adminLONDON. — Arsene Wenger has vowed to try and protect Arsenal star Mesut Ozil from the burden of expectation as the Barclays English Premier League soccer title chase gathers pace.The Gunners boss is not fazed by his €50 million signing’s current slump and insists his recent break from the first team will reinvigorate the German. Ozil’s missed penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League brought further scrutiny on the club’s record signing following an indifferent run of form.
Wenger has admitted the Germany play-maker has struggled to adapt to a relentless schedule but hopes a two-day break will see him return refreshed for today’s trip to Stoke.
“It is difficult for him mentally to be confronted with that pressure every three days and in every single competition,” Wenger said of the £42.5million man, who missed the win over Sunderland with what his club claimed was a dead leg. “But he will adapt. Maybe he feels that (record signing tag) a bit in a different way than I do. I just want him to enjoy it and play well.
“He has gone a little bit through a difficult time. It can happen to anybody. So have others in the past, and so I don’t worry about Ozil.” — Sky Sports.
Online Reporter