After succumbing to chastening defeats against Manchester City and Chelsea, Unai Emery's Arsenal tonight recorded their 10th successive defeat. Falling behind to Leicester City, it fell to Mesut Ozil, the team's captain for the night, to dig them out of a hole.
Needless to say, he did so with some gusto.
Mesut Ozil 👏👏👏
An outstanding attacking performance.
📲📻⚽https://t.co/Gibvjn0yUP#ARSLEI pic.twitter.com/YAS3nYDjlD— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) October 22, 2018
In a 3-1 defeat of Claude Puel's side, the German midfielder scored the first, played an exquisite pass through to Hector Bellerin to tee up the second, and deftly fed the ball into the path of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the third.
A well-taken goal to bring Arsenal back level-pegging with Leicester, it also elevated Ozil to #1 in the list of German-scoring Premier League players.
30 - Mesut Ozil is now the highest scoring German player in @premierleague history (30 goals). Wunderbar. #ARSLEI pic.twitter.com/vlsDiOTeRg
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 22, 2018
For some viewers, such intricate passing and clinical finishing looked a little too familiar.
I think Arsenal could be back
— Liam Kelly (@liamm_kelly) October 22, 2018
Although Emery's side retained the kind of troubling porousness at the back that proved decisive in their opening two tests of the season, the performance of Mesut Ozil tonight will likely overshadow such concerns - until its probably too late, of course, but that's as much a part of the 'Arsenal' we remember anyway.
Confidently slotting into the captain's armband for the night, any initial reluctance to believe Ozil was capable of carrying such a burden were put to bed throughout the 80-minute shift he put in.
#afc 3-1 #lcfc Stunning goal, Ozil at the heart of it again, lifting the ball over Schmeichel for Aubameyang to convert. Game well and truly turned on its head.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) October 22, 2018
That was exquisite. Ridiculous again from Ozil. What a goal.
— Tom Williams (@tomwfootball) October 22, 2018
Arsenal 3-1 with an absolutely sublime goal from Aubameyang and once again sensational work by Ozil.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) October 22, 2018
What a pass from Ozil. Bellerin’s radar working well. Aubameyang finish. #afc
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) October 22, 2018
So regularly a figure of consternation and disappointment, for some fans of the German's work, it was all too much.
WHERE ARE YOU OZIL HATERS, WHAT YOU ARE SEEING ON YOUR SCREENS IS ALL TIME GREATNESS FROM ONE OF THE COOLEST FOOTBALLERS YOU WILL EVER SEE - MESUT OZIL!!!!
— Tass (@FaZeTass) October 22, 2018
With games against Sporting Lisbon (Europa League), Crystal Palace (Premier League) and Blackpool (Carabao Cup) up next for Arsenal, attention will quickly turn to the arrival of Liverpool on November 3.
A game that last season saw Arsene Wenger's side draw 3-3 with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, the relative paucity with which Klopp's men are giving up goals this season suggests Arsenal will be in need of Mesut Ozil to rise to the occasion once more sooner rather than later.
Was far too critical of Emery decision to give Ozil armband in pre-season. He's proving me wrong tonight. Against a really excellent Leicester this has been a captain's performance. pic.twitter.com/HsdTrAUwwD
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) October 22, 2018
