Marco Reus: Mesut Ozil Is Best I've Played With, but 'He's Taken a Step Back'

Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus named former Germany team-mate Mesut Ozil as the best player he's played with, but he feels the Arsenal playmaker has "taken a step back." 

Reus was asked who he felt was the best player he'd played alongside in an interview with Copa90:

Per Goal, Reus said:

"Mesut Ozil. The way he creates goals...he's a player with a really good eye for his team-mates. He has so many assists in the Premier League and with the national team.

"He's just an intelligent player, and you can see that right away with a first glance. I always enjoyed playing with him, and that's why it's a pity he's taken a step back. I hope he'll get back to form and return to playing regularly for Arsenal."

The 30-year-old has been in and out of the Arsenal team under Unai Emery this season, prompting many—including Football.London's James Benge—to question the club's decision to hand him a bumper contract last year:

Sports journalist Ryan Taylor felt it was telling that Emery opted to start Aaron Ramsey, who will join Juventus this summer, ahead of Ozil in March's north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur:

Although he has not been helped by his frequent spells on the sidelines, Ozil's form has hardly demanded he play a key role in the Gunners' efforts.

In 26 appearances this season, he has scored five times and assisted just three goals in all competitions.

For a player who has only failed to reach double figures for assists in a campaign once since the 2008-09 season, it's a marked drop.

At his best, though, the playmaker's ability to carve open a defence and find a team-mate in a goalscoring position is almost unrivalled, which makes him a useful asset to have in the final third.

If Ozil is to have a long-term future at Arsenal under Emery, he needs to rediscover that creativity.