Mesut Ozil was the least player expected by fans to start in Arsenal’s weekend game against Aston Villa. The German International was severely criticised by fans for not performing up to standard in recent games, but Arsene Wenger, knew better, went ahead and started Ozil along with Welbeck who both took turns to find the net of The Villans in a space of two minutes.
“I didn’t really consider leaving out Ozil, I have a lot of attacking players and you are always looking to find the right balance. Alexis Sanchez for example has played every game and I felt he needed a rest.
‘I wanted Ozil to play behind their midfield. It was important for him to find space between the lines and it worked.’ Wenger explained.
Attributing his successful performance to self motivation Ozil said:
“When you know that your own fans are behind you, that gives you self-belief and encouragement.
“I’m generally very satisfied. I think when you assess after the game and see that you have scored and made a goal, you’re relieved and very pleased.
“I’d like to praise the whole team again, who really supported me, and especially the fans who were very loud. I want to thank the fans, who were really behind me and support the whole team so well.
“We knew exactly what strengths we would have. We analysed Aston Villa before the game and knew how they would play. Especially in the first half, we created some very clear opportunities. We didn’t waste our chances – we took them and that made the game easier for us,” the German added.