Manchester City’s playmaker dovetailed beautifully with Kevin De Bruyne to wrestle control of the Premier League match with Arsenal for a 2-1 victoryMuch has been made of the fact that this Pep‑project Manchester City is a work in progress, a mutable thing, still looking to find its rhythms and shapes. At the Etihad Stadium, for 20 minutes either side of half-time, City seemed to be evolving at an irradiated speed as first David Silva and then Kevin De Bruyne dug their fingernails into this game and wrenched it their way.Until that point Alexis Sánchez had been the outstanding figure on show. So keen right now to assert his own market value, Sánchez had whirled and sprinted at Manchester City’s defence in...
Playmaker is an easy target for some but yet again the German World Cup-winner made a decisive intervention in a tournament which brings the best out of himAs game-seizing moments go, Mesut Özil’s part in Arsenal’s defibrillation after a deathly first half against Paris Saint‑Germain was among the more quietly understated acts of on-field leadership. Arsenal needed it, though. They were outplayed by PSG for most of this 2-2 draw, overrun in midfield and flattered to escape with a point.In avoiding defeat they were indebted to a moment of stirring incision against the head from Özil, who has often been accused of disappearing in these big games. “As soon as there is physicality involved, Özil disappears,” Raymond Domenech, always good...
Often criticised for being too languid and casual, Özil’s reinvention as a playmaker who has added striker’s runs looks intriguingly transformativeBasking in the glow of the masterpiece match-winner that was the talk of Europe this week, Mesut Özil made his way serenely, contentedly, back towards London. It seemed as if half of Bulgaria wanted a bit of him before he left. He gladly had time for everyone – finessing every photo, every signature, every word of appreciation with a special touch.It was not so long ago this particular player’s body language was routinely picked apart. He was too languid. Too casual. Did not want to know. Wilted under pressure. All softness without the required substance. Too many big games passed...
The Premier League does not do anniversary awards. But if it did, Arsenal could have designed this defeat of Chelsea as a perfect homage to their managerClose your eyes, Arsène. Now … Open them. Happy 20th anniversary! Yes, that’s right. It’s exactly what you’ve always wanted. For one perfect half at the Emirates Arsenal produced something sublime, 45 minutes that contained pretty much the full set of Wenger-isms entwined in a relentless performance of sinuous passing football.This was Wengerball in excelsis on a muggy, grey north London late afternoon, the footballing equivalent of one of those Evening-With-Ronnie-Corbett-style affairs, where some garlanded old ham gets to stand centre-stage and beam munificently while his favourite anecdotes, his most wonderful personal qualities are...