I am begging to wonder if Mesut Özil is going to become Arsenal’s Fernando Torres a player that never lived up to his expensive price tag, yet played every week in the hope that sooner or later he would justify the money that was spent to bring what everyone was calling a world-class player.
Tonight against Bayern Munich he started the game well, and there was no denying the skill he showed with his Cruyff like turn forcing Boateng to give away the penalty.
The question now needs to be asked why he was allowed to take the penalty in the first place given his previous track record having already missed when his weak effort was saved during a group stage against Marseilles.
There is also the fact that he never once took a penalty during his three and a half years at Real Madrid, and before that the last time he took a penalty was for Werder Bremen against Borussia Monchengladbach in 2009, which he also missed.
I know that Arsenal’s regular penalty Mikel Arteta was not playing, but I have to fault Arsene Wenger for letting Özil take the spot kick as Wenger should have had a man in place to take over from Arteta if a penalty kick was called for.
ESPN is reporting that Sky Sports pundit the former Bayern Munich captain Michael Ballack said that Özil did not look comfortable as he addressed the ball saying he “looks a bit lost in this team.”
Adding: “I was watching one situation where Flamini was moaning to him. It seems like Özil does not have the acceptance of his team. Also, Mertesacker two months ago, when he was shouting at him on the pitch [at Manchester City]. A player like him should be untouchable with his quality but it looks like he has not [got] the acceptance.”
Perhaps Wenger needs to give the 25-year-old some time off to get his head together and to make sure he learns to track back and not give the ball away so easily before he is allowed to play again.
