Last season silva got 8 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, ozil got 7 goals and 15 assists, both played 40 games. Hardly rules silva out of ozils league.... Think your exaggerating just a little... Ozil was quality for us last season, people just had unrealistic expectations of his first season with us. He started brilliantly and faded towards the end of the season and seemed tired, obviously the physical nature of the league took it's toll. This time around he has a year under his belt and with deal with the league better after an impressive first season. He's currently being played out of position and I have no doubt he is going to be a very important player for us this season.
Here are the stats on the Brazil game where Ozil finished second on the team http://resources.fifa.com/mm/docume.../20/15/61_0708_bra-ger_ger_teamstatistics.pdf He was second to SCHWEINSTEIGER but did sprint far more often and faster. So nearly top, the Brazilian team were nowhere close. Overall Ozil was the 11th highest in terms of the total distance covered in the entire world cup (all teams). http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/players/distance.html Not bad for such a lazy player! I couldn't find the article I read that had Ozil as top of the German team in distance covered, per minute played, going into the semi-final against Brazil, which was the one I was talking about.
I think people are missing the point here, it's not that Ozil is lazy or doesn't cover distance. Nor is he demotivated or lacking commitment. The issue is him being stuck on the wing where it's clearly not his strong point. As much as people want to bad mouth or do a spin job on him, he is a number 10 and plays best as our primary playmaker in the center of midfield. We could stick OXO as our right back and he could do "a job", but it clearly wouldn't be his best position.
From that first link you just posted there are 3 players who covered more distance than Ozil, not including Schweinsteiger.
Ah yes, but by so much! two of them by all of 5 or 6 metres! Clearly shows Ozil is a lazy player [sarcasm]. You guys are so full of it. That is your excuse when I produce something that shows you are talking bulls**t! Here is one showing Ozil was third in distance covered in an Arsenal game. And covered more distance than anyone on the Bayern team: http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/l...red-during-arsenal-0-bayern-munich-2-graphic/ Why am I having to defend our own player using facts, from our own f**ing pinhead supporters pulling s**t out of their ass. This is what makes my blood boil.
On the contrary, I think this is exactly the point. I have no problem with people saying he isn't at his best, even though I think he does a lot more than people credit him with, but calling him lazy and disinterested is just ignorant.
The only one pulling **** out of their ass is you, you were the one who claimed Ozil covered the most distance of any German player in a match at the world cup so I asked you to prove it. I don't really have an issue with Ozil's work rate as long as he's performing well going forward but he isn't. What is it, 1 goal and 2 assists in his last 16 league games? Best number 10 in the world indeed.
The problem is he lies. Then when he gets called out on it he accuses everyone else of being overly negative. When he's wrong, it's always somehow our fault.
Watch the replay of Wilshere's goal from Saturday. When Wilshere is getting forward and scoring the goal, what's Ozil doing? Strolling, not even attempting to get into a useful position. You can have a problem with people saying he's lazy, but you can't dispute he looks disinterested at times.
I have almost always agreed with Toledo on the forum, but this time he is spouting ****e. Simple fact is that Ozil is not a team player, is afraid to get stuck in and makes virtually no effort at all in defensive duties which should be a responsibility for all players.
This is just rubbish, you guys make a rash judgement and then when I produce evidence to show you are talking ****, your problem is that I have very slightly overstated my position, regardless of the fact that you have taken a huge running jump into fantasy land with your wild assertions. Fact is Ozil works harder faster and sprints more often than very nearly everyone on any team he is on. Now you can decide you are all knowing and all powerful, but that is the evidence on hand. This is exactly as Piskie pointed out. You took a rash position and you are now so invested in being right you virtually can't back down. All you can do is tough it out. As for your assists and goals record, as he isn't playing as a #10 its a bit difficult to assess him as a #10 isn't it? One minute everyone is condemning him because he isn't getting back. Oh, that proved to be a load of ****, now we'd better condemn him for not going forward. This is exactly the problem England had with Beckham. It is exactly the problem people have with Ramsey now. As soon as you have a reputation the opposition have to take you out of the game. Think it is coincidence that Wilshere had a good game at the week-end? Think he played better than Ozil and Ramsey? He probably didn't. He probably just got more space and time because City were paying more attention to Ozil and Ramsey.
Isn't it actually the opposite? You've just had proof given to you that you've been talking s**t?? Really, you have yourself to blame. Your frequently myopic and abrasive posts mean quite a few posters take great delight in doing nothing other than proving you wrong even if they don't really care either way whether you or they are correct. That's just been proven untrue by your own world cup stat. Yes, he runs a lot, and is clearly not lazy. But he doesn't run more than nearly everyone on any team. Pot, kettle? And another pot and kettle And another one... Ahhhhh, you talk about football and it starts being something I can get on board with. More truths. I agree But then you sour your good point with this claptrap. Are you insinuating that if you get marked out of a game and don't do anything, that that doesn't mean you've had a poor game? Does that mean every good performance has been carried out by a player not marked out of a game? Why weren't they marked out of a game themselves?? Why don't all teams think of that with Ronaldo, Messi, Bale, Suarez, Ibrahimovic etc... just mark them out of the game and they can't do anything!
To be fair I get the point he is making and I don't think it means you've played poorly if the opposition mark you out of a game. Not always anyway. Regularly a team will focus on one player and it creates space for others. I've seen teams suffocate messi and make him useless, but in the process they make it far easier for other players to attack. It doesn't mean messi has had a bad game as he keeps the opposition busy the whole time.
And as far as I'm concerned ozil is the most talented player at the club and the highest calibre we have seen since the invincibles era. I really really cannot stress enough how I hope people get off his back. He is not the kind of player who is going to improve from being slated by the fans. He is the kind of player that needs patience and support. Give him time and don't judge him while he is playing out wide. He will return to the number ten spot and he will dominate for us. I have no doubts at all that ozil will be a huge success. I just hope the fans don't get on his back too quickly and ruin his confidence.