Is Mesut Ozil’s agent right to lay into “small-name” and envious Keown

Have we all been too harsh on Ozil and have we all judged him unfairly with his health issues?? by Eddie Hoyte

I didn’t watch our match against Leicester. I’m a music producer and i was at the studio all day. But we lost, and i’m glad I didn’t watch it. So i came online wanting to read some news and i came across this report made by Ozil’s agent. I’ve read Wenger saying Ozil had back problems and he’s been playing with it, but most of us have slammed Ozil, claiming he chooses what match he appears in, but have we all been unfair, if truly against medical advice’s we’ve been playing him?

Here’s the statement from Goal.

“I think that Martin Keown feels that just because he used to play football, it gives him the right to attack the current generation of stars,”

“Perhaps he just wants to remain relevant, or maybe it is due to jealousy?

“Is he envious about the money and exposure that current footballers have – I don’t know.

“But to sit there and criticise, and criticise, and criticise, time and time again, it’s getting a bit boring, in all honesty.

“He was an Arsenal reserve so left for Everton and Aston Villa because he wasn’t good enough.

“He returned to Arsenal but was still a reserve – always in the shadow of Adams/Bould/Dixon/Winterburn and then Campbell/Toure/Lauren/Cole. “His behaviour towards [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy at Old Trafford brought shame on Arsenal, he will say it showed his passion when really it was bad sportsmanship.

“If Mesut, or any other player in this era were to act like that, they would bring great shame upon themselves and their club.

“In the 2004 Invincible season, Arsene Wenger let him play the last minute vs Leicester to qualify for a winner’s medal.

“Otherwise he would not be an Invincible because he didn’t play enough games. He wasn’t a real part of the team.

“Even Keown’s team-mate Ray Parlour said publicly he would have killed Wenger if he did not let him come on the pitch against Leicester.

“This is again representative of the behaviour against Manchester United – he claims passion, whilst it is really aggression.”

“He spent time helping coach the defenders at London Colney some time ago but then it stopped. Why would it stop if he was so good and knew so much about the game?

“Was it that Arsene Wenger, the players and staff did not want him there?

“Since then, he has remained an outsider from the club – he has very little knowledge of the internal events at the club, and is in no position to comment with such confidence. Does he have access to medical records… no.

“He spent many years criticising Wenger. Then it is announced Wenger is leaving and Keown starts to say nice things about Wenger – and after the Burnley game he had the audacity to go on the pitch with the real, and loyal, legends like Robert Pires.

“He questions Mesut’s loyalty, but can’t stick behind his own arguments – how can his opinion be trusted or validated?

“On the same programme, even a former Tottenham player [Jermaine Jenas] said Mesut is not in the team to defend.

“Jenas said he watched Mesut for Real Madrid and Germany and he is in the team to create chances and assist the goals – why when he comes to Arsenal do people think he should completely change the style of play that has earned him so much success.

“This style of play has earned him more international success that most ever.

“With 89 caps for Germany (in what some would say is a golden era for the national team), he has won the most prestigious trophy in football. Keown achieved very little in his 43 caps for England.

“Arsenal will finish the season having scored 54 league goals at the Emirates; their joint-highest tally of home goals in a Premier League campaign, along with 2004/05. So attack is no problem.

“The problem is defence. How is this the fault of Mesut? Have you looked at how Mesut’s statistics compare to other Arsenal players? Maybe you should do that because you speak badly of him.

“Why is Mesut the only player Keown criticises? Yet similarly, he is loved by a strong majority of Arsenal fans across the world?

“When you are a small name compared to all the other football pundits on TV and radio like Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, is it simply a coincidence that you decide to repeatedly criticise the biggest name in the team?

“This harks back to the aforementioned points about jealousy and remaining relevant.

“Did you criticise Mesut with so much passion at a time when the fans were in pain after losing to Atletico because you knew it would give the fans a scapegoat and make you look like a hero who cares the most about Arsenal? They sang your name in the stadium so you must be happy with that.

“You said that Mesut was not loyal and would run down his contract and leave the club. Good prediction – he signed a new contract.

“Talking about loyalty and dedication, he has played throughout the season against medical advice. This has been kept hidden from the public, but when you’re attacked so viciously, it deserves a mention.

“We are responding to you not because your words hurt us but because they are wrong. You cannot break us as you cannot influence the fans and people at the club, all of whom love Mesut.

“Mesut wants to lead this club forward while you try to divide the club to keep yourself in the public eye and relevant with stupid, incorrect comments.

“You joke Mesut will have an ’emotional breakdown’. Do you think it is funny to joke about mental health?”.

So if it’ true he’s had this health issues and the reason why he missed a lot of matches. Have we all judged him wrongly??

Eddy

57 Comments

  1. Very good post if your an Ozil fan( which I am ).
    I too was disappointed with the comments Keown came out with.Mesut Ozil is by far the most talented footballer at Arsenal.He is World Class on his day.The trouble is those days are seen by many as too few.
    To get the best from the player he MUST be played in his best position.He is a No10.A playmaker.The man to create and make things happen.He is capable of good work rate but we should not need him to be chasing back defending.He is NOT a defender.
    Play to his strengths and you will get the best from the player.Ask his manager at Germany.He seems to know how to set up teams.

    1. His “day” should have come when Arsenal faced the ten men team at the Emirates, in the Europa League match

      What kind of world class playmaker and no 10 that cannot break a crippled team’s defense at a big home match?

      He must be replaced next season, if Arsenal want to get any major trophy. Hopefully they can get a more spirited attacking midfielder like Fekir

        1. Let’s remember we had a No 10 playing wide right that night.The whole issue is Ozil has rarely been allowed the free role he should be used in.He is not as effective out wide and that night against Madrid clearly showed that Wenger pushes our most created player out wide to accommodate a midfield to include Wilshere and Ramsey who are nowhere near as creative as Ozil.The player always seems to be blamed but he just isn’t the same deployed as wide as he is forced to play.Obvious I believr

          1. Wenger reached a point where his own ideas were behind time I can’t believe one day before the news broke out he was leaving he said he wasn’t concerned about match attendance because all season tickets were sold out

      1. Keown is right in every angle yes Ozil is a big name if we want to call that but he doesn’t justify to be paid £350,000 plus a week he is a luxury player and he needs to be replaced this coming season Arsenal gave him a new contract in order to try to recoup some money otherwise he was going to walk free after end of season and those are the main and serious mistakes Wenger made Sanchez,Wilshire,Ramsey etc our setup was very poor dealing with that part but need needs to be replaced by all accounts get somebody younger,,quicker and determinant

        1. Enagic We must all remeber that Ozil is on such high salary because he was almost a free agent, let’s just pretend we were buying him we would of had to pay around 45 to 65 million to a club which he had around two to three years contract left, so weather or not you love the guy his 350k a week is not unreasonable, if you put in to real terms taking out his salary let’s say for argument sake 150k a week it leaves 200k and that makes 10 million a year so we bought him for 30 million instead of 45 to 65millon great saving which ever way you look at it,

          Regarding his play I’m desapointed in him and if his injured like all our other players they should come out an announce it so we know WHY THE BIG SECRET ???

          1. Tas, Ozil’s 350k a week wage may not be unreasonable but he should work for the money. Some of us are tired of his excuses. He shouldn’t be choosing which games to play and which not to play on that huge wage.

        1. Go on YouTube and watch him then compare his work rate, skills as a footballer you will agree with everybody who favors him he is 100% better than Ozil – also Arsenal needs rebuilding process before next season some players need to go out and Ozil is one of them

          1. First of all he plays in Ligue 1…and Ozil has achieved a lot more individually and also in a team than Fekir. One does not win continuosly German player of the year for four years in a row and also he was the MOTM in the World Cup Final. Fekir is an exciting talent..but nothing he has done till now which can tell anyone he is better than Ozil. And you are most welcome to watch the YouTube videos of Ozil..!!

            1. You right..but we cant live on past grory you are talking about over 8 years ago when he used to play for werder bremen he was a super star no question but now we need Fekir who is younger also on Salah mould

              1. i would also choose Piotr Zielinski,Forsberg,Kerem, Fekir, leon bailey and Malcom above Ozil anytime you need to agree he is past

                1. Go ahead and get these players in FIFA18 or save them for FIFA19. You should stick to playing FIFA.

      1. I agree with the comments by Phil and Tas. The issue is the perceptions of people, including Martin Keown, when there is a lack of information on Ozil’s injuries, including Wenger’s wishy washy responses to the media.
        For Ozil’s agent to go on “Goal” and disparage Martin Keown is lowering himself greatly. Why didn’t he answer the comments, by elaborating on Ozil’s issues, rather than attacking the messenger?
        Let’s hope that a healthy Ozil, under a new manager, played centrally in his right position will thrive for Arsenal next season.
        However Ozil would not last against the hard men in the Premier League when Keown was playing.

  2. Mk is absolutely correct to be critical of Mesut
    I call him a phoney in our red and white shirt.
    When needed and he is required to step up, he steps backwards
    What frustrates me and a lot of other people is He has soo much talent and he wastes it.
    Forget what he earns because players earn what they earn but like the other week
    Althetico Madrid go down to 10 men and now I want him to boss it. When Jack went off and he was brought in to the middle to run the show all I saw was a boy in the middle
    Personally I want to a see a player who isn’t afraid to make mistakes but keeps moving forward with the ball
    For all the mouth watering passes he has made the other 80% is frustrating
    He is a player who has people split but for me I would move him on.

    1. Yea, i saw the comments too and i feel Ozil wrote that and gave it to the agent to spew out!

      I am not an Ozil fan and the fact is, he is one dimensional and very limited, which limits our play
      You cant even compare him to other well rounded number 10s like Debruyne, Silva, Coutinho and even Cazorla as he cant lead a team, he is not a complete playmaker,heck i will even have Payet over him tbh…He needs to be surrounded by stars to be above average just like Germany and Madrid
      Even Mkhitaryan will do better as a number 10 for me, he can create and score goals as well

      His agent said he played all season against medical advice, so he wants to sit all season and getting paid? I dont even believe that.
      Whether he plays as no 10 or not, he will still be the same person

      1. True dat.

        Payet is massively more effective.

        And yes, Mkhitaryan will probably be more influential than Ozil.
        With his salary, sadly, no one will take him except on a free or 10 – 15 mill. max.

        OTOH, as a proper 10 and with a proper DM behind him, he could still be excellent (in minor games).

  3. Ozil has nice ideas, but he lacks the skills, that was why he got robbed a lot. His teammates also do not have the same concept as his, therefore he keeps making predictable passes and movements for several years

    Most of his assists for Arsenal are not mindblowing and many of them came from set-pieces. We can keep arguing about Ozil, but his assist, pass, cross and through ball statistics are way below other top attacking midfielders:

    premierleague.com/stats/top/players

    Wilshere and him also could not break the defense of a ten men team at the Emirates. A football fan like me can say anything, but the ex-professional players like Keown and Wright would have known better when they criticized someone like Ozil

    1. I’d be very surprised if Ozil’s stats in those areas fall way below his competitors. Like gobsmacked!.He broke the record for target of quickest assists. His passing accuracy is always way up there, that can be misleading granted but not every time. His chances created are usually among the highest. Whether those chances come by through balls or not ..the man is a highly creative asset.

    2. I cant remember any pundit criticising Cazorla when he, he was always raved about, he was so dangerous at that number 10 position as he can shoot and give that killer pass

      In fact, he improved the players around him Ozil has a better team now than when Cazorla joined us.
      Am so happy he can be benched any time he goes missing, dont think any manager will really tolerate him

      1. Cazorla and ozil can’t be compared, it’s ridiculous. Cazorla does what ozil does good, better, and he can more things on top of that. It’s a pity we bought oil when he had Cazorla.

        1. Agree with you whole heartedly Footballistrivial
          We had cazola already when we bought ozil and in the end we end playing him further back. Which was a waste
          I would like the new manager to get the best out of him like Lowe does if we are stuck with him.
          But we can’t afford to carry passengers any longer

    3. No he is the most skilled player but his physical/body Language when is loose a ball Iam still looking for words to explain it

  4. He’s not worth 350, 000 a week, he isn’t as consistent or good as KDB, Gareth Bale so he shouldn’t earn his wages, he earns more than Pogba, Aguero, Gareth , David Silva, Salah, even the filth Eriksen exc which isn’t justified noones calling shite, but HE DOES NOT EARN HIS MONEY. When U earn 350,000 you’re expect to score at least 15 goals from an attacking positions, Ozil will make U look great against burnely at home but where is he when U need some cojones? At the most crucial games of your season Ozil is nowhere to be found. Personally think we should sell to China and buy someone like Asensio or Fekir. Someone who can make a killer pass but also has some pace and more importantly can put the ball in the back of net

    1. You’re forgetting how much he can bring into the club. I’d say Arsenal probably aren’t paying anything for him in the end, he prob brings in more than what he earns. Me, I don’t care about that stuff, all I care about is what his football can do for Arsenal.

      1. Please explain what he brings in that compensates for those huge wages AND not competing for titles with a , supposedly, WORLD CLASS central midfielder. No consistency ALWAYS equals no titles. PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THROUGHOUT FOOTBALL.

        1. He brings popularity in many parts of the world, which increases Arsenal’s revenue.
          But he’s going to be a huge headache for the new boss, as he will have to model our strategy around Ozil since his salary precludes him being sold.

          Another potential problem will be Ramsey as he’s only top quality as a box-to-box midfielder and many managers don’t favor that position as it’s fraught with defensive issues.

  5. He has every right to hit back and fair play to him he has a sting in his tail. Would people expect the defensive players to help out on the creative front. Defending is easier I think that’s why people expect more, but the amount of criticism he receives would be fair only if he wasn’t adding quality in other ways. When chances go begging after landing at a players feet who is not known for forward play, they laugh that off, but if you’re gonna be completely fair you would be just as harsh as you are with Mesut.

    1. The defense should start from the front

      If the attackers and the midfielders can put heavy pressure on the opponents, the defenders would have easier tasks and it will force the opponents to make mistakes as well

      Arsenal’s midfielders like Xhaka and Ozil do not press the opponents enough, hence our defenders like Mustafi often get the blame because they have to handle all threats alone

      1. True gotanidea, but Xhaka even if he tries harder is massively too slow for the Prem while Ozil should be expected to toughen up a bit as he’s not that slow.

        The Mustafi part is true as well, but partial responsibility goes to Wenger’s insistence that proper DMs are not important enough to spend 30 + million on.

    2. In today’s world of football defending starts from the front. Too bad ozil is not fit for today’s premier league.

  6. I would love to know the actual name, not merely “Goal” of this idiot who has slandered the admirable MAN Keown. If any one does get to know it, please advise ASAP me on here and I will take the matter further , believe me. THOUGH I WILL BE MAKING MY OWN ENQUIRIES TOO! What arrant nonsense and who the hell is “Goal” to speak thus of Keown for telling what is clearly the plain truth. It is about time much more plain speaking was the norm at ARSENAL AND ALL THE BLATANT LIES AND EXCUSES STOPPED . FOR EVER! WHAT SORT OF DERANGED CREATURE CAN THIS SO CALLED AGENT OF OZIL BE? I will tell you what this maniac(the agent) has achieved though; he has made me question OZIL’S sanity and judgement in employing this parasite to utter absurdities in a vain defence of Ozil and a ludicrous and slanderous attack on a key member of our great and glorious first decade under WENGER. I AM SPITTING BLOOD WITH THIS CREATURE AND INTEND TO CONTACT HIM, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. Personally!

      1. Gosh you have issues and any chance of stopping the silly use of capitals as it doesn’t mean anything and makes your ramblings even more difficult to follow. Cheers.

  7. Ozil polarises fans as he slips between brilliance and anonimity.There is no doubt that on his day he is one of the most skilful midfielders in the World but if you focus on the facts he rarely produces the goods when Arsenal fall behind and in matches against the top five he very rarely makes a telling contribution.In the Premier league David Silva and to a lesser extent, Erikson are similar to Ozil in terms of pure football skill.However they are way ahead when it comes to effort and goal scoring and this is why the market for a luxury player like Ozil will be very limited.Faced with these facts it’s difficult for fans to take Ozil to their hearts particularly when he is paid considerably more than his team-mates and has failed to lift Arsenal in important matches.If an opportunity arose to sell him on or swap him for a top quality centre back, I would let him go.

    1. I WOULD SELL HIM ANYWAY , THOUGH ONLY FOR TOP- DOLLAR. QUESTION IS THOUGH , WHO WOULD BUY HIM AND PAY THOSE OBSCENE WAGES FOR A PART TIMER? Probably no one, which is why – knowing that- he re-signed with the only club daft enough to pay them. Us! 25 % brilliant players and 75% invisible PLAYERS never win titles. FACT! Name me one , if you disagree!

  8. Wish his client showed this much passion and balls when playing for us on the pitch. He might have returned his world class status. For now his lacklustre has been play maker on high wages.

  9. I’m an Ozil fan…. I’m looking forward to seeing how he does under the new manager. Yes there are times when he goes ‘Awol’ & is ‘lazy’ …. the thing that does frustrate me sometimes is how he’s easily muscled off the ball… he needs to beef up a bit. I love watching him play & he has assisted a lot for us (did he assist more than Henry in a certain amount of games?) And scored a fair few too! I hope we keep him…. him linking up with Auba & Laca ?

    1. Not quite . I am also a fan but only WHEN he plays as he should. But he is as frustating as hell when hiding, Walcott style. Is he worth keeping , therefore given his enormous wage? Probably better sold, IF (which I doubt) we can get a proper fee for him.

      1. Jon, arsenal should pay for some tutoring in Mandarin for Ozil, if the new manager can’t motivate Ozil to deliver his best consistently.

  10. To me Keown is an Arsenal legend. My dad used to call him Frankenstein’s monster. Just saying

    1. Keown would put Ozil in the stands and that’s only on the training field. Ask Thierry Henry!

  11. Ozil has achieved something that no arsenal player or any other player has done in the Premie league He is the fastest player to reach 50 assists in games played.
    And we say he is not good enough for us??

    1. That is what I thought with the assists Gunner since 71. He is a joy to watch, especially that header against Everton!! I definitely don’t want him to go!

  12. Stupid tittle tattle I think!
    But the guy had some valid points re Keown.
    He called him aggressive and not what Arsenal like at the club, well personally I’d love someone there to have a bit of what he has! Jack is the closest.

    Personally I loved what Keown said ozil disappears abd sulks when things don’t go his way and that drives me mad.
    I do however appreciate what Jenas said that for RM and Germany he was covered by different formations and tactics and isn’t expected to do all the legwork of tracking back, tackling etc.

    There is no doubting on his day he’s majestic one of if not the best at what he does my problem with him is consistency. When he shows how good he can be and then next week doesn’t get anywhere near close I don’t think that’s acceptable.
    And I don’t buy the injured or not 100% argument as he could massively effect a game at 70% Fitness by receiving a ball standard still in a pocket and then play a killer pass. It seems to be he’s reluctant to engage a lot of the time.

    I’m glad we’ve now another playmaker in Miki and I’d try and sell ozil abd buy another player with vision and ability, they’re out there to be had if we scout well.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors