After an underwhelming 2016/17 season and constant speculation regarding his future, Mesut Ozil’s fantasy value has plummeted during the last 12 months.
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At this time last year, he was regarded as one of the best options for Draft Fantasy Football managers ahead of draft day after a superb previous campaign, during which he recorded the best creative stats since Opta started to compile them.
He ended the season with 19 assists and created 4.27 chances per ninety minutes. To provide context for these numbers, Kevin de Bruyne was the most creative player last season and he created 3.16 chances per ninety minutes.
Arsenal will not be playing in the Champions League this season and the squad will be hungry to correct that wrong over the coming season. After his individual underperformance, Ozil will have extra motivation to play well and prove to the world that he remains a world class player.
There have been many doubting that, but he has arrived back for pre-season training with a positive attitude and has said all the right things about his future with the Gunners. He has yet to sign a new deal, but the Mirror reported last week that the club are increasingly confident that an agreement will be reached.
Why would Mesut Ozil be a good pick-up in Draft Fantasy?
His reputation as a creative player speaks for itself and it is difficult to believe that he won’t show a significant improvement from last season.
Despite the German not performing to his best across the entire season, he still managed to contribute eight goals and nine assists, which equated to 167 points in the game.
He remained a top ten midfielder, but given small gains both physically and mentally this season, he could once again reach top five status.
The addition of Alexandre Lacazette increases his value in the game, as the French striker is intelligent with his movement in the final third.
His clever runs into pockets of space should play to Ozil’s strengths, as there are few better than the German than spotting a defence-splitting through ball before the defence has time to react.
The risk of drafting a player based on his creative value is that he relies on his team-mates to finish the chances that he creates. Lacazette has shown that he is a reliable finisher and their partnership could be fruitful for the Gunners.
Although his assists did decrease last season, the 28-year-old added more of a goal threat to his game, as he scored two more than the previous campaign. The change to a 3-4-3 formation should give him more opportunities to get on the ball in central areas and freedom to roam across the forward line.
His ability both to score and create mean that he is a great early draft pick this season. The uncertainty over Sanchez’s future also increases his value, as he is likely to enter the season as the key figure in the Gunners’ attack.
Where should he fall in your list of priorities?
A striker should be your first priority in the draft, but a high-ranking midfielder is a close second.
His slight drop-off in performance last season may deter some managers in Draft Fantasy, but he remains one of the most reliable midfield options in the game.
The signing of Lacazette increases his value significantly and there is a great chance that he regains a place in the top five scoring midfielders.
Ozil should be a first or second round draft pick. Despite his reputation, he does offer a risk based on the drop-off last season. However, he has arrived back to Arsenal in a positive frame of mind and he seems determined to show his worth in the Gunners’ midfield.
Ahead of the World Cup, he will want to prove that he remains one of the best midfielders in Europe. Ozil is hungry to succeed and that is never a bad mentality to have.
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