Ozil needs to find confidence, says Wenger

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger believes Mesut Ozil is in need of a boost to his confidence after his run without a goal extended after a 2-0 Premier League win at home to Hull City on Saturday.

The Germany international has not found the net since December 12 when he scored against Stoke City, Ozil making eight Premier League appearances since his last goal.

Ozil was lacklustre against Hull, spurning numerous chances to shoot, with Wenger believing the playmaker needs to score to provide an important shot to his confidence.

"Maybe it's time for him to score a goal again," Wenger said after Arsenal bounced back from successive Premier League losses.

"He needs to find confidence again. He misses chances that don't look unfeasible for him.

"I felt he was not completely confident, technically. That's a problem, because you think he can deliver something special.

"It's true that technically he did things that he is not used to doing. I don't know. It can happen. I can't think of a specific reason. I had a chat with him on Friday. He looked alright."

Despite Ozil's loss of confidence, Wenger is upbeat about Arsenal's chances in their Champions League last-16 tie at Bayern Munich on Wednesday, although they have not reached the quarter-finals since 2010.

"Yes, we've had bad experiences against them," Wenger said, referring to his side having exited the competition against Bayern twice in the last four seasons. "But I feel that this is a good opportunity.

"We have won there before and we play the first game away from home, so it's important we protect the second game because I feel that to have a chance to qualify in the second leg, that will be very important. We go there not high, but to defend well as a team."