Mesut Özil is public enemy No1 in the Premier League this week. For most players, a run of just two abject performances would usually go unnoticed but, rightly or wrongly, Özil has been thrust into the spotlight. Since his arrival from Real Madrid, Özil has come under scrutiny in England for his perceived lack of defensive workrate, but is it fair to blame Arsenal’s woes on their record signing?

While fans and pundits are quick criticise Özil, the fact that Wenger’s side struggle when he isn’t at the races does show how important he is to the team. As his manager would attest, Özil isn’t in the team to break up play in defensive positions but to create opportunities in the final third. If he’s doing neither, as was the case against Manchester City and Everton, there is a problem, but that hasn’t been the norm this season.

His return of two assists in the league is extremely modest given his ability and record, but his connection with Alexis Sánchez is still far and away Arsenal’s greatest weapon. In fact, their roles have been somewhat reversed this season, with Özil scoring five goals, four of which have been laid on by Sánchez. No other combination has been more fruitful in the Premier League.

The fact that Sánchez has scored 12 goals himself is making Özil seem less influential than he is. It’s not just from an attacking standpoint that Özil is in some ways the victim of his team-mate’s success. The two are very different players, which was abundantly clear when they were signed, but Sánchez’s indomitable workrate and commitment only serve to magnify Özil’s lackadaisical mannerisms.

The German is making fewer tackles in the Premier League this season than he has in any other season before. He has made 0.7 tackles per game, the fifth lowest return from the 23 players who have made at least 10 starts as attacking midfielders. He has made half as many tackles as Philippe Coutinho, Delli Alli and Theo Walcott (all 1.4), while Sánchez has also averaged almost twice as many (1.2 per game).

Dimitri Payet has a similar style of play to Özil and, even though he has faced some criticism for his perceived lack of desire, Payet’s average of just 0.4 tackles per game has come under far less scrutiny. One of the other four players below Özil in tackles is Eden Hazard (0.5 per game), who has faced no such flak for a number of reasons. For a start, Hazard is playing in a team that has won their last 11 games. He is also more explosive than Özil and his ability to breeze past defenders earns him forgiveness from fans. Hazard also benefits from a system at Chelsea that is more liberating than the one Özil finds himself in at Arsenal – so when Özil fails to put in a defensive shift it is more of an issue.

Özil does not make many tackles but, when you analyse how often he wins the ball in advanced areas, the German is pulling his weight. Having won possession in the attacking third 16 times this season, Özil is level in second in the league with Sánchez. Given that Sánchez has played an extra game, it’s harsh to suggest that Özil doesn’t contribute defensively. Interestingly, the only player in front of the Arsenal pair is Hazard. For players in their position, winning the ball high up the pitch is the vital defensive statistic.

Sadio Mané (15), Kevin De Bruyne (14), Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling (both 11) all rank highly but are all below Özil. That Theo Walcott has made twice the number of tackles as his team-mate this season but won possession in the attacking third half as many times (eight) suggests that Wenger wants his wide men to track back and play deeper to allow Özil to do what he does best.

This approach was working well until a week ago, but the argument can still be made that in the big games against sides that will have more possession – as City did at the weekend (61%) – Özil can be more of a hindrance than a help. For that reason the manager should be taking some of the blame for not resolving a problem that has cropped up on numerous occasions. But if Arsenal were to drop their record signing and lose a big game, Wenger would face massive criticism from fans and pundits alike.

The statistics suggest that the reaction to Özil’s performance has been blown out of proportion. Yes, he rarely tracks back, but in Wenger’s system that is the job of the wingers and as long as Özil continues to win the ball high up the pitch – as he has been doing – he is doing his job. Moreover, given that he started every game for Germany at Euro 2016, has missed just one Premier League match this season and has started every game in the Champions League, his latest showings could be attributed to fatigue.

Özil doesn’t help himself at times with his demeanour but that’s a reflection of his personality. Just as you’ll never get Sánchez to hold back and take a break, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Özil sprinting around when the opposition have the ball. You have to take the rough with the smooth and, when Özil is at his exceptional best, there are few smoother.

Premier League team of the week

La Liga team of the week

Bundesliga team of the week

Serie A team of the week

Ligue 1 team of the week

• Follow WhoScored on Twitter and Facebook

• Follow Martin Laurence on Twitter