Mesut Özil orchestrates for Arsenal – but can offer so much more

Though the German midfielder was influential in a wide role in the win at Cardiff, his manager has a right to expect better

Once again Mesut Özil looked across to the side of the pitch and saw his number was up. At Stamford Bridge two weeks ago it felt like a humiliation, the German hauled off by Unai Emery with 22 minutes of a finely-poised contest remaining and having to endure ironic cheers from the home supporters on the back of an ineffective display.

This time, on a warm afternoon in the Welsh capital, it was different. Özil was again substituted, but with only six minutes left of a game Arsenal were winning and in which this most enigmatic of figures suggested he does have a future at this club, with this manager, after all.

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