Who's Ozil-y boy Arsene

So with the transfer window firmly slam shut it’s now time to kick back and take in what the hell just happened in the last 24 hours.

By far the biggest deal of the day on every level was the transfer of Mesut Ozil who moved from Real Madrid to Arsenal for a staggering £42.5million. Arsene finally splashed the cash (it must have been burning a hole in his pocket) but is this transfer going to propel the gunners this into title contention this season?

Ozil is undoubtedly one of the finest playmakers in world football, a magnificent 72 assists in his last five seasons, the highest in Europe in the same period, shows the calibre of the player Arsenal have picked up. He is also sure to fit in with the quick passing, fluid football that Arsene has indoctrinated his players to play, yet is this really an area the gunners needed to improve? We all know Arsenal can play most teams off the park but what has let them down season after season is resilience; a doggedness to get the result and scrap to victory. Even the most ardent Arsenal fan would admit the priority for signings lay in a combative midfielder as well as defensive reinforcements. Yet in came Ozil.

Once all the celebrating and furore brought on by this marquee signing fades and the dust settles Arsenal may just realise that the same vulnerabilities remain. A goalkeeper has been brought in to put pressure on Szczesny, yet Emiliano Viviano is a player rebuilding his career after a fragmented few seasons disrupted by injury. As German football writer Mark Lovell put it “Mesut Ozil is a luxury signing. Alas trophy winners are built on sound defence and goalkeeper and Arsene Wenger has neglected these key areas. Arsenal will still get bullied.”

 Arsenal’s defensive frailties could still be prevalent. At least with Ozil in the team they will be even more attractive to watch in the face of defeat.