SWANNY'S WORLD OF SPORT: Mesut Ozil? You're having a laugh

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil has gone into hiding.

The Arsenal play-maker disappeared as usual when the going got tough. The top players carry a side when they are struggling for form, but Ozil, like Alexis Sanchez, is clearly no Marcus Maddison.

This should have been Arsenal’s season, They are set to finish above Chelsea and the Manchester clubs and yet still only collect a bronze medal at best.

The rest of the PFA short-list is fair enough. Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and N’Golo Kante have been brilliant, while Spurs striker Harry Kane and West Ham’s Dimitri Payet have been both clinical and richly entertaining.

Leicester's Wes Morgan has been better than Mesut Ozil this season.

But Ozil? I can think of 10 players more worthy of inclusion on a list that must have been drawn up with the help of Piers Morgan’s laughable Twitter timeline.

Where’s Dele Alli for a start? I know the Spurs midfielder is a shoo-in for the top young player’s prize, but his influence, in his first season above League One level remember, on Spurs has been far greater than Ozil’s on Arsenal. Don’t forget the Gunner is a German international.

And why are there always so few defenders/goalkeepers on the short-list? Or none in this year’s offering.

David De Gea is alongside Peter Cech, David Seaman and Peter Schmeichel as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history.

Sergio Aguerro has been much better than Mesut Ozil this season.

Single-handedly he has stopped Manchester United becoming an even bigger laughing stock (yes, it is possible) during the Louis Van Gaal years. De Gea has won United far more points than Ozil has won for Arsenal.

And what about Wes Morgan, Robert Huth, Danny Simpson and Christian Fuchs? Leicester, before employing wrestling tactics against West Ham last weekend, have been winning 1-0 when the pressure is its greatest. Those four defenders and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel deserve more plaudits than they’ve received this season. They’ve all surpassed wildest expectations and that should count for plenty in awards season.

Everyone expects Sergio Aguerro to be brilliant, but few would have predicted Manchester City’s lame attempt to win the Premier League title.

Despite this Aguerro has banged in 27 goals. He’s only half-fit half the the time as well. Better and more influential than Ozil? I think so.

Romelu Lukaku has been prolific in a dodgy Everton side, while Brazilian Willian has carried the worst Chelsea side in the Roman Abramovich era. Both are more worthy of reward than anyone in Arsenal’s misfiring line-up.

For the record I’d vote for Kante as player of the year.

My team of the year would be: De Gea, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Alli, Kante, Payet, Mahrez, Vardy, Kane. Subs: Schmeichel, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Willian, Lukaku, Aguerro.