The criticism Mesut Ozil has received at Arsenal is laughable, says Bayern Munich star Philipp Lahm

Laughable: Lahm has hit out at the criticism Ozil has received in England
Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Sam Long4 November 2015

Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm believes the criticism Mesut Ozil has received at Arsenal has been 'laughable'.

The midfielder became the Gunners' record signing when he joined Arsene Wenger's side from Real Madrid two years ago but initially failed to reproduce his best form in north London.

The 27-year-old's performances still continue to divide opinion and Lahm, who has played alongside Ozil at international level, believes his compatriot's footballing intelligence does not get the recognition it deserves.

"It was laughable when he was being questioned after his move to Arsenal.

"It doesn't matter how good you are, everybody needs time to settle in a new league.

"Especially a league like England, where you don’t get as much time on the ball, and of course the game is a lot more physical.

"Mesut is probably the most intelligent player I have ever played with, he is probably the most intelligent player in Europe today.

"Mesut sees things only he can. His vision is as good as I have ever seen," explained the full back.

Lahm, whose Bayern Munich side host Arsenal in the Champions League tonight, is adamant that Ozil's style is often misunderstood but his contribution is invaluable.

"People don’t necessarily understand his game, he isn’t there to run at players or even beat them, he is far more intelligent than that.

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"He finds space and creates chances for his team-mates, and you only need to look at the assist table to understand there is nobody better than him at that."

Ozil has provided more assists than any other player in Europe's top five leagues this season with a total of nine.

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