Mesut Ozil needs to take more risks in front of goal - Arsene Wenger

LONDON -- Arsene Wenger has urged Mesut Ozil to take more risks in front of goal following his wonder-strike that handed Arsenal a 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.

Ozil scored a difficult left-foot volley in the 23rd minute -- the kind of effort that usually ends up high in the stands -- which was enough to earn three points. It was only his third goal of the season but another reminder that the playmaker, who is much more known for his assists, can be a lethal finisher as well.

Wenger described the volley as "superb," adding that it's the kind of thing he wants to see more of from Ozil.

"You know he can deliver it, and it's important for him to take the risk to do what he did," Wenger told a news conference.

"Because usually he's a guy who, 99 percent of the time in these positions he controls the ball and gives it to somebody else. So I'm happy that he took the gamble to finish. And happy as well that he scored a very important goal."

Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Alexandre Lacazette, Hector Bellerin and Alex Iwobi all missed good chances to kill off the game, which allowed the visitors to put Arsenal under pressure for the last 10 minutes, but Newcastle's finishing also let them down.

Arsenal: Cech 6 – Bellerin 6, Koscielny 6, Monreal 5, Maitland-Niles 6.5 – Ozil 8, Xhaka 4, Wilshere 7 – Iwobi 5 (Welbeck 5), Lacazette 6 (Giroud 5), Sanchez 6 (Coquelin 5).

Newcastle United: Elliot 7 – Yedlin 6, Lascelles 6.5, Lejeune 5, Manquillo 5.5 – Murphy 7 (Gayle 5), Merino 6 (Diame 5), Hayden 5, Atsu 6 (Ritchie 5) – Joselu 7, Perez 6.

Man of the match: Ozil.

Referee: Stuart Attwell. 

Ozil will be a huge loss to Arsenal if he leaves. Goals like the one he scored on Saturday are the kind of moments that stave off outright rebellion. Arsenal may not have a chance of winning the league but if they can watch Ozil every week, it is a decent consolation.

Some curmudgeons (a bad-tempered or surly person) still damn Ozil because he does not throw himself into tackles but he remains a delight to watch, a feast of exquisite technique and clever vision, a player whose mind works at a faster speed than many of his rivals. And many of his teammates.