While on international duty with Germany Arsenals new midfielder Mesut Özil spoke with the German Football Federation’s website about what it was like playing in England.
Özil said: ‘In football I feel generally very little pressure.
‘I am doing what I enjoy most and what I do best. I love my work, so I just look forward to every game and do not concern myself so much with what others day or write.
‘The pressure that I have, I mainly put on myself because I expect a high level of myself. But with this I can handle pressure very well and hide everything very well.’
The German scored his first goal for the Gunners in their 2-0 Champions League win over Napoli and has fitted into the team as if it was made for him setting up other goals with brilliant assists.
‘For me, the Premier League is the strongest league in the world,’ he added. ‘Even with my first few games, I’ve noticed how balanced the league is.
‘This means that you will always be fully tested in each game – the games are very intense. I believe that I will benefit from it.
‘Also striking is the atmosphere in the stadiums, the support of the fans – even the away fans – is impressive.’
Currently the Gunners lead the Premiership on goal difference over Liverpool as all the clubs take a rest for the international break during which Özil is expected to play for his country as they take on the Republic of Ireland and Sweden needing just one point to qualify for next summer’s final in Brazil.
Özil when asked if he thought Arsenal could win the Premiership said: ‘Hold on! We are now first, I’m happy about that. But we know that the season is still very long.
‘To talk now about the championship is far too early. We continue to have a focused approach to each game and will try to do better as a team.
‘If we do that, we have a great opportunity to achieve much. For that I will give everything.’
The 24-year-old credits his fellow German teammates Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld – for helping him to settle in but admits he did not like the initiation when he was made to sing karaoke.
‘When I sing, I do not like my voice. I do not think my colleagues understood what I sung, but I was glad that that is behind me.
‘I must admit that there is still a little hitch with my English, because I definitely have to work on it.
‘Even so it is important to me that at Arsenal so much German is spoken. Especially with Lukas and Per I have a very good relationship, we understand each other really well.
‘The guys are all great, they help me and support me really fantastically. This is true for the whole team.
‘The players at Arsenal are all very easy going, they come up to me, we laugh a lot and have fun. I really cannot say anything negative.’
