Dennis Bergkam identifies Arsenal’s missing link

Dennis Bergkamp has identified Mesut Ozil as the player who could end Arsenal’s trophy drought.

In an interview with The Telegraph, the former Arsenal playmaker said of Ozil: “It is still early days. He is a tremendous player with a lot of effective skills like controlling the ball, making creative passes and assists, taking the right position in the field every time. And he’s extremely experienced.

“Putting all that together I think you’ve got a player who can be the missing link in the Arsenal team, a player who will make a striker score goals, who will link up in Arsenal’s position-game and who will score goals as well.”

In which case, Ozil is the natural heir to Arsenal’s previous missing link, a former team-mate of Bergkamp, the defender Martin Keown.

Ozil is the central creative force behind Arsenal’s recent good run revival and Bergkamp suggested he is on a different level to the rest of the Arsenal team.

“Ozil knows exactly how to control the ball in what kind of space to give himself time,” added the Dutchman.”That’s the difference between the players and great players. With his intelligence and his touch and his skills, he is trying to do something right with every ball.”

“With all the respect to the other Arsenal players, I think he is the one who can make a difference. The other players are good in midfield. But you need someone of a high-level you can be good in all areas of the pitch.”