Ozil is back – Wenger hails Arsenal star after he torments West Ham again

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Mesut Ozil is back to his peak fitness and fully focused once again after tormenting West Ham in Wednesday’s 3-0 Premier League victory.

Wenger’s side went into the clash at the Emirates Stadium having won just three of their last 10 matches in all competitions, but second-half goals from the Germany international, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud got them back on track.

Ozil also registered an assist, making it only the second top-flight game he had scored and assisted in this season – the other being the reverse fixture against West Ham, which Arsenal won 5-1 in December.

“I feel that he is back physically, with focus,” Wenger said of Ozil at his post-match media conference.

“I know him quite well – he and I felt he had been hit hard by us going out in the Champions League and it took him some time to recover from that mentally.

“I feel for a few weeks now in training he is really focused again and that comes out in the game.

“We live in a world of extremes. We are always praised maybe more than we deserve it when it goes well and punished more than we deserve it when it doesn’t go well, but that’s our world.”

The win ensured Arsenal moved up to fifth and within four points of the top four following Manchester City’s 2-1 loss at Chelsea. Wenger’s men also hold at least one game in hand on all of the teams above them.

No, we haven’t forgotten how to win @Arsenal #COYG #Thereslifeintheoldladyyet pic.twitter.com/vQJ4lvGRC2

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) April 5, 2017