Tuesday, 17 September 2013

Tottenham's Christian Eriksen: I'm no match for new Arsenal hero Mesut Ozil.. yet - Mirror.co.uk

Christian Eriksen has played down comparisons with Arsenal superstar Mesut Ozil, and says the Gunners' Germany playmaker has set the standards he wants to reach.

Eriksen, who looks a bargain buy at just £11.5million from Ajax at the end of the window, showed skill and vision in the build-up to both goals as Spurs beat Norwich 2-0 on Saturday.

Ozil was just as outstanding on his Premier League debut the same day, teeing up Olivier Giroud for Arsenal's first goal at Sunderland and pulling the strings in their 3-1 win.

Eriksen believes Ozil - who has won the Spanish title at Real Madrid and starred at the 2010 World Cup - has given him something to aim for.

He said of the 24-year-old: "I think Ozil has achieved a little bit more than me! I am a few years younger and still have to learn a lot but it is nice to be compared.

"Some players are booed in the first games and then are good.

"Hopefully the fans will not do that to me! But there will be mistakes. I am 21, but I hope I will make as few mistakes as possible."

He then joked: "From what I have heard, it is not good to be compared with Arsenal players! But really, it is pretty cool to be compared with such big players."

Eriksen has also revealed he signed for the White Hart Lane club after chairman Daniel Levy wrapped up negotiations within days.

He explained that Liverpool never followed up their initial interest in him and insisted it was "the big men" - Levy and Technical Director Franco Baldini - who showed that Spurs meant business.

Eriksen said: "I talked a little bit with the manager but I had more to do with the chairman and the director Baldini. They were they guys who really had the right words.

"It really impressed me that they wanted it so badly and wanted to do it so quickly.

"The first contact was with my agent and they talked and discussed all the things they normally do.

"Then afterwards my agent talked to me and I said, 'Go on, I really want to hear what they have got to say'.

"The day after he was [in London] to look and see everything and talk with the big men, then the day after, they went to Amsterdam to negotiate with Ajax. The next day, Monday, I was here for a medical. It went really quick. Just four days.

"It just felt right. When I talked to my agent, it just felt right. The things they said. When it got to looking around it just felt even more right and it was pretty easy for me to say yes."

Asked whether he was ever close to a move to Liverpool, Eriksen added: "No. That was just rumours. There was nothing really concrete."

Spurs sit second in the Premier League table behind neighbours Arsenal.

But Eriksen is already well aware of the bitter rivalry between the two teams and the need to finish on top.

He said: "We will have to turn that around for a start. I also come from a club where the rivalry was very big, with Feyenoord.

"I wasn't there when they Spurs] played Arsenal two weeks ago but I am excited about the home game."

The weekend win means Tottenham have taken nine points from 12 available.

Asked to assess their title chances, Eriksen went on: "Really good. It looks really good. It is different.

"We are in a new squad and still have to learn about everything and everybody, but like I said before, we have had a good beginning and it is pretty easy to play with such good players."

Watch 10 crackers Eriksen scored in his Ajax days:

 

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