Mesut Ozil insists he has become more of a leader for Arsenal this season, dismissing suggestions that he should be more vocal on the pitch.
Ozil's soft-spoken nature has sometimes led to criticism that he doesn't do enough to fire up his teammates, but the Germany international said he has become more outspoken, even if he still does not feel the need to shout at people.
"I don't have to be loud, I don't have to slate people in the dressing room," Ozil said in an interview with the April edition of Arsenal Magazine.
"That's never been my way, but I've spoken a lot in front of the squad this season, especially in the situations where we've been behind at half-time and I've encouraged the team. It's the same on the pitch."
This month I've been assisting the @ArsenalMagazine👍😉 Make sure you read my interview! https://t.co/v6b0vxRsEl pic.twitter.com/nKwyhicGLU
- Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) March 21, 2016
Ozil's third season at Arsenal has been by far his best, and he tops the Premier League with 18 assists so far -- just two shy of Thierry Henry's single-season record for the division.
Unlike his first two campaigns, Ozil has remained fit this season aside for some minor niggles and he said that has helped him become a bigger presence in the dressing room.
"When you're always there for the team, when you're playing every week, you become a leader," he said. "Like I mentioned, I don't shout at my teammates, I don't have a go at them when they do something wrong. I prefer to talk to them and help where I can. I want to be there for the team but I think that's a normal way to look at things."
One example of that is helping Egypt midfielder Mohamed Elneny adjust to his new teammates after joining from Basel in January.
"In training, he often looks for me because he's more of a defensive midfielder and I play in front of him," Ozil said. "I remember playing with him away at Tottenham.
"When someone is getting used to the team, it's important to guide them in some situations, so I tried to help by letting him know where to be in some situations, when to pass the ball, encouraging him to play his game. I know that feeling, when you come to a new club, a new country. It's normal to help."
That also extends to the crop of young players coming up at Arsenal, including Nigeria international Alex Iwobi and German winger Serge Gnabry.
"It's important to give those young players belief, bt they still have to find their own path," Ozil said. "No matter how much time I spend trying to help a young player, it won't mean anything if they don't believe that they can make it through."
Like Wenger, Ozil has high hopes for both Iwobi and Gnabry, even though the two players have had very different seasons.
Iwobi has dominated the headlines after scoring his first Arsenal goal on his full Premier League debut in the 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday. Gnabry, though, returned to North London in January after a failed loan spell at West Bromwich Albion and has yet to even make the bench for the Gunners.
"Alex Iwobi has amazed me with the way he's performed for the first team recently," Ozil said. "Then there's Serge Gnabry, who I like a lot as a player. He's really robust, very determined and with a real will to win. I think they can really achieve a lot."
Whether Arsenal can achieve their target this season is more doubtful, with Premier League leaders Leicester currently 11 points clear of the Gunners, who have one game in hand.
Ozil said breaking Henry's Premier League assist record will mean little if Arsenal end the season without a trophy.
"I don't play the game to smash records," he said. "I know what I can do and I know that I'm one of the best assist makers in the world, but it's all about titles for me. If I have a great season but we don't win anything, what does it bring me?"