Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#2 Mesut Ozil shows glimpses of what Arsenal has been missing

Ozil showed flashes of brilliance against BATE Borisov

Mesut Ozil missed the game against BATE last week after failing to recover in time for the clash. However, he was recalled into the eleven for the home leg.

A week ago, the Gunners were absolutely dire in their offensive play. Arsenal’s lack of movement in the attacking third coupled with their failure to play defense-splitting passes sucked the attacking impetus out of their play.

Thus, the return of Ozil couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for the Gunners.

While the German didn’t scale the dizzying heights he is capable of, he produced a controlled performance against the Belarusians. Ozil glided in between the lines and linked up well with his teammates. He regularly found pockets of space and kept up the tempo of Arsenal’s play.

Though Ozil boasts of the potential to frustrate every now and then, there is no doubting the immense quality he brings to the fore. One mustn’t forget that an on-song Ozil is still one of the better sights in world football.

Hence, the Gunners would hope that the German’s intermittent sparking on Thursday turns into a raging fire.