Arsene Wenger has revealed that Arsenal's Champions League failure this season had a hugely negative effect on Mesut Ozil.
The Gunners lost 10-2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 of Europe's elite club competition and since then, playmaker Ozil has been nowhere near his best for the North Londoners.
But Ozil was back in form tonight with the opening goal as Arsenal bounced back onto the winners' list with a 3-0 triumph over London rivals West Ham United in the Premier League.
According to ESPN journalist Mattias Karen, Wenger mentioned that the team's disastrous European end knocked Ozil around and he has only now recovered.
Wenger says Ozil was hit hard by Champions League exit, "and it took him a while to recover from that mentally." But focus is back now.
— Mattias Karén (@MattiasKaren) April 5, 2017
Ozil netted his first goal since mid-December when firing across Hammers keeper Darren Randolph from outside the area on 58 minutes before teeing up Theo Walcott for a second on 69 minutes with a lovely ball form the left.
Substitute Olivier Giroud then wrapped it up with a fabulous curling finish with his left foot from the right side of the box to send Arsenal back to fifth on the table.
Source: tribalfootball.com