adminSWANSEA. — Mesut Ozil has pledged to become a more prolific goal-scorer as Arsenal attempt to secure their eighth successive English Premier League away victory when they travel to Swansea today.Arsene Wenger’s side are currently top of the table with 12 points from five games, but they won’t kick off at the Liberty Stadium in that position as they are sure to be overtaken by one of Tottenham and Chelsea, who meet earlier in the day.
It has nevertheless been an excellent start to the campaign by a squad that was widely written off following an opening weekend loss to Aston Villa. Arsenal’s fortunes have improved dramatically since then and the £42.5 million arrival of Germany midfielder Ozil on transfer deadline day has further lifted the mood of a club desperate to end their eight-year trophy drought.
Ozil has already shown off his vast creative talents by setting up several goals for his new colleagues, but the former Real Madrid playmaker is keen to get on the score-sheet more often as well.
“I don’t want to praise myself too much but I think my statistics are good. I would like to score more goals,” Ozil said.
The Gunners’ lofty league position has surprised many people given that they have not been genuine title contenders for a number of seasons.
And it seems even Ozil hadn’t fully appreciated the qualities of his team-mates either until he played alongside them. When asked to pick out the one who impressed him most, he replied: “I don’t just want to say one player, I am surprised by the technical quality of the whole team.”
Arsenal will need Ozil to be at his best this weekend, as they will be without a number of injured stars including Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The lengthy injury list has opened the door for previously exiled striker Nicklas Bendtner, who made his first Arsenal appearance since May 2012 when he featured in Arsenal’s penalty shoot-out win at West Bromwich Albion in the League Cup third round on Wednesday. — AFP.
Online Reporter