• Premier League

Ozil 'happy' with 'up and down' season

Mesut Ozil missed a penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League © Getty Images

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Arsenal forward Mesut Ozil admits he has had an "up-and-down" season, but says he is "happy" with his first year in the Premier League.

Ozil, who signed from Real Madrid for a club-record £42 million in August, has scored five goals and provided 10 assists but missed several key fixtures, including much of Arsenal's run-in when their title challenge faded away and they were knocked out of the Champions League.

Three Arsenal players in Germany squad

• Mesut Ozil is one of four Premier League players in Germany's provisional 30-man World Cup squad.
• Ozil will be joined by Arsenal team-mates Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski as well as Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle.
• Head coach Joachim Loew's squad will be reduced by at least four following Tuesday's friendly with Poland before the final 23 is named on June 2.

He has also come in for criticism from fans and pundits for some flaky performances and Wenger admitted the midfielder had let his costly - and casually taken - Champions League penalty miss against Bayern Munich in February "affect him" too much.

Wenger has also told Ozil he wants more goals from him but ,speaking to German tabloid Bild, the 25-year-old said: "I've had ups and downs, but I'm satisfied. Arsenal haven't won a title for 10 years, and next Saturday we can win the FA Cup.

"For me that would be for me the third cup victory in the third country."

When asked if it hurts to be accused of going missing in important games, such as defeat to Bayern Munich that ended Arsenal's European ambitions for another season, the midfielder replied: "No, sometimes that happens. In Munich I was injured after three minutes, but wanted to continue playing. I'm happy with my first season."

Turning his attention to the summer's World Cup, Ozil, who has been selected in Germany's provisional 30-man squad, said: "When I stand on the pitch and the whole world is looking at me, I will forget the heat and humidity.

"Then I can have fun like a little boy. We will cope with the weather.

"Football is a team sport. I want to do my part, but we have to work as a collective. There are some teams that are among the favourites.

"Of course, we want to be world champions. A third place or playing good football is no longer enough for us."

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