Mesut Ozil signing papers over Arsenal cracks

Mesut Ozil is a great signing by Arsene Wenger - but he's joining a threadbare Arsenal squad

Wenger still facing up to a tough season (©GettyImages)

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On Sunday 1 September, pundits and fans alike were questioning Arsene Wenger's abilities in the modern transfer market and the strength of Arsenal's squad.
On Monday 2 September, Wenger was heralded as a genius, with the arrival of Mesut Ozil for £42.4 million dubbed the transfer of the window.
Ozil is undoubtedly a world class talent. After his performances for Germany in the 2010 World Cup, many top teams, including Manchester United, fought with Real Madrid for his signature.

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During his time in Madrid, he topped the La Liga assist charts in each of his three seasons as he confirmed his position as one of the world's best creative midfielders.
However, Arsenal's weakness did not lie in Ozil's position. Pundits said that Wenger needed to target a goalkeeper, a strong central defender, a defensive midfielder, a left winger and a world class striker.
Other than Ozil, Arsenal brought in Yaya Sanogo, a 20-year-old striker on a free transfer, Mathieu Flamini, an ex-Gunner who has rejoined on a free transfer and Emiliano Viviano, a second choice goalkeeper who has been brought in on a season-long loan.
These are hardly the standard of player who are going to change Arsenal's recent fortunes. Although Arsenal fans are right to feel optimistic at their club's ability to sign a leading player for a substantial fee, they would be naive to believe that Ozil will be the answer to their recent problems.
And although Wenger will feel content that his critics seem to have been silenced, he will now feel the pressure that the increased expectation that the arrival of Ozil will provide - expectations that, in my opinion, this Arsenal squad will struggle to fulfil.
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