
Lahm, who represented Germany in the same side as Ozil on countless occasions, was speaking ahead of Bayern’s clash with Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday. After some sparkling recent form, including a goal against the German champions when the two previously met, the World Cup-winning skipper was asked about the form of his compatriot.
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Lahm only had praise for the Gunners star and some strong words for those who had been critical of his efforts since arriving in the Premier League, per John Cross of the Daily Mirror:
"Mesut is probably the most intelligent player I have ever played with, he is probably the most intelligent player in Europe today. Mesut sees things only he can—his vision is as good as I have ever seen.
It was laughable when he was being questioned after his move to Arsenal. It doesn’t matter how good you are, everybody needs time to settle in a new league. Especially a league like England, where you don’t get as much time on the ball, and of course the game is a lot more physical.
People don’t necessarily understand his game, he isn’t there to run at players or even beat them, he is far more intelligent than that.
"
The form of Ozil has certainly helped Arsenal in soaring up the Premier League table in recent weeks. After previously being shifted around the team by manager Arsene Wenger, the German is now the fulcrum of the Gunners’ attacking play.
As we can see here courtesy of Squawka Football, the numbers totted up by the 27-year-old have been rather remarkable this season:
It’s taken a while for Ozil to reach these standards, though. While some critics of the German have been accused of not completely understanding his influence, there have been occasions during his first two seasons at the Emirates Stadium, when it came to the crunch, the former Real Madrid appeared to disappear. Now, that’s not necessarily the case.
Against Bayern in their previous meeting, when Arsenal won 2-0, Ozil was supreme. Against Manchester United, when Arsenal notched a 3-0 win, he was majestic. It’s the kind of willingness to stand up in big matches that’ll be imperative to the Gunners’ cause should they challenge for major honours such as the Premier League and Champions League.
It’s clear he’s enjoying his football at the moment too, as was evident with another two assists against Swansea City at the weekend and the subsequent post on social media:
Lahm agrees that if Arsenal are going to compete for the big prizes this season, then Ozil will be vital. “Arsenal have a very good team, but it is the form of Mesut that has turned them into challengers,” said the Bayern man. “They are seriously challenging Manchester City for the title in England, and even after a poor start in Europe they can challenge for the Champions League.”
The game at the Allianz Arena will go a long way to determining whether or not Arsenal will get the opportunity to challenge for the European crown. After all, despite beating Bayern, there is a long way to go in the group stages, with Wednesday’s clash a very difficult one, before matches with Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb, teams who have already beaten the Gunners.
Ozil is a game-changer and someone who will have to be at his very best to impact all those fixtures. A stellar performance to help Arsenal take the points at the Allianz Arena would surely cement the German’s reputation as a player who thrives on the big occasions, rather than a peripheral figure known to shirk the spotlight.
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