Tag Archives: Dele Alli

Mesut Ozil vs The World

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Further to this mornings article about Mesut Ozil, I thought I would run some figures.

A lot of people moan that Ozil does not do enough, and it got me thinking. In terms of goals and assists, how does Mesut Ozil compare to other Premier League number 10’s. So I did a little comparison with Ozil and players who perform a similar role to him (ie the likes of Eden Hazard and Alexis Sanchez were excluded as they are very different players).

I came up with a list of 9 players, including Ozil, that you would probably see as similar players. I am sure at this point some will criticise me, both for excluding certain players and including certain players. I do not really care. If you want to add any players, do your own research, and add the players stats in the figures.

My 9 Number 10’s are:

Cesc Fabregas
Coutinho
Cristian Erickson
David Silva
Dele Alli
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Juan Mata
Kevin de Bruyne
Mesut Ozil

I have used Premier League statistics at their current club only.

An argument about Ozil is that he does not score enough. He is 6th on the list, so it is a justifiable argument, but I do not hear people moaning that Cesc, Mkhitaryan or David Silva do not score enough. And he is not too much behind Kevin de Bruyne. Even Cristian Erickson, a player known for being a goal scoring midfielder, scores his goals exactly one game quicker than Ozil.

To put that into perspective, based on their ratios, Erickson would score 8 goals a season (if he played 38 games), whilst Ozil would score 7. Dele Alli’s games to goals is terrific.

Bit of a surprise that Ozil did not top this one, as he is known as an assist king. I was also surprised about how far ahead Kevin de Bruyne is from the rest.

Two of the 3 above Ozil for assists are below him for goals. In fact, bar Henrikh Mkhitaryan, there is a clear correlation on the list, the more goals you score, the less assists you make, and vice versa. Someone like Coutinho scores a lot, but does not provide too much. He always takes the shot. Whilst someone like Fabregas always makes the pass rather than the shot.

It is perhaps therefore import to combine the two. Goals and assists.

Kevin de Bruyne is clearly the most effective Number 10 around at the moment. He scores goals and gets assists. He is an awesome player. He cost £59.7million.

Thinking out loud here, de Bruyne is 25% more effective than Mesut Ozil when it comes to goals and assists, and he cost 25% more. You get for what you pay for I guess.

I was surprised to see the two Tottenham players, Erickson and Alli, 2nd and third on the list. Both players also cost a lot less than every other player on the list. Have to wonder how long they will stay at Spurs for, winning nothing.

4th on the list is Mesut Ozil. He averages a goal or an assist every 2 games.

Ozil is more effective than the likes of David Silva, Cesc Fabregas, Coutinho and Juan Mata. Often labelled as a waste of money, that he has been a £42.5m flop, what about these players?

Barcelona were willing to spend £100m on Coutinho, yet Ozil outperforms him. Where is the criticism for these players?

So before you get on your high horse and moan about what he delivers and his cost, understand that he performs better than a lot of players, who cost a similar amount. Everything is relative.

As a final thought, if I asked you, who would you prefer: Ozil, Cesc, Silva or Coutinho, I bet Ozil would come bottom, yet he out performs all of these. Time for a poll:

Keenos

Mesut Ozil v Dele Alli

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“If he Mesut Ozil had half of what Dele Alli has got, that nasty streak, he would be ten times a better player than he is because he hasn’t got what Dele Alli has.”

They are the words uttered by Lee Dixon during England’s defeat against Germany.

Now I am not in the business of abusing Arsenal legends. And I will not abuse Lee Dixon. Legends have a right, and a platform, to give their opinion. Often the abuse on social media platforms they get from so called “Arsenal fans” is nothing short of a disgrace.

Even though you might be an Arsenal legend, it does not make you immune for criticism, and Lee Dixon’s comparison of Alli and Ozil is laugable.

It is that last line I find hilarious. Mesut Ozil hasn’t got what Dele Alli has.Let’s compare what both players ’have’:

One is a world class player who has won trophies throughout his career for club and country. The other spends his time making up silly handshakes.

Dele Alli is a player who I have rated since his days at MK Dons. I, like most, surprised how much he has developed. But he is yet to reach anywhere near the level of Mesut Ozil. Alli is a good player, but not a world class place. Germany won without Ozil. England lost with Alli in the side.

I think in summary, if Dele Alli achieves half as much as Mesut Ozil in his carer, he would be a ten times more successful player than he is, because at the moment, Dele Alli hasn’t got what Ozil has. Trophies.

Keenos

Arsenal to learn from England

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132Over recent weeks, there has been plenty of chatter as to what formation Arsenal should play next season. From 433 to 4-diamond-2 (4D2) to a return to 4141.

England are currently having an internal battle as to what formation to go for with both 433 and 4D2 as the preferred systems of Roy Hodgson. Based on last nights diabolical performance against England, which Arsene Wenger was at Wembley to watch, a lot can be learned.

If you play the diamond, you are playing narrow. You need 2 full backs who will bomb forward and act as both wingers and full backs. They provide the width.

A beautiful sparkling diamond on a light reflective surface. 3d image. Isolated white background.

For England, in Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, they have full backs who’s attacking ability is better than their defensive. This need to attack could be why Arsenal are looking at Ricardo Rodriguez.

Nacho Monreal is brilliant defensively, but he does not have the blistering pace to get back when bombing forward, unlike Hector Bellerin on the right.

Also with the diamond, the full back’s get through a lot of work. They will need to be rotated and rested, a bit like Spurs have done this season. You can easily therefore accommodate 4 full backs who are all good enough to start.

The midfield is where Arsenal and Arsene would have learnt the most yesterday.

If you play the diamond, space in the middle of the park will be minimal. You therefore need players who can find space, and pass, in tight positions.

Last night England failed at this. Eric Dier, Dele Alli, James Milner and Wayne Rooney was the midfield 4. Non are technically gifted footballers.

Eric Dier is a centre back playing central midfield. He does a brilliant job for Spurs sitting between the two centre backs when they drop wide to cover for the full backs. But he is not a ball player. He will not get involved in the build up. In the diamond, you are looking at possession football, and that is not Dier’s game.

Moving forward to Dele Alli. He is a terrifically instinctive player. His touch and flick on the side line yesterday was one of the few highlights of the game last night. But it also sums it up. Brilliant skill followed by a poor pass that was easily cut out.

Dele Alli is simply not the type of player who is getting pick up the ball in the middle of the park, get his head up, and play defence splitting pass. Or on the other side, get the double under pressure, and lay it off 5 yards. It is not his game. His 75% pass completion rate in the Premier League shows he gives the ball away too much.

Compare him to Aaron Ramsey, who’s pass completion last year was 86% and we moan he gives the ball away too much!

The other side of the diamond was James Milner. Mr Average. Does not have any real weaknesses. But does not have any real strengths. Will put in a shift for 90 minutes. But that is about it. He is not suited for the diamond.

And then we have Wayne Rooney. He will go down as an all time England great. No matter what some say. But he is not a number 10.

Those who have watched him will always point out his weakness is his first touch. And in the Number 10 role, you need that to be exceptional.

He will put in the shift, like the other 3, but when it comes down to finesse, he does not have it. He is like a bull dozer.

So Arsenal would have learnt a lot in what personnel to play.

Luckily for Arsenal, there are plenty of footballers already in the middle of the park. Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil are all comfortable on the ball and combined would slice through most defences.

Even the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Mohamed Elneny are better passers than anything England played last night. And Granit Xhaka at the base of the diamond would be comfortable starting the attacks.

Also in the diamond, the midfield will rotate, so you need all 4 to be comfortable on the ball as the lad at the bottom of the diamond could soon find himself at the top. Xhaka would do that.

It is only Francis Coquelin who would struggle in this system.

You need your players to also be attack minded and postitionally aware. Too often last night James Milner was too deep. Barely getting out of his half.

Dele Alli spent to too much time operating too wide.

England needed someone like Jack Wilshere to keep the quick play going through the middle, and the side came into life when he came on. A middle finger up to those who claim Danny Drinkwater should be playing instead.

The diamond midfield is an option for Arsenal next year, but we need to watch England and learn from their mistakes in personnel and positioning.

Keenos

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