Ozil

Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil: Arsenal Midfield Metronomes

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In football, just like in any other career, people with certain disabilities whether mild or extreme or whether discernible or internal such as autism are always overlooked and often dispensed with. However, this is farcical since it is always these characters that are exceedingly talented in their respective fields and they succeed in the same with relative and consummate ease. Santi Carzola is a very short player; the shortest in our squad standing at 5ft 6 in. He has some mild achondroplasia just like Lionel Messi. Mesut Ozil has popping eyes always likened to those of a fish or a frog and this is never easy for these players or for any human being to take. The lacuna however is that whatever God did not give them anatomically, he recompensed by according them voluminous levels of talent. They are bespoke.

Lionel Messi is arguably the best footballer of all time and he had to get some medication when Barcelona signed him from Newell Old Boys in order to aid him develop his mould. Nobody would ever have believed that such a small player would rise astronomically to his current heights currently in world football. It is appalling. Similarly, the likes of Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla are players who want to be on a football pitch each and every moment of their lives. They enjoy themselves out there and unfortunately a game lasts for only 90 minutes. Their presence on the pitch gives them puritanical levels of belief especially Mesut who always prays before each and every game and unlike ordinary players who always shun away from responsibility, these players are a true embodiment of what Joan of Arc implied by connoting that “she was born to do this”.

Many players opt for a normal pass to evade the criticism accompanied by a misplaced pass but these players always seem to want to do something with the ball. These are certain proclivities which they have developed over the years since they were young and hence are always keen to perform their alchemy in the grandest of standards. The partnership between Santi and Mesut has been almost telepathic albeit Santi returning from injury just recently. This is what great players are about and it’s apparent that they are all enjoying their football. Talent always recognizes genius and Jack Wilshere courtesy of the Daily Mail noted on Friday that Mesut Ozil is the most naturally gifted player that he has ever played alongside. It is a no brainer that Santi Cazorla is the second in that pecking order. Some people allege that Mesut Ozil sometimes does not turn up during the big games which in my opinion is nothing but just a misplaced conception. He was always the player assisting Cristiano Ronaldo in the El Classico no wonder Cristiano appeared subdued and all over the place in the recent Classico. Every player in Madrid questioned his sale as sanctioned by their Supremo Fiorentino Perez hence this underlies his significance. He also scored a free kick and assisted Ronaldo thrice in the four games he played against Borussia Dortmund last season. This is against a team which went all the way to the final of the Champions League Cup final and managed by a manager who has developed his side into a machine as they press well and maintain their shape hence proving inpenetratable.

In the game against Liverpool, Arsenal was almost written off because of SAS partnership and their midfield trio involving Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson. This is such a hardworking trio but this game was probably their most ineffective game of the season. Arsenal’s midfield endowed with talent and oozing confidence prevailed over the efforts of the Liverpool’s midfield. The brilliance of Luis Suarez particularly was evident in patches. Despite his other off the pitch issues, he is definitely a great player but personally I am inclined to believe that they do not have any formidable partnership with Daniel Sturridge. It is a classic case of individual brilliance and I cannot have a recollection of any passes that these players exchanged. At some point in the closing stages of the game, Suarez curled a shot wide while Sturridge was well placed to receive a pass and finish into the open net and it was alarming to see how Sturridge reacted knowing that he is incredibly self centered and he would have done the same if not even worse. I however hope that they will prove me wrong and be selfless players since only in that case will they prosper and complement each other well.

Anyway to curtail this divergence, in the case of Ozil and Santi, we can only hope that they continue being amazing us for the rest of the season with their breathtaking performances which seems infectious. Ramsey has definitely been too susceptible hence becoming infected by their brilliance. He needs no antidote I reckon. Considering that one is German and the other Spanish and with their English still rusty, they may not have polyglot tendencies to communicate verbally well on the pitch but whatever they do on the pitch at times is outrageous and with some touch of madness, but it is this touch of madness and disease of footballing thought that distinguishes them from the ordinary. They are fascinating to watch if not enraging. We expect that they will replicate such top level performances every game since they will be paramount to our success come the end of the season.

Disability, mild or extreme is therefore a gift in disguise. Talent never departs you. Employ it and be recognized as the best in your field.

Hope for a good week gunners against some tough opposition on Tuesday and on Sunday.

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  • Mohamed says:

    Mesut Ozil and Santi Carzola are footballing geniuses, I agree. But that they are disabled because of Santi;s height and Ozil’s eyes’ I diagree. Santi is not known to have required hormone therapy like Messi to attain 5 ft 6 inches. Ozil’s eyes is just a variation in the design of eyes among humans. Perhaps it even aids his exceptional vision. They are a great mid field partnership that should elevate our midfield to great heights. May their partnership blossom to great heights.

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