Ozil as Gunners’ net gains add up
have a good balance at the moment in the team and maybe it’s because we’ve been making more of our chances. The final ball is better,” he said after the Ludogorets win.
“Is that because our finishing is better? It’s difficult to analyse at the moment, but what is for sure is that we score more goals. We score lots of goals. That’s what our game is about. It’s important that we take our chances.”
He admitted at the start of last season that Arsenal’s tally of just 71 goals had been 10 short of what was needed to mount a serious title challenge. That said, last season was even worse, with only 65 in the ‘goals for’ column.
That finally prompted him to dip into the market for a striker – but in a halfhearted fashion that saw him fail to win over Jamie Vardy followed by a lack of conviction in the pursuit of Alexandre Lacazette.
Lucas Perez has proved to be very much the thirdchoice consolation Arsenal fans feared. Two goals in an EFL Cup game against Nottingham Forest and two assists late in Wednesday’s game is not much change from £19million, even in today’s inflated transfer market.
“The coach told me to be quiet because he trusts in me,” the 28-year-old said after the Ludogorets win. “He says that he likes me so I have to be patient. I know there are great players here and I have to wait for the opportunity. Everybody wants to play. Where I enjoy it the most is up front but I can adapt to any position in attack.
“When you arrive at a club it is obvious you have the desire and enthusiasm to prove your worth. The most important thing is to be ready to show my best when I have the chance.”
That, though – to cast the cloud to the silver lining – could be where Wenger’s problems lie. Will that best be good enough?
At the moment, everything seems to be finding its way to the back of the net but when Sanchez runs out of steam or Walcott’s reinvention falters, do Arsenal have the necessary options available to keep the momentum going?
Olivier Giroud’s injury problems have disguised the sort of peripheral role he can expect at Arsenal again this season. So the key has to be Ozil. He has never made it into double figures for Arsenal in a season but he has six goals already.
Wenger will be hoping he is inspired to score as much as he creates by the presentation of the match ball from Wednesday, bearing autographs from all of his team-mates.
It may just be emblematic, but if it works Arsenal might just have signed the talisman finally capable of winning them the title.