The epitome of what the assist is all about.

Vision. Chemistry. Selflessness.

When you could score, easily. But instead you pass.

 

 

 

Mesut Özil, time to be declared the EPL’s passing king.

 

Because when you’ve made the goalkeeper strike a pose like this…

You’ve officially won the game of Assist.

 

 

I mean, look at the guy.

It’s like when you’ve rushed down the stairs, feeling the floor greet you one step earlier than you’d wanted. Your knees launching into your throat.

When you shoot your hand up in class, with the wrong answer.

When you’re filled with air, dancing outside of a car dealership.

 

 

 

And so Mesut Özil—with this you’re officially the winner, in this game of Assist.

Not cheeky, nor clever, but…

“Impish”, they were calling it across the pond.

 

GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Bournemouth. It might be Henrikh Mkhitaryan's name on the scoresheet but you won't see a more impish assist than Mesut Ozil's all season.

— Layth (@laythy29) February 27, 2019

 

 

The most simple of passes, but the kind hardly anyone would care to attempt. With a near-open goal ahead, with time, with a keeper leaping off of his line desperately…

And, to the smiling delight of everyone who saw it, what none of them anticipated.

 

Mesut Ozil is all competition for Arsenal

🏟 216 games
⚽️ 42 goals
🎯 68 assists

Form is temporary, Class is permanent. #ARSBOU pic.twitter.com/Z8ShDjgI8L

— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) February 27, 2019

 

 

There should be an award, for play like this.

Not the best of the year, exactly.

 

But the official, the inaugural…

 

EPL Impish Pass of the Year.