He's not a lazy player. I don't think any think he is?

The media just put it up as a straw man argument

I think It's you don't notice all the off ball running he does

Now I am a huge Ozil fan, and have defended him repeatedly. And I am glad that some of the media are beginning to defend him too. But these stats are so misleading. So what if he has ran a lot. The main problem people have with him, and probably the main fault with his game is that his running off the ball is not particularly productive.

He isn't closing players down quickly forcing mistakes. He doesn't make many tackles, or interceptions. Okay so he covers the distance, but at what intensity? Is he storming back after he makes a mistake? He's playing more minutes than other players at the moment. Is he running more because he never sprints and knackers himself out?

I love Ozil, and defend him because of what he brings to the team. I don't need to be told he is a top player and a great contribution to our team because he runs a lot. He's a football not a runner. I know what he brings through what I see with my eyes. And that is pure class on the ball in the opposing team's half.

Even in the face of these stats, the criticism of Ozil will still be 'He just looks lazy, i don't like his body language' with a genuine belief that this is Ozil's fault rather than Gary Neville's misconception.

I think the majority of the running Ozil does isn't pressing, it tends to be when we have the ball.

He run more than Alexis vs Monaco which seems crazy because Alexis was everywhere, but it's because you don't really notice Ozil's movement, particularly when we have the ball, he's always moving.

Good article

What's interesting is how low-down Sanchez is as well.

I've never believed that Ozil is lazy, but one thing I would say is that distance covered isn't always a perfect indicator of work-rate.

Sanchez is generally considered to be one of, if not the hardest working player on the team, despite the stats showing he doesn't cover as much ground as some of his team-mates.
However, whilst he may not cover the most kilometres, I imagine he's near the top for most sprints completed.
These short bursts are a more obvious sign of desire and can really help to press the opposition and win the ball-back quickly.

Ozil, on the other hand, has likely been labelled lazy because he seldom seems to break into a sprint or aggressively close the opposition down. His style is much less direct and almost appears to be phlegmatic, but in his own way, he quietly goes about his job - drifting into space, making himself available, and covering a huge amount of ground in the process, even if he does so at a relatively low-intensity.

I don't think ground covered is a perfect indicator of work-rate (it's a lot more tiring to sprint a half-marathon than it is to jog a full-one, for example), but as has been mentioned above, I think it does help highlight that he's not the lazy player that people think he is - he just operates in a different manner to someone like Sanchez.

comment by SupermaTheo (U19321)
posted 6 minutes ago
Now I am a huge Ozil fan, and have defended him repeatedly. And I am glad that some of the media are beginning to defend him too. But these stats are so misleading. So what if he has ran a lot. The main problem people have with him, and probably the main fault with his game is that his running off the ball is not particularly productive.

He isn't closing players down quickly forcing mistakes. He doesn't make many tackles, or interceptions. Okay so he covers the distance, but at what intensity? Is he storming back after he makes a mistake? He's playing more minutes than other players at the moment. Is he running more because he never sprints and knackers himself out?

I love Ozil, and defend him because of what he brings to the team. I don't need to be told he is a top player and a great contribution to our team because he runs a lot. He's a football not a runner. I know what he brings through what I see with my eyes. And that is pure class on the ball in the opposing team's half.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Completely agree with that.

comment by SupermaTheo (U19321)
posted 9 minutes ago
Now I am a huge Ozil fan, and have defended him repeatedly. And I am glad that some of the media are beginning to defend him too. But these stats are so misleading. So what if he has ran a lot. The main problem people have with him, and probably the main fault with his game is that his running off the ball is not particularly productive.

He isn't closing players down quickly forcing mistakes. He doesn't make many tackles, or interceptions. Okay so he covers the distance, but at what intensity? Is he storming back after he makes a mistake? He's playing more minutes than other players at the moment. Is he running more because he never sprints and knackers himself out?

I love Ozil, and defend him because of what he brings to the team. I don't need to be told he is a top player and a great contribution to our team because he runs a lot. He's a football not a runner. I know what he brings through what I see with my eyes. And that is pure class on the ball in the opposing team's half.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Top post this

The absolute state of everyone when it turns out Wenger tells him to play the way he does and not waste energy closing down.....

"The absolute state of everyone when it turns out Wenger tells him to play the way he does and not waste energy closing down...."

Does any Arsenal fan actually slate his work rate, though? Bar chumps like WengersBodyguard, obviously

He's not lazy, just don't expect to see him when the going gets tough which for £42m is unacceptable.

The problem people have with him is that when he looses the ball he just stop and shrugs his shoulders. If he showed a little more intent to try and win it bk asap people would love him more.

Laziness is different from being languid. People have a far bigger problem with the latter. He covers more ground than Cazorla and Alexis for example, but while both players are among the top offensive players in the amount of duels, tackles and interceptions they win, Ozil is among the very worst. I remember last season, I spent time on Whoscored and Opta stats checking for JUST ONE attacking player in the league with worse defensive stats than Ozil, and I couldn't find even one. Even the lousy Podolski looked like Roy Keane next to Ozil's stats. Ozil plays at a very low intensity and in the hustle of English league footy, it clearly affects both the team's competitiveness and his individual expression. He has to EARN the right to play and not expect the opposition to make it easy.

I remember hating Bergkamp and his body language. I know he was one of our greatest ever players, but the way we moved about the pitch was just unforgivable.

I think the majority of the running Ozil does isn't pressing, it tends to be when we have the ball.

--------------

Don't be naive mate, there won't be a single player in the premier league who does more of his running with the ball than without it.

Bergkamp was far more aggressive than Ozil. Sneaky, borderline thuggery at times.

He needs to start making the difference in big games

We have lost every big game he has started in

"there won't be a single player in the premier
league who does more of his running with the ball than without it."

I think he meant most of Ozil's positive running is when the team are in possession, rather than Ozil himself carrying the ball. His drifting trying to find space accounts for most of his high-intensity running.

"We have lost every big game he has started in"

No, we haven't. Not even close.

Yes, that's what I meant Sheriff, hence the we

Obviously he's not running 13km a game with the ball ffs

Ah when we have the ball. Not when he has the ball. Sorry lad

We have lost every big game he has started in

--------

Hmmmm an FA Cup final anyone?

comment by SupermaTheo (U19321)
posted 2 minutes ago
Ah when we have the ball. Not when he has the ball. Sorry lad
----------------------------------------------------------------------

comment by Sheriff John Brown - bring back David Dein (U7482)
posted 1 hour, 23 minutes ago
Bergkamp was far more aggressive than Ozil. Sneaky, borderline thuggery at times.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Diego Costa like.

He never takes out the recycling.