Wenger has every confidence in Ozil

'Hugely talented' ... Arsenal star Mesut Ozil (Getty Images)

Arsenal will soon see the best of club-record signing Mesut Ozil, according to manager Arsene Wenger.

 

 

The 50 million euros ($73.61 million) deadline-day arrival from Real Madrid has returned somewhat subdued performances in recent weeks, and has been suffering from a minor virus.

Nevertheless, Ozil will again be at the heart of the Arsenal team when it tackles Marseille in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning AEDT), where victory could see it qualify for the knockout stages.

Wenger has every confidence the 25-year-old's quality will come through what has been a testing period of transition.

"First of all, Ozil is a hugely talented player," said Wenger.
"He has just arrived here three months ago and overall did not have the best of preparations for the (Premier) League.

"Ozil is a young player, 25 years old so of course there is a lot of room for improvement for him."
Wenger maintains there is no extra special demands placed on the Germany playmaker, who arrived in a wave of publicity and scored a superb first goal for his new club in the 2-0 Champions League win over Napoli on 1 October.

"We have plenty of players who can take the ball and play, but because he plays in the central part of the pitch the ball goes through him,'' Wenger said.
"However, we don't put any special responsibility on him. Maybe he feels a bit more pressure to do that.

"But we just want the game to be played like we see it and do not put any special responsibility on him because everybody in our team can deliver great balls."
The Premier League leader is well placed to progress through to the last 16 in Europe after its 1-0 smash-and-grab raid on Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.

Should Dortmund draw at home with second-placed Napoli and the Gunners beat Marseille, then it would put the English side through and mean last season's Champions League runner-up would have to be content with dropping down into the UEFA Europa League.
That would leave Arsenal to then fight it out with Napoli to secure top spot and with it seeding for the knockout stage.

"We know that tomorrow is a very big game in that final stage of the qualifiers. We have an opportunity to do it at home,'' said Wenger, who will have midfielder Mathieu Flamini back from suspension.

"You say 12 points may not be enough, it is true, but it might as well be enough and maybe already tomorrow, so let's get the 12 points."
Any hope of Marseille extending its own European campaign disappeared after a fourth-straight Group F defeat in Napoli, where it went down 3-2 on matchday four.

Wenger, though, maintains its European results to do not tell the whole story for Elie Baup's team.
"They have quality, they are in a better period at the moment because they won their last two games and that makes them a dangerous team to play against," the Arsenal manager said.

"The quality of our concentration and focus will be vital tomorrow."
Baup has no doubts Arsenal can make an impact in the Champions League this season
"In my mind Arsenal is a team which has both ability, but also a very balanced side," he said.

"This is also a team which, when it has difficult moments, they can manage it very well and then be decisive.
"Arsenal are an extremely strong side in these competitions, and have made further improvements since Mesut Ozil signed."

Baup added: "They are the best side in our group and are a team which is going to qualify.
"When you get to the last 16 and the quarter-finals, the teams are all very close together.
"However, this season Arsenal have an undeniable attacking quality. They also have a lot of French players who are really improving, like Olivier Giroud who is a top-quality goalscorer.
"They have great technical players and have a great spirit."