Ahead of every weekend this season I will give you my three thoughts on what’s going on in the Premier League. These might not always be the biggest stories, but rather my personal observations as the games approach each Saturday.
Thus far it has been relatively quiet in the January transfer window, but at the stroke of midnight on February 1, the deals will accelerate, and the money will flow quicker than a 48-team World Cup.
So, with that in mind, this week my thoughts have drifted to three individual players, all of whom know their way around the average transfer window.
Figuring out Mesut Ozil
Is Mesut Ozil the most misunderstood player in the Premier League? The German’s contract status at Arsenal is causing the club some disquiet—he has yet to sign an extension and has made noise that he needs clarification about Arsene Wenger’s future before committing to the Gunners.
It could be argued that there are only a handful of players in the Premier League with the same ability as Ozil; at his best he is world class, but all too frequently he seems to drift out of games. At least that is what the naked eye tells you, but those who own Ozil jerseys will explain that in those moments of absence he is being under-utilized by his teammates. Detractors just call him lazy.
It seems Arsenal fans are split down the middle; if Ozil was to depart the club his loss would be viewed as far less devastating than if, for example, a real ‘go-getter’ like Alexis Sanchez was to leave. Ozil is a victim of the league he plays in—such silky, cerebral performers aren’t deified as much in the Premier League as they are in more technical leagues, such as Spain’s La Liga. It’s a shame.
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The Dimitri Payet saga
Dimitri Payet is a late bloomer, who last season emerged as one of the top attackers in world football. His form at the surprising West Ham United won him a spot at Euro 2016 with France, where he excelled. His play coupled with his club’s move to a massive new stadium resulted in a huge pay rise, and at 29, a nice reward for a career that stopped and started before arriving in London.
This week, Payet demanded a transfer and refused to train with the team. West Ham have struggled this season, and clearly Payet’s mood has shifted. In the player’s defence, at nearly 30, the clock is ticking, and this might be his last chance to cash in and join a contending European club. Fair enough, but how sad that this is another example of the lack of loyalty in the modern game. Payet was given his chance under Slaven Bilic, and he rewarded the faith with a brilliant season, but now, with his club in danger of being sucked into a relegation scrap, he quits.
Bilic publicized the dispute, which essentially means the club has admitted defeat, and will sell off the asset before it festers too long. Once again, a shame.
Rooney’s special milestone
Quietly, by Manchester United and Wayne Rooney’s standards, this week the captain finally equaled Sir Bobby Charlton’s mark of 249 goals for the Red Devils. Rooney now owns the record for both club and country, an incredible feat, and it’s something that should be celebrated.
It seems the celebration is somewhat muted, though, perhaps because it is widely considered fact that Rooney is on the downslide, with his future at Old Trafford very much the subject of debate. That is also a shame. When United signed Rooney from Everton 13 years ago, they knew what they were getting, and Sir Alex Ferguson is probably not in the least bit surprised his prodigy has gone on to equal Sir Bobby’s mark. Never seen as prolific (he only scored more than 20 league goals in a season twice) Rooney’s record stands out even more.
I always wonder if Rooney had not threatened to leave the club on two occasions, would his star have shone even brighter amongst the United faithful? Those two incidents, in particular the first in 2012, continue to tarnish his overall legacy. Regardless of that, we are probably somewhat blinded by his current turn in form. Rooney’s true status at United will not be realized until after his playing career, and I suspect he will be immortalized at the right time.
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