Ozil: I'm loving life in the Premier League... apart from my karaoke initiation at Arsenal!



Mesut Ozil says he has felt 'little pressure' despite the Premier League representing a step up in intensity from La Liga.

The Arsenal playmaker, who moved from Real Madrid for £42.5million on deadline day last month, has impressed in his first few appearances for the Gunners.

And despite the move being somewhat unexpected, he has adapted seamlessly to life in London and the English game.



Seamless transition: Mesut Ozil says he is enjoying life at Arsenal and in the Premier League, having made light work of his £42.5m price tag

Pointing the way: The German playmaker said predictions Arsenal will win the Premier League title are premature

Speaking to the German Football Federation's website DFB.de while on international duty, Ozil said: 'In football I feel generally very little pressure.

'I am doing what I enjoy most and what I do best. I love my work, so I just look forward to every game and do not concern myself so much with what others day or write.

'The pressure that I have, I mainly put on myself because I expect a high level of myself. But with this I can handle pressure very well and hide everything very well.'

The 24-year-old scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 2-0 Champions League win over Napoli last week and has caught the eye with some impressive assists too.

'For me, the Premier League is the strongest league in the world,' he added. 'Even with my first few games, I've noticed how balanced the league is.

German club: Ozil goes in to tackle compatriot Per Mertesacker during an Arsenal training session

International duty: Ozil receives instructions from Germany manager Joachim Low as the Nationalmannschaft prepare for their World Cup qualifiers with Ireland and Sweden

'This means that you will always be fully tested in each game - the games are very intense. I believe that I will benefit from it.

'Also striking is the atmosphere in the stadiums, the support of the fans - even the away fans - is impressive.'

Arsenal currently lead the Premier League standings on goal difference from Liverpool and head into the international break in high spirits.

Ozil is expected to play a full part in Germany's World Cup qualifiers with the Republic of Ireland and Sweden, from which they require just one point to reach Brazil.



Account open: Ozil scored his first Arsenal goal in the Champions League win over Napoli

But he insists any talk of Arsenal winning their first Premier League title since 2004 is premature.

He said: 'Hold on! We are now first, I'm happy about that. But we know that the season is still very long.

'To talk now about the championship is far too early. We continue to have a focused approach to each game and will try to do better as a team.

'If we do that, we have a great opportunity to achieve much. For that I will give everything.'

Ozil credits his compatriots in the Arsenal squad - Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld - for helping him adapt, though the traditional karaoke initiation was not to his liking.

Helping hand: Fellow German Lukas Podolski has helped Ozil settle in

'When I sing, I do not like my voice. I do not think my colleagues understood what I sung, but I was glad that that is behind me.

'I must admit that there is still a little hitch with my English, because I definitely have to work on it.

'Even so it is important to me that at Arsenal so much German is spoken. Especially with Lukas and Per I have a very good relationship, we understand each other really well.

'The guys are all great, they help me and support me really fantastically. This is true for the whole team.

'The players at Arsenal are all very easy going, they come up to me, we laugh a lot and have fun. I really cannot say anything negative.'