I think that is a very accurate description of Ozil. He is the ultimate luxury player. Superbly talented and when everything is just right he is on a different level. But too often everything is not just right and he disappears. Also it's fair to say he has no real fire in his belly. His skill and ability make up for that to some extent but when you are 2-0 down and scrapping it out he is not the guy to have on the pitch.Retro Gunner wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2017 12:16 pmxisstential wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06, 2017 11:49 amYes, it's a tangled web for sure. As I said, I'm living more in hope than expectation. There is an important aspect to support your view and that is the only players that would likely rebel, would be those that genuinely were top quality and felt that they, indeed, could command the same, or even better terms elsewhere. Other than Sanchez (Ozil is a complete enigma), no one falls into that category. The days of Cesc, Nasri, RVP etc leaving for reasons of ambition / money, have long passed.
We may or may not be at a turning point, it's becoming difficult to assess. The next couple of months will tell us a lot.
That is why, like it or not, you have to admire what The Ox did. He saw an opportunity, a risk even, to go somewhere and better himself and he took it. Compare that to Giroud who "decided to stay & fight for his place". No he didn't, he stayed where it was comfortable...good money, low expectations, living in London....
And is Ozil so much of an enigma?? His career has stagnated under Wenger, gone backward actually, but nobody came in for him.. Had somebody decent, he might have also left. He would do well, for the sake of his career, to leave. Nobody improves at the Emirates.
Getting back to Giroud, that was more wishy, washyness from Wenger. Earmark who you want out and get shot of them. Not at AFC apparently...we make vague mentions of it then let the player decide if he wants to go, where he wants to go and how much he wants to earn. And if their demands aren't met, Oh ok, you can stay.
What a mess we're... this is what happens when ONE man is in charge of EVERYTHING. You want to say to Wenger, stick to what you're good at... but what is that exactly???
I agree with all of that, but just to clarify my description of Ozil as an enigma. I was talking about truly top quality players at the Club and for me, that's why he's an enigma. He has top quality technical ability and vision and can back that up by boasting a very successful playing career. However, there's something missing and it's become more apparent than ever since he joined The Arsenal. He's the very definition of a luxury player and with the right players around him, has the ability to be devastating. At our Club, the last thing he has around him is the "right" players.
It was, indeed, noticeable that no other clubs were sniffing around him during the window and I suspect that's a lot to do with him and his agent, as well as his patchy (at best) form. It's only my opinion, but I suspect that he's perfectly happy to free wheel through his final year and then pick up a big signing on fee and that lack of character and ambition, is a crucial part of what is "missing" in the overall package.
I've always said it, if Wenger can't figure out the best system to get the best from a creator like Ozil we may as well get rid of Ozil and save his wage. In an ideal world Wenger fucks off and a pragmatic intelligent manager comes in and builds a team around Sanchez and Ozil. Never will happen of course...