jayramfootball wrote:
Incorrect.
Especially in the final third, creativity is about far more than assists and goals.
slide rule passes to a wide player who squares it for a goal, clever dummies to fool defenders and set other players free, accurate long passes wide to switch play and create opening for crosses, one twos with midfield partners that creates space for pass into a striker, corners that create danger in the penalty area and lead to a goal (not directly form the corner), accurate free kicks nodded down for a striker to score.. I could go on, but creativity is not just the final pass or the goal.
Ozil's dropped off in the last 2 years in terms of the final pass that led to a goal, but his drop off in terms of involvement in forward play was far less severe. In fact, he was 5th in the entire squad last year in terms of involvement (significant involvement not just a sideways pass) in goals per 90 minutes.
It is fair to say that Ozil in the last 2 years was far less successful at getting into advanced positions to generate assists, but he was still a creative force in the team - in fact, was praised for MotM performances under Arteta.
Last year - multiple examples
You'd have to be a complete loon to watch Ozil's performances last year and not realise he could help us in our current situation.
Spot on. I don't see why this needs to be pointed out to people. Sometimes you can see things in black and white and it works but sometimes it doesn't, sometimes you need grayscale or even colour.