Arsenal Lobby

VendettaRed07 wrote:Henry on BWP, his single season scoring record, and what a strikers mentality needs to be

“I think he should’ve have done that after 10 games into the season,” Henry, ever the perfectionist, said about the record. “He scored two today and missed five. You guys are laughing but it’s true. I told him he’s going to have to make sure that when he has one, it’s a goal because maybe in one game he’s going to have one [chance]. It’s not every day that you’re going have five opportunities or six or seven, and he’s scoring some of them.

“I’m not having a go. I’m just saying if you look for how you can improve and I keep on telling him, I keep on saying, ‘You should already be on 35-40 goals.’ I’m not even joking.”

The problem was more positional. Often perceived as a No 10 – and there is so much emphasis on the No 10 in Germany – Özil was deployed on the left flank at the World Cup, rather than in his preferred playmaker role, because of Marco Reus’s injury. “I’m one of the best players in the world in that No 10 position,’’ said Özil. “Fans, coaches, players and everyone knows that my best position is playmaker.

“It’s different playing on the left. When I was in Madrid, I often played on the right. I enjoyed that because I’m left-footed and I was able to cut inside to give assists and get shots on target. On the left, it’s more difficult. If I do get past someone I’m still away from the danger zone, still on the flank, and it’s harder for me to find the final ball with my right foot than with my left.

“But Joachim Löw needed me on the left. It’s not about the individual, it’s about the team. It’s not my favourite position but I was willing to play there for the team. It was difficult just before the tournament started that I was suddenly playing on the left and had a different role. I needed to get my bearings, which I did. I think I did my job well there. The Boss saw me as being able to play on the right and we ended up as world champions.

“The opinions of fans are important to me and I’m happy they have such high expectations of me. I have high expectations of myself. I know what I can do and in the past few years I’ve shown that I belong to the select group of best players in the world as a No 10. What’s important is that the manager gives me his trust and in Joachim Löw and Arsène Wenger I have two managers who do exactly that. Both coaches know that my favourite position is the No  10. I’ve played on the left in a World Cup and for Arsenal but my best performances come as a 10.”