Mesut Ozil Talks Premier League Title Race, Arsenal Future Amid Contract Rumours

Mesut Ozil thinks dropping points against so-called "smaller teams" wrecked Arsenal's Premier League title challenge this season. But the German playmaker does believe the Gunners can satisfy their minimum target for the campaign by finishing third and qualifying automatically for next season's UEFA Champions League.

In the meantime, Arsenal's record signing is prepared to wait until the end of the season before discussing a new contract to extend his stay in north London.

Speaking to German source Sport-Informations-Dienst (h/t OmniSport, via Yahoo Sport), Ozil stated that Arsenal can still salvage something from the season by leapfrogging Manchester City, whom they trail only on goal difference, into third place: "If we finish third in the table and directly qualify for the Champions League, at least we will have met our minimum goal."

This is the kind of phrasing unlikely to go down well with disgruntled supporters and critics of the Gunners who believe manager Arsene Wenger and the club are too content just to qualify for Europe every season.

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Finishing in the basement of the top four and failing to win major trophies has become part of a repetitive cycle at Arsenal, although the FA Cup was claimed in both 2014 and '15.

But Ozil insists this season could and should have yielded so much more: "But we could have won the league title this season. We dropped too many points against the smaller teams."

It's hard to dispute this thinking. Results show draws with Norwich City, Crystal Palace, Stoke City and most recently relegation-threatened Sunderland have taken precious points away from the Gunners.

Defeats to West Bromwich Albion, Southampton and West Ham United have also crushed hopes of lifting a first title since 2004.

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What makes these lapses doubly tough to take is that Arsenal are the only team in the league to have beaten leaders and presumptive champions Leicester City twice.

Ozil expressed his surprise at the Foxes' incredible run but also paid his respects to their achievement: "I definitely would not have believed it had someone told me before the start of the season that Leicester would win the title—nobody would have believed it. Hats off to Leicester. They always give 100 per cent and deserve to be top of the table."

But while Leicester have built a 12-point lead over Arsenal, the Gunners have been left trailing due to a struggle to score goals. It's a struggle best illustrated by eight league games without a goal this season, per Sky Sports.

Yet, the blame for the profligacy doesn't necessary fall on Ozil, who has 18 assists in the league according to WhoScored.com. In fact, the former Real Madrid man has set a record for chances created in a season in England's top flight, per the league's official site.

While Ozil's form has dipped a little in 2016, he hasn't always been helped by those in front of him. Injuries to Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck robbed him of two prime targets, while Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott have serially disappointed this season.

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Perhaps that's why Ozil is willing to delay talks on extending his contract, which has only two years remaining. The 27-year-old told SID (h/t James Benge of the London Evening Standard) he is ready to wait before deciding his future, although he didn't rule out extending his Arsenal career:

"

There’s no hurry. I have two years left on my contract.

We’ll see how it goes at the end of the season.

I’m not saying that I definitely must return to the Bundesliga or spend time in Turkey. But I’m not ruling it out either. Maybe I’ll finish my career in England.

"

Ozil is keeping his options open, but ensuring he stays at the Emirates Stadium could hinge on what Wenger does in this summer's transfer market. The Frenchman must add a quality striker or two ahead of his chief supplier.

Still, if Ozil were to leave, Arsenal would survive the blow. The German is a technical marvel at his best, but he's also frustratingly languid at times and can look better on a stat sheet than he does on the pitch.

Arsenal need improvement from everybody next season, including the manager and the player he paid £42.4 million for three years ago. Otherwise, another season will go by without a credible title challenge.