Yesterday, we reported on Bernd Leno’s remarks about the underperforming Arsenal side, who are on the worst run of form of since 1959 and not looking likely to pull out of it any time soon.
Leno pulled no punches when he said: “The attitude is bad, the discipline is lacking and we have no self-confidence.” and the German should be listened to as he is there on the training ground every day and playing in every game as well, so has close up knowledge of the situation.
Many JustArsenal readers have been blaming Mikel Arteta’s management as the reason for our slump, but Leno said that the Boss could not be faulted, saying: “That [pressure on Arteta] is not an issue at all. The coach is least to blame for the fact that we are in this situation.
“If you look at the way we were running around on the pitch at times, then the players are the only ones to blame. I have to be honest about that.”
Another theoyr being mooted by readers is that the presence of Mesut Ozil in training every day, could be a factor, but Leno has also ruled that out of the equation. “That is of course a difficult question,’ Leno continued on Sky Germany. “He’s not even registered for the first half of the season, so he wouldn’t be an option until January, if at all. The trainer made that decision.
‘Of course, Mesut has exceptional quality, there is no question about that. But the coach selected 25 other players, we have to accept that.
‘He trains quite normally, he behaves professionally, and gets along well with everyone else. Mesut does not bring any negative energy into the group. Everything else is not in his or my hands either.’
So, Ozil may not directly be a problem in the training ground, but surely his presence must be a destabilizing factor, especially if he is playing well while our underperforming midfielders keep getting games and making a pigs ear of the job.
But the fact is that there is something desperately wrong at the club at the moment, and Leno thinks it is just the players that need to buck up their ideas.
Whatever the cause, Arteta needs to fix it very quickly with games against high-flying Everton, Chelsea and Man City coming on the horizon this coming week…
The attitude is bad the discipline is lacking and we have no self confidence. Apart from that things are going great 😄🙂😃
That you Arteta?
Just because thr man is not causing riots, does not mean his presence is not causing issue. He is one of the most senior players and longest serving for the club. Many of the younger players watching him coming up.
How do you train normally and play freely knowing that for some weird reason. Weather it is due to form, due to politics or what. Your manager has not protected your team mate even though he is considered one of the top players at your club and in the world by many.
I for one sure as hell wouldn’t feel safe. Even worse if it is due to politics and not form. I mean if its due to form thats bad enough. Knowing you or your team mates could be cut for good making simple mistakes. But for politics. Because of your beliefs. Because you are doing what you feel is right. Wow I think that’s even worse mentally.
And before anyone says we do not know the full story. Whilst this is true, we can conclude that it is either form or politics and not ozils attitude or that he has disrespected the club or done something awful as the club would have terminated his contract or at minimum come out and said. Its obviously politics with the slight chance of infirm being the reason but I highly doubt it.
And of course ozil talks to his friends. Leno may not be one of the footballers he is closer to but if you were frozen out of your job. If u were invited to work to watch everyone else work and only do minimal tasts im sure your colleagues would ask you ejats going on.
Shut up leno. Did they pay you or are you just naive?
This is the start of artetas long list of screw ups.
#artetaout
Come February 1st 2021 I expect to see more than half of the current squad “exorcise” from the team base on bad attitude and lack of discipline. Exclusion of Ozil for similar reasons shows it can be done if that is the reason he wasn’t in the team. So Arteta so get rid of bad apples and make us great again.
Martinelli Nketiah
Saka. ESR. Willock. Nelson
KT. Gabriel. Saliba. AMN
Can we rely on our youngsters?
And none of them is above 24yrs.
Add an Omar Rekik to the list.
If Leno can discover where the problem lies, what about the manager. If he can’t discover that and fix it, then he’s got a problem. Ozil will always be a problem at Arsenal. Imagine all players working hard to keep the team afloat, and the highest paid player gets paid for training only. It’s discouraging whichever way you may look at it
@Armoury
Even if Mikel registered Ozil, he would probably still bench him and Ozil would be paid 350k to sit on the bench. If they tried terminating his contract, they’d have to pay it up in full. This would tell all other players, all you need to do is secure a big contract and slag off till you’re fired and get your money without having to work for it or wait the duration of your contract.
The biggest mistake was renewing Ozil. A lot of people could see back then he was not a good fit for this club. I mean, if we could allow Sanchez to leave, why not Ozil? Who was more important at this club between the two?
Are there people who actually believe Ozil is at fault for the teams current form ? That is crazy talk 😛
I heard Pepe and Xhaka were fined by Arsenal due to their misconducts. If it’s true, it’s a good step to discipline the players
I also believe in what Leno said about Ozil. Because Arteta has explained to each player about his selection plan before this season started, yet the unselected ones chose to stay and all players made their decisions in the summer
In my opinion, one of the main problems is Arteta assigned wrong personnel to some positions in his system. I’m just worried he’d make another mistake by getting a new CAM in January
@GAI
True, Ozil’s agent could have got him a loan deal away like Sanchez did at Inter. Arsenal would pay probably 200/250k of his salary and the other club the remainder. He’d get much needed game-time and rebuild (or maintain his reputation depending on who you ask). So why did Ozil choose to stay knowing very well he will not play? Mercenary.
For all Ozil haters, kindly listen properly to what Lenno is saying. Ozil was criticised for anything and everything that went bad at Arsenal. When he is praised for his qualities by no less than Lenno and many international ex players I simply never understood why there was so much hate against him. Anyway the crunch point is that MA must fix the rot asap before it goes beyond repair. What is happening to Arsenal is there for everybody to see however much anyone may pretend to deny and the buck stops with MA. He has got to get results asap.
As usual ozil is an old escape goat, I am pretty sure even when he is gone from club ppl will still find a way to blame the dude for our poor performances. They will say ozil is causing the rebellion in the club and when you will ask they how when he is not here, answer will be via zoom…😂😆
Arteta has alot of work to do ortherwise the team gone forever
Ozil’s salary used to bug me but I accept it now. It’s his right to keep it.
I’m sure he knew that he wasn’t in Arteta’s plans but decided to stay and fight for his place. This infuriated me and still does. He wasn’t picked after lockdown so was he going to get meaningful game time this season? Doubtful.
I don’t know why the club haven’t paid him off. They should have. I’ve no doubt that he is great to be around and keeps training well but unless by chance he is reintroduced in January then what has been the point? At that level it is down to the senior executives to have sorted out his status at the club. It surely can’t be beneficial having him there if he isn’t going to participate. It must have an effect on the squad (and this is not a snipe at Ozil)
SueP, the club not rid herself of Ozil is where the club makes grievous mistake. There must be something in the law that guides football contracts that will ensure a club to pay for player’s remaining contract and show him the door. Imo I think there is something about Ozil’s contract that prevented the club not to exploit that option. It maybe that the club is making money out of him.
Mobella
Maybe the club are making money but it would have to be more than his reported salary to make it worthwhile. Who knows?
But the thing is SueP as I have always argued where is ozil wrong in all this, he is abiding by the contract and if he will not turn up for training or does not turn up at club then it will breach of contract not only that fans will label him as some rebel with an worst attitude possible. I think he is doing the right thing, turning up for training, not causing trouble at training and being nice. He can not breach his contract why should he buy out his contract why should the club not buy out his contract and let him go, I would have done the same if I was in his position.
Mohsan
I think you misunderstood me
The club should buy out his contract at this stage
Whilst we are unlikely to agree on whether Ozil should be playing it makes no sense for the stalemate to continue
I was just hoping in SueP it was not a counter comment. Just adding into what you said 🙂
👍
So he is abiding by is contract? Lol
Only your favourites are allowed to abide by their contracts I see.
Why did Emery have to go? With the same logic he should have refused to leave as he had just another year left on his contract.
Wenger should have also refused to go because his contract still hada few years to go
Mourinho should never have left Chelsea, Madrid or United when he got sacked. He should have refused and saw our his contracts at all those clubs.
I didn’t see many people standing up for Mustafi, Sokratis, Xhaka, Elneny, Giroud etc. The same people were calling for all those players to be realeased even if their contracts were still running.
The same people were calling the club to get rid of Iwobi, Welbeck etc. Because they were deemed average and were not social media sweethearts to a large group of admirers. This was enough reason for our fans to be okay with the club ripping up their contracts and getting rid of them.
May be all the players in footballing history that were deemed surplus to requirements at their clubs shoulf have refused to leave their clubs. They had their contracts and should have honoured them no matter what the clubs or fans thought about it.
And to the hypocrite asking for Arteta to be sacked. Hasn’t he got another 4 years left on his contract too? Why do you think he should accept leaving if he still has many years left on his contract? I hope you guys stand by Areteta even if results don’t get better.
After all, he has 4 more years left on his contract and she can be loyal and abide by his contract.
Isn’t it?
😊🤞
@Goonster, what are you on about??? I have always had a stance that we are paying him then use him what’s the point of paying someone and not using him. Coming to your other point did UE and Wenger buy them selves out of their contract no they did not and they did not break the contract. It was club who decided to do so, hence the club had to pay the compensation for breaking the contract. All I am saying is when it suits the club and it is with in their reach they do buy out the contract and get rid of ppl whether they are players or managers, I do not oppose the club for doing it as well as long as they pay up the compensation because that is the lawful and ethical thing to do. I just do not agree with fans who want any player or manager to terminate their contract from their side and call them greedy…may it be UE or all you have listed. Simple example I put Infront of ppl is of Laurent K, he was promised by the club that he will be released in his last year but then all of a sudden club turned back on their commitment and as he had a contract he could not do anything apart from protesting n not joing up in tours. A lot of fans at that time call him trator and asked for him to respect the contract. Now the table have turned and fans are calling Ozil all sort of things for respecting his contract.
You can not have best of both worlds when it suits you, you ask other person to respect the contract and when it does not you ask other person to break the contract.
Let’s just try and step back from whether we are yes or no with regard to the player and think about the situation.
That’s what I’ve tried to do after digesting the JA recent poll result and the opinions stated from said poll.
This is Roy of the Rovers stuff, dividing our fan base like no other situation and, in my opinion, the time has come for our billionaire owner to act, buy out the players contract and let the club move forward…if not, reinstate him and use him when needed.
Then it’s up to Mikel to prove that he doesn’t need the player and up to Ozil to prove he doesn’t need Arsenal – history will tell us who was right – but will it really matter anyway this time next season?
SueP since Ozil hasn’t done anything wrong you need both parties to agree to it.
Ok Siamois
Are you suggesting that Ozil would turn that option down? I don’t know if he has the right to refuse but I’m sure someone will know the answer
The blamemeisters all need a scapegoat and Ozil is their scapegoat. The team are rubbish and Ozil is not part of the team, but they’ll probably still find a reason to hold him culpable. Makes me sad.
Although Wenger stayed too long, his way of relating to the players was HUMAN, sadly Arteta has forgotten how to include many human values. He is way too inexperienced and does not have the life skills or humanity to be an Arsenal manager. It’s all ‘talk the talk’. Don’t be fooled by it.
Arteta and Wenger do not belong in the same sentence. The lovefest for Arteta after unexpectedly winning the cup was justified. However, lest you forget, Martinez also won it with Wigan against a far superior City team. Arteta is likely a chap with a chip on his shoulder with by the look of it, little man management skills required for a squad like Arsenal’s. I want Arsenal to win on Saturday because that what fans hope for. If we do, I am OK with putting up with the futile Arteta experiment for another week. However, if we lose, he has to pack his bags and bugger off the same day. We went from having an institution as our coach to someone who, as Ken Follet aptly put it in one of his novels. is trying to fart higher than his orifice.
No matter how you look at it, the handling of Ozil was amateurish at best. From the board to the technical director to the manager they are all to blame.
The only plausible explanation for not selling him or settling his contract is wanting to make him feel miserable to a point where he quits on his own and terminates his contract. Leaks, exclusion from the team, character assassination and lies all failed to break him.
Kudos to the guy. He showed class on and off the field and hopefully his situation will help other players down the road.
ICW: Not sure it helps players down the road. Those on big contracts would have taken notice of the way Ozil is being treated, and this may or may not impact their performance.
👍….you put it right Icw. Fans need to understand supporting the club does not mean you have to support their wrongs.
Nonsense.
Ozil’s prescemce at the club and training ground when not playing is bound to be toxic along with his continued comments in Twitter and the like.
I also believe his close friendship to Kolasinac is likely a portal for internal leaks to the press
Roll in this summer where we can move on from a sad situation aking with removing 350k pw from the wage bill.
Also read a pundit talking about his suspicion Arteta was being told to leave out ozil as the manager would choose to have them available if possible knowing what he could bring.
Also look up Guillem Ballsgues article about Arsenal and what is it fault for the form.
I like Guillems opinions about football in general abd this article is a good read and makes perfect sense.
Still the Arteta hating!
Ozil is not the entire problem at arsenal but a big part of it that may or may not be Mikels decision.
Weve know for sometime that we need a large clear out.
Guillem Ballagues article on the BBC Website, Sport section discusses the fact he has Wenger’s emerys and a couple of his players and needs to build an army of mentally strong quality endowed footballers that are strong in mind and work ethic not.like our bunch of weaklings that make embarrased laughs when they make mistakes, (Leno being one of these).
**Not suggesting Leno should go though.**
Summer 2022 will be an exciting time the manager will have had two major windows, the African Kroneke buy out may have happened and we could be strong again, all depending on us not being in the Championship or League 1 by then.
I say this as the Championship is physically a beast and I think wed have a hard time there and be quite surprised how hard it is with the mix of pretty good quality football that is more physical than the PL.