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Arsenal win more, lose less, score more, concede fewer goals and pick up more points when Mesut Ozil plays, stats published by fantasy football game Oulala.com reveal.
The numbers from Opta do not back up former Gunners defender Martin Keown’s claim that Arsene Wenger doesn’t need Mesut Ozil.
In fact, despite the goalless draw at Chelsea earned in his absence, the data shows Arsenal are far better in every department when he plays.
Oulala.com went back to the 2013-14 season to analyse how Arsenal have fared with and without Ozil in the Premier League.
In the 120 league games that Ozil has featured, Arsenal have won 72 (60%), while in the 37 he has missed, they have won 19 – their win rate dropping by nine per cent (51%).
Arsenal also lose fewer games when Ozil plays – 22 defeats (18%) from his 120 league appearances compared to 10 defeats (27%) in the 37 matches he has missed.
At both ends of the pitch, Arsenal improve with the 28-year-old in the side. They score more goals with him (1.87 per game) than without him (1.74) and concede fewer, an average of 0.95 per game when he plays to 1.38 when he doesn’t.
Overall, the Gunners register more points per game (2.02) when Ozil features, to 1.76 when he doesn’t.
Does Keown really still believe that Arsenal are better without Mesut Ozil?