OZIL'S SECRET WEAPON FOOTBALL

In modern football, the vast majority of top-class European clubs agree on the basic principles of attacking play. It's extremely rare to see a half-decent side knock a long ball from defence, and it's become increasingly uncommon to witness relentless crossing from wide. 

Instead, top-level football is about short passing, through-balls, and exploiting pockets of space either side of the opposition defence. There are certain qualities you unquestionably require to play this way: patient midfield passers to initiate the buildup, incisive creators capable of penetration and quick forwards who can sprint beyond defences. 

However, you also want intelligent movement, in order for players to locate space for themselves and create space for teammates. Movement remains the most underrated quality in attacking play -- it's less obvious than raw speed, less quantifiable than reliable or incisive passing, but it can be equally important. Oscar was Chelsea's best player against Hull on the opening weekend of the season because of his contribution without the ball, rather than his (considerable)quality in possession.