Winning hands
Ozil treble and Sanchez gem inspire rampant Arsenal
Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez showed why their value to Arsenal is priceless as the peerless duo inspired a 6-0 thrashing of Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets in the Champions League.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has urged Ozil and Sanchez not to get greedy after reports they both plan to demand Arsenal increase their wages to £250,000-per-week (RM1.2mil) when contract talks are reopened later this month.
Sanchez and Ozil’s current deals expire in 2018, but Arsenal want their prize assets to commit their long-term futures to the club and on the evidence of their swaggering displays at the Emirates, they should pay them whatever they want.
Sanchez was the catalyst for Arsenal’s romp as the former Barcelona star netted his sixth goal of the season with a quite brilliant first half chip, while German midfielder Ozil smashed a second half hat-trick.
Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were also on the scoresheet for rampant Arsenal, who are top of Champions League Group A after three matches and well on course for the last 16.
Unbeaten in Europe this season, Arsenal have now won seven successive matches in all competitions.
“Our confidence is stronger with every win but we have to keep the vigilance as well, and the urgency to bring that into the next game,” Wenger said.
“We have a strong squad and a strong spirit, but you have to take care of it and keep your feet on the ground.”
Making four changes from the team that beat Swansea on Saturday, Wenger called for his players to keep their foot on the gas after building some impressive momentum in recent weeks and the response was emphatic.
“We maybe eased off a bit early in the first half, we were sometimes in danger and I would like to give credit to (David) Ospina who saved us twice,” said Wenger.
“In the second half we took control of the game completely and could have scored more,” added Wenger. “Ozil has got the taste to score goals.
“We want him to be a provider and a scorer and it looks like he has got that balance now.”
It could, however, have been a cricket score by the end.
“The only good thing is that this is not the heaviest defeat in the history of the UEFA Champions League,” said Ludogorets goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov. — Agencies
We have a strong squad and a strong spirit, but you have to take care of it and keep your feet on the ground. Arsene Wenger