Good signs that we're getting results when we aren't playing the best. But 3 points are 3 points so all good in the end!
My ratings: Cech - 8 Bellerin - 8 Gabriel - 7 Kos - 9 Montreal - 8 Coq - 7 Santi - 9 (MotM) Ozil - 8 Ox - 5 Alexis - 5 Giroud - 9
Wenger on @MesutOzil1088: "He is a top class player, honestly. Rather than talking about him I would rather watch him again." #AFCvEFC From the post game press.
I bet Arsenal fans are glad of two things. one that Wenger did not listen to the Ozil doubters and two that he did not listen to those that wanted Coquelin replaced. i think both are the players of the season so far.
Ozil is a luxury you can afford while you are winning, Cazorla makes you tick. Coquelin is a very good player who could get even better with age
Erm we are winning largely because of Ozil. He assisted (again) our first goal. Just like he helped us defeat you in that 3-0 victory with a goal and an assist. Not to mention he was also very good VS Munich, and got a goal there too.
Ozil is top class but like a Rolls Royce, he needs the right environment around him. Having Cazorla and especially an enforcer like Coqs makes it work. Without the right midfield dynamic, Ozil wouldn't be able to work his magic. Again, we shouldn't underestimate the importance of having an effective DM in Coqs in our side, it allows our creative players play.
Luxury player was probably a bad term, I should have said he isn't the type of player to get a grip on the game if you are under the cosh. EDIT......He is the player who will win you the game when you are on top but struggling to break through though.
Ozil is like a grand master at chess always thinking many moves ahead. He can see how a move could unfold and plays that way. all the great creative players have had this gift and there have not been many of them. They make things look easy but other players cant do the same. It is true though that he is not going to turn a bad team display into a win like a Messi or Ronaldo. He needs smart players around him. Coquelin is one of the best defensive midfielders around .
Isn't that the case though with most players? That's why you need a proper team, it allows other players to do their things and strut their stuff. Most world class players need a right environment around them to thrive. Many times in fact Ozil may have not looked so good not because of him, but because our attacking play was sometimes not on par with his quality standards, and so he may have not gotten as much attention as he would have, say if we had Beznema up front. But now as you can see when the likes of Giroud-Walcott are up for it, Ozil is getting himself amongst the assist sheets more often than not. So it's not just a case of giving him a shield behind him, but also giving him the proper armour ahead of him, and then he will work his magic.
F*cking great performance from Giroud too. Giving the guy his due as he was p*ss poor for a while, got dropped and rather than sulking has buckled down. Goals from the bench and now fully taking his chance when given a start. Very unlucky not to have more goals from the game but more importantly really gave the Everton defence a torrid time. All in all a decent performance from us after a tiring mid-week. We weren't at our best but that's understandable considering the Bayern game and the conditions. Everton are a decent side and showed their quality in flashes but we deserved the win and by a wider margin imo. Wish we'd been a bit more savvy when 2 up and not piling forward but, hey, that's us all over. Was delighted when Flamini came on and then I see the knob-head on an over-lapping run down the right! I..I just don't know why I'm suprised any more... Oh, and someone needs to punch Gerard Deulofeu in the nads after that awful dive. That is all. As you were Arsenal, as you were.