Should Ozil Play In The League Cup? (not another Ozil article!) by Dan Smith
Many gooners on Saturday were concerned about our lack of creativity. I heard a few on social media talking about how the team lacks that midfielder who can pick a pass, who can do something special to unlock a defence.
The irony is we have a World Cup winner sat at home doing nothing, and assisting and creating chances is his strength, but is at home playing on his PlayStation.
Now many readers will reply with ‘not another Ozil article’ instead of answering any points made, but how can we not refer to the German if our fan base is moaning for a number 10?
If the team had a talent making opportunities for our strikers, I wouldn’t be able to complain, would I?
Like anything the club can easily prove me wrong. Buy Aouar and then you could argue we have an upgrade, but as things stand I still maintain that if there is 10 minutes left of a game and I needed to choose one person off our bench I trusted to create a bit of magic, I don’t see a better option then Ozil.
I understand he might not have the work ethic to fit into Arteta’s ethos and I admit his stats are declining, yet while we focus a lot on what Ozil doesn’t do, has anyone replaced him? Is Joe Willock or Reiss Nelson any better in the final third?
Our manager could easily tell us if the players attitude was poor or if there was a lack of effort in training. If he did the likes of myself could say nothing.
Instead the Spaniard maintains everyone in pre-season started with a clean slate and will be picked on merit, no matter off-the-pitch factors.
If that’s true, then he surely has to select Ozil for the League Cup this week?
We have three realistic chances of silverware and in my opinion, we are not good enough to be putting our nose up to any trophy.
Brendan Rodgers though has already admitted his squad isn’t big enough to juggle Europe with domestic football so might rotate on Wednesday. Even if everyone who started at the weekend is rested at the King Power, we still could select a strong line up.
But let’s use common sense here. If the conclusion at the end of a Premiership fixture is that we need more creativity, then surely Ozil would get in an 11 made up of those on the fringes?
Arteta would struggle to convince me (assuming we rest whoever starts at Anfield) that Ozil not even being a sub at the King Power is a footballing decision. Which is fine as long as we are still in the Cup come Thursday. You can’t write ‘not another Ozil article’ then say a lack of creativity knocked us out of the competition.
In the FA Cup Final did I believe that If Arteta had needed a goal he truly felt 19-year Matt Smith (yet to play a senior game for us) was preferred over Ozil based on talent? No!
That’s wasn’t a decision made for the best interests of the team. Yet we lifted the Cup that day, so the ends justified the means.
At the weekend Eddie got the winner which again is all that matters.
Yet it works both ways. We finished 8th, our worst position in 25 years. The idea it was all Emery’s fault is a myth. Of the 10 League fixtures we lost, 5 were under Arteta.
In fact he was undefeated in the Prem in 2020 when Ozil was starting every week. The moment he dropped him we lost 3-0. We then lost to Brighton. Those are facts which some don’t want to hear. Hence, the ‘not another Ozil article’.
If you were judging this purely on footballing merit. It makes little sense to ghost a player you were starting every week when winning. Responding to losing the first two games after he’s dropped by dropping him entirely, seems bizarre based on footballing merit. We didn’t have a shot on target at Villa Park. So if everyone is being treated equal, shouldn’t Ozil get a chance when his peers had just made zero chances at Aston Villa?
Remember the last time the man played; he assisted the winner. Now he couldn’t get in a 20-man squad who were losing to Brighton and Villa?
It would be the latest slap in the face if he’s frozen out in midweek.
I have given my theory in the past and it’s one the player himself has suggested. He fitted into plans before the break, playing every week, the team don’t lose.
After the forced break he is yet to play again.
Obviously, something happens during the break. The only issue made public was that the player was one of three to refuse a salary cut.
Does that mean I’m questioning Arteta’s honesty?
Put it this way, I think in 2020 politics are a part of being a manager. Arteta, having been mentored by Guardiola, is aware stuff happens behind the scenes. His attention to detail is too much for someone to meet his standards for 3 months, then after a winning run be discarded. it’s too extreme.
So as much as some have the wish to say ‘not another Ozil article’, I also have a right to demand what are we doing about the big creative hole left in the team. Because that’s who suffers.
Ozil still gets his 350,000 pound a week you know, regardless if travels with the team or not. See I don’t care about Ozil, I care about Arsenal. I care about us having the best chance of winning games.
If we are paying someone so many wages to sit at home but are champions, I couldn’t argue – but if I am seeing games where we lack creativity and I know we have someone capable that is not being utilised, I’m allowed to question it.
I could care less if Stan Kroenke regrets extending his employee’s contract. That’s his business, but saving a Billionaire money shouldn’t mean we have zero creativity. When you buy a football club there will be times when your investment doesn’t pay off, but don’t let the whole team suffer. Either coach him to be better or buy someone better. At the moment you have done neither.
I don’t envisage him being involved until the Transfer Window closes. As long as we have creativity at the King Power, I can’t say anything, but if we don’t then expect more Ozil articles.
Or like I said …….sign a creative player who is better.
Dan Smith
Arsenal News 24/7
Arsenal must not do anything for Ozil! Why this obsession to worry about Ozil. he’s just running his contract down and Arsenal can’t do anything. It’s his choice not to make the effort and not have the right attitude so no he doesn’t have to play against Leicester. And for the delusional ozil fans, good luck!….We are already trying to buy someone else, we could do with a bit more cash to spend with but Ozil is taking £18m a year in salary!
Being a manager is not that easy as you think,at times in life we all need each other. This kind of critism is not worthy of any human being we all do not know what plans the manager has for every player and what is going in the lives of every player so let’s give him time. Blessed Ateta.
It’s his choice not to make the effort and not have the right attitude so no he doesn’t have to play against Leicester……. so what do call what he was doing in training section video that has more than 250k views in less than a day.
You sound like someone ozil share everything with?? Can you give us more inside what’s going on in his head? …ozil has a lazy style but that does not mean he does not work hard or lacks right attitude. He is not played by club not for footballing reasons but to I force him out (shows the class of our club).
What on earth is “a lazy style ” supposed to mean. To my realistic mind, clear and obvious lack of effort IS laziness, not “a lazy style”! Double talk, instead of the plain and unvarnished truth and I cannot stand double talk. SAY IT AS IT IS OR NOT AT ALL IS MY MOTTO!
Ozil’s strengths are not a good fit for the Prem where physicality over skill is desired.
He is as hard working as any professional. The only grating thing is he won’t leave for less than his current contract affords him.
Let’s not get it twisted.
Jon Fox, you either have a selective or very short memory when it comes to “lazy” players – wasn’t the man you called Stroller also a laid back player?
None other than George Graham, as Phil has pointed out to you many times!!!
So it seems your double talk does apply when it suits you – my motto is “REMEMBER WHAT I HAVE SAID AS IT MIGHT COME BACK TO BITE ME IN THE BUM.”
Jon – the grating bit is that, up and until the corona virus break, his physicality was never mentioned and it ensured Mikel Arteta played him in every PL game in 2020 until that break…unless you believe it took MA that long to suss out he was physically wanting?
I’m not an Ozil fan (at least not anymore) but I think the least we can do is try out Ozil again in the team especially in the cup competition. Let us guage for ourselves if he’s improved or Arteta is right to drop him based on what he sees in training. A fair deal would be to give him the Leicester game to show us he’s not really finished (let’s give him the benefit of doubt) what’s the worst thing that can happen? We crash out of the cup tournament, helps us prioritise other things. But I’d like to see for myself first hand again if Ozil has actually made any improvement from the last games he played. This will put an end to any future Ozil debate(hopefully)
I absolutely agree on your points Kstix
Let him start and if he turns in a great performance or a stinker, then at least we’d know rather than theorising
Right on SueP. At least then all the conspiracy theories can be put to bed for good.
Kstix, we have always used this competition to field a team that doesn’t have our first eleven players involved and I will wait to see what players are selected, before judging anyone/anything.
Of course, if he is selected, has a great game and proves himself, would you then agree that the conspiracy theories were correct and would you expect him to be selected from that game onwards?
Especially after THAT display against WHU, where our creativity was, shall we say, a little negligent?
Do you really believe that Matt Smith was a better substitute for the cup final than Ozil, judged on playing ability?
Therein lies the mystery for me anyway and if you want to use the term “conspiracy theories”, that’s up to you.
I trust MA 100%, but not those above him…just my personal opinion of course.
Yes I would give ozil my support if he plays well, But do you believe Arteta has not been given full player autonomy especially as he’s now manager? You wouldn’t be suggesting that Arteta is the board’s puppet now would you? If you trust Arteta 100%, you wouldn’t believe in the fact that our coach not starting him as nothing to do with anything other than footballing reasons. Afterall he featured in a recent preseason game which we lost. I didn’t see it, none of us did as it was played behind closed doors but guess who saw it, yes u guessed right… Arteta. The One and same person who sees all the players in training and decides who’s fit or not. Don’t you trust in his decisions?
I notice you didn’t answer my question regarding the introduction of Matt Smith, so have another go at answering that question please.
Unlike you, I will answer your questions though>
1. No I do not – he has to pick the issues he wants to win and I give you the sale of Martinez as an example. It was obvious he wanted to keep the player, but was told to sell if you want to buy…the self sufficient model he knew about when he took the position.
2. Arteta is nobody’s puppet as far as I’m concerned and as our board has the power of a wet feather under kronkie, he reports directly to kronkie..as of course do these puppet board members.
Arteta wants to succeed at our club and, as he has stated, has a direct line with the kronkies. Now, if they have said to him, after the pay cut issue that they want him out, but will support Mikel on all other matters, wouldn’t he look at the bigger prize?
3. As for the friendly, you said it quite clearly…it was a friendly.
Now I was shot down in flames when I argued that Elneny had put on our shirt in a friendly, as that didn’t count I was told.
Of course MA was there, don’t treat me like an idiot.
What he has said since then of course, is that every player is putting in 100% during training and he is happy with every single player’s input
So what that has to do with the current situation is something you need to explain I guess.
4. I trust and support MA completely…I question his decisions though, as a fan. Why did he play Kolasinac and not AMN when Tierney was injured in the warm up for instance?
Questioning him doesn’t mean I don’t support him, something you don’t seem to grasp.
As I have said many times, if he decides to let Ozil go, then so be it – I won’t lose any sleep over it.
Just as I won’t lose any sleep over Martinez, another decision I disagreed with.
Nor the decision to play Matt Smith, but I question it…haven’t you?
All I REALLY want to know, is what happened from the lockdown and the pay cut, aren’t you even slightly puzzled, that a player (doesn’t matter who it is really) who was praised and featured on a regular basis in a unbeaten run, was dropped as soon as the league restarted?
For Heavens sake Ken
Neither Kstix or I suggested anything other than an Ozil start for the best possible reasons
I see no benefit in trying to find a reason to be negative and you have cynically suggested a reason to prove the so called conspiracy theories to be true
You are clever with words but it doesn’t alter the fact that all Arsenal supporters want success for the club above anything else
I like his word play SueP, and I know exactly what he’s trying to do so I replied him in kind like I always do.
SueP, where did I say that wasn’t the case it would be a positive selection?
What I was saying was very straightforward and I haven’t cynically suggested anything, just questioned why the selection would be proof that there wasn’t a conspiracy…if anyone was being cynical it was Kstix, at least that’s my view
After all, he didn’t have to say that did he?
First of all, we have always used this competition as an opportunity to field our younger players and, if Ozil is selected, it would be unfair to judge him if that was the scenario, why do you find that a negative? It’s a fact.
Secondly, if MA does select him for the game, how does that prove there wasn’t a conspiracy theory?
It was Kstix who said it would and you backed him up. Fine. Idon’thappen to agree with that conclusion and that’s exactly what I have said, unless you can prove that by selecting him, that does explain his absence since the coronavirus lockdown and the pay cut?
As for your final sentence, if I am able to be clever with words, as you put it, I thank you for the compliment.
Whatever that has to do with all Arsenal supporters wanting the club to be successful I don’t understand – unless you think that any fan who might have an opposing view or questions another persons statement ( that being, if selected, all conspiracy theories can be put to bed) isn’t a Arsenal supporter and wants success for their club?
Ken
I only posted that I’d be happy to see Ozil play. A short post with no ill attached and I believed that Kstix felt the same. An innocuous pair of posts I believed
You stepped in and it took on a whole new meaning.
Again, I have become embroiled in an Ozil debate which was never intended. If you read my original response I didn’t mention conspiracy theories- Theorising means guessing to me. I may have used the wrong word to express what I meant but as far as having a stab at Ozil I am not remotely interested in doing so.
Quite why you picked up on the two posts, I have no idea. I should have learned by now and let your reply go unanswered. Cynical. Yes it was to bring in so much extraneous material into two mild posts You had a bee in your cap and had a go. It, as usual, ends up in a form of literary one up man ship. You chose not to take the original posts on face value which in my case, (I can’t speak for Kstix) you got wrong.
Spot on SueP, Ken seems to always be shifting the goal post alll the time. He didn’t read the part in my post where I said I’ld love to see Ozil play and one of the major reasons being that I’m sick and tired of the excuses and endless debates when it came to this particular player and I’ld like the opportunity to see for myself if the rumours (because we can’t use conspiracy theories anymore) are actually true that he’s being sidelined because he refused to take the pay cut(let’s for a moment ignore the fact that according to still the same rumours he’s not the only player that refused to take a wage cut). And I don’t believe Arteta will come out to say who and who’s not giving their 100% in training as that is not being professional. What he actually comes out to say is, he likes the competitions for places and if he sees you doing better than your competitor in training, he’s gonna start you. That’s what Arteta has always said time and again and I trust and accept his decisions, we may not understand them sometimes or even feel like we should question them but fact remains, none of you or I or any other fan goes to London Colney to watch the Lads train, the manager does and if he believes a player is not fit, that’s his decision to make. Why did ozil play in the friendly then if Arteta has been “Told”, not by the board now but kroenke not to start their highest paid footballer who still gets his paycheck, whether he plays or not. Do we think kroenke, being foremost a business man is really that stupid to pay 350k to a player and tell the player to relax at home and not show up to work? Does this make any sense Ken? We all know pre-lockdown Arteta kept saying he wanted to give everyone a clean slate?, xhaka was one of the most controversial players among the fans but through performance he has endeared the fans to him. Same as mustafi… Now to answer your question as to whether Matt Smith is a better option to Ozil on the bench still goes back to my initial statement, the coach alone knows who’s fit to play and who’s not. Example. If Balotelli, came to Arsenal now, keeping in mind he’s not the Balotelli we used to know, who would you trust more, Balotelli or Nkettiah? Despite Eddie being relatively young and Balotelli having more experience?
I think Ken we just have to be sincere with with ourselves and remove the blindfolds of bias to see things clearly. None of us works for Arsenal football club, only ozil and Arteta do. Nobody has come out of officially to say Arteta stopped playing ozil because he refused to take a pay cut, till they do, this my friend remains a conspiracy theory (which may or may not be valid till proven true) and one of the ways I want it proven is giving Ozil a chance to play in the starting lineup and let the fans be the judge, jury and executioner just to put every paycut or no paycut theory to bed. Period
I can’t remember Arteta saying anything about Ozil not having the right attitude. Ozil is good enough to play, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be making the match day squad. There’s more to his be kept out.
Ozick refuses to take pay cut when the TEAM agreed to help the club during crisis. I like threat MA is handling his situation. He should come nowhere near the first team.
Where is it written that he alone refuses to take the paycut.
Also tell m the money gathered from the players salary, wasnt it enough to keep hold of 55 workers?
Well Ozil is available to play but Arsenal don`t wanna play him. So? Looks like Arteta has been instructed by the top leadership not to play Ozil.
In the end it will just hurt the team. I hope someone in the ranks realizes that they not punishing Ozil but the team. The team looked blunt on Saturday. No creativity!
When I was of the the opinion that the fella is useless to football, many said to respect the coach as he finds something special and plays him. Fair. Now the coach does not play him, so his deluded fans should respect the coach/manager’s decision and not question it. These pals would prefer to have us relegated with Ozil playing rather than cheer the gaffer for winning us silverware in these days of gloom without the gloomy faced.
Everyone always trying to teach the Manager how to do his job. Many of the articles are no more just opinions anymore, but categorical statements about what the Manager should or should not do, which player he should or should not use, which formation he should or should not use.
MA did not follow anyone’s advice on his way to winning the FA Cup and CS. It was his tactics and personnel that beat Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
I would, personally trust the manager and leave it to him to decide what’s best for the team. Or has he not earned such trust yet? We can bring out our daggers later if the Performances and results and abysmal.
Truer words have seldom been spoken (at least in here). I admire you for how level headed you always are. Some of us never even imagined he would get far in the FA Cup. I remember me and few others predicting a heavy defeat against Man City.
Hopefully we can use this match to put some players in the shop window.
Macey, Torreira, Guendozi, Ozil, Kolasinac should all be included along with Soares, Luiz, Saliba, Pepe, Nelson and Nketiah.
Crazy stuff. Blabber. You could as well suggest that the whole team be put for sale.
My sorries, Atid. My comments got your views all wrong. I’m honestly at home with you. after rereading your submission. So sorry for my foul language.
Your list is ok without Ozil in it
Said it all👏👏👏
I once said in a previous article, lately what we get are articles about what Arteta should do and shouldn’t do.
He needs to do this, needs to do that, play this player, use this formation or that.
I’m just gonna be supporting and cheering the team.
If Ozil gets selected. Then fine, patience is all I have to offer
“but categorical statements about what the Manager should or should not do, which player he should or should not use, which formation he should or should not use.”…
Isnt that what an opinion is?
“MA did not follow anyone’s advice on his way to winning the FA Cup and CS.”
How exactly do you know that sir??
👍 👍
I do not rate Ozil at all, but I really feel bad seeing him treated this way…
People should know by now that this is not about his abilities anymore but about the pay cut- because how can you go from starting all games pre lockdown to not getting a sniff of the bench post lockdown?
I might be wrong but apart from his obvious weaknesses (which have been overstated already)I think Ozil has an inflated ego, if not, a compromise should have been reached between him, the club and Arteta this new season
Initially, I thought paying him off would be the best solution but on a second thought, if we pay him off, he will definitely get another club and make even more money, this is a very messy situation.
If he does not play on Wednesday, I will be super surprised, it would surely be the end of the road for him at Arsenal, what a way to end it!
It is a sad affair.
The issue might Ozil himself and Mikel is just trying to protect him. He is said to have good relationship with him and he is gentleman enough to do that. But this thinking is weak because were it true Ozil would not have done the interview and Arsenal would’ve said something by now.
My new conspiracy theory is devided into two but with the same base. Why have Arsenal/Mikel frozen Ozil for this long? It’s highly probable that at some point he is going to be back in the team.
By freezing him out this way Arsenal/Mikel are portrayed in a bad light. Whatever the reason you don’t go around freezing your highest paid, most talked, most followed, most creative, most nearly everything except scoring goals player without giving any reason whatsoever.
The longer the freezing while the team does well the focus will shift from the management to the player himself. Arteta is now not forced to call back Mesut because of lack of goals. With the team doing well he will call him back when he see fit and maybe won’t even call him back at all.
The clean slate is a daylight lie because it applies to all except two players.
Long story short the ball is now in Mesut court.
1. Did Arteta freeze him so that he can see how the team does well without him and when given chance he has to give his all? Is Arteta playing a psychological game with him because Mesut doesn’t push himself to make football flow like water as he did before?
2. After freezing him for so long do Arsenal expect when he is given a chance he will not play well because he is past it or lack of match fitness so that they can be proven they were right all along and us Mesut supporters would have to question our support? And the real reason behind the freezer can be buried with his bad performance?
Whatever it is now its not Arsenal but Mesut who have something to prove. Personally I think he is going to do it with flying colours (or I hope he does).
Ozil has nothing to prove to anybody! He was good before and has won medals… If the club/coach decides not to use him, their problem!..
Sadly that is the position he in currently. If given the chance and put in a bad performance some are gonna have a field a day. The bottles of champagne reserved for next June are going to be opened that day. And his supporters will have nothing to say.
In our pre season defeat news article here, it was Ozil photo which was used.
Ozil is important right now.Our strikers need him.
Our strikers needs him? He had ONE ASSIST last season.Ozil was finished as a top class player the day he signed that £350k a week contract
It’s yet another Ozil article from you I’m afraid. How many non Ozil articles have you written?
What me ?
Ozil,is of the Best before but now need to replace with Olympic Lyon player right now
While I’m not his biggest fan, I’d rather see Guendouzi play on Tuesday as there is still a chance he will feature in our long-term plans. And if he puts in a good performance at the very least his transfer value goes up.
I’ld like that too Trudeau
Just play him. Doesn’t he SELL MORE SHIRTS than any other Arsenal player on history? Best n10 in the world. Our only world class player. And remember Ozil showed that he can be world class against Leicester. Watch the Arsenal vs Leicester game 2 seasons ago.
I say, Stop with the political games Mr RAUL..
😊
Jesus I hope ur joking when you say our only world class player lol
Our only world class player 🤐🤐
Who is Mr Raul?
Just give him second chance in the right time, like we give to ME
XXXXXXXXXXXX Our only world class player? have you ever heard of Aubameyang???? Best No 10 in the world have you heard of Messi????
Raul left ther club two months ago you clown
Oh come on, he’s being sarcastic!!!
Like many others, I don’t see the benefit to Arsenal with the Ozil situation. One thing however I will never accept is that Ozil was sidelined due to performance. Even if he played half speed he will be more effective as a creator than any active player currently on the team. World class players do not suddenly forget how to play football. Those who had hope that Willian fills that role, were certainly disappointed on Sunday. Not only Ozil should play but he should be given free reign to play his game the way he knows best. Asking him to press and defend will not work. Creators need time to survey the pitch, move around at will in order to receive the ball and put the defense out of position. Both Emery and Artera took away his game. Unless they let him do what he does best, he might as well stay home. Kudos to Dan Smith for writing these articles about Ozil. Ozil is not the issue here. It is the club and the club is the only loser. We can hope for a new signee and we can hope he will be as good or better than Ozil but how many times did we bought expensive players that did not pan out. Should we start a list?
how many times did we buy. Sorry!
Got to have rotation or players will get injuries Without Torreira or Guendouzi we are midfield lite as well. Can do a lot worse than use Ozil at No 10. We have lot of players on our books but about 10 of them are not up to top standards. Shame we couldn’t have got Ozil out earlier……..he is strangling us.
Please, this is not Arteta vs Ozil but The Board vs Ozil, & Arteta have 2 protect his job by doing what the board wants.
The sooner you realise that the time for Ozil is long overdue the better. The last three years have been awful for Ozil, so lets find a solution instead of tracking back. I’d rather play Gouendouzi than Ozil. He’s got nothing to prove anymore. He’s just there to collect weekly wages until his contract runs out
Ozil is going to get his wages. That much is true. Put yourself in his place. You were offered a job. You negotiated terms and you agreed to those terms. So did your employer. Six months later, your boss decides he over paid you, so he says to all the other employees in your company and to your company’s customers, that you’re lazy, don’t try, and don’t deserve your wages.
Your boss, who awarded you those wages, he is being questioned by his bosses about why he paid you so much when the company is not performing as well as it used to. Your boss, under fire, wants you to leave, but the jobs you were offered during your earlier negotiations are no longer available. You refuse to leave. Your boss, taking a lot of criticism, tried to bully you into going by refusing to let you work and publicly criticizing you.
Now, because of this criticism and the fact that you have not been working, you cannot get a good job at a big company that will pay you well. What you do have is a contract that is legal and binding and will make you financially secure. So you stay. Over and over and over you are called lazy, the boss says you skills are declining. He has no evidence of this because you are not regularly working, but it is said anyway. A lot of people believe it because lies told and retold are often seen as the truth.
Then there is a real crisis. The company is hit by massive losses. Your boss, desperate, come and asks you to take a 13% pay cut. He says all the other employees have agreed to do it. He’s lying, because two employees in your same unit said no. You refuse the pay cut. Your boss announces to the board and all the other employees and all the customers that you refused the pay cut. None of the other employees who refused it are named, only you. You alone are identified as someone who is unwilling to do your part to help a company that has been calling you lazy and a useless for two years.
Your boss tries, once more, to push you out. He releases false statements saying other companies want to hire you and are willing to pay the same wages, but you won’t go because you’re selfish. You refuse because the public statements are not true and even if they were, you do not want to live in Qatar or China.
Your boss gives up trying to bully you into leaving, but he still refuses to let you work and show you are a productive employee because he knows if you do work people will see you are productive and you are not lazy or selfish. They will see, for example, that rather than take credit, you assisted another employee getting a big award.
It is infuriating that your colleagues and customers still believe the lies your boss tells, but you cannot change their minds, no matter how professional you act. You are powerless in so many ways. All you can do, you know, is to continue to behave like a professional and collect the wages you have earned by being fit, ready to work, and willing to contribute if called upon.
Utter tosh and fantasy from a fan with a clear agenda against theplain and obvious truth! THAT truth, my strange friend, is that Ozil is far too lazy to even be considerd for a place by this hungry, dynamic and ambitious manager, He is serving out his time til his leeching off our club stops with his contract being ended. As you will not see that truth, you will continue to be blind to the reality of what is happening. Sad for you personally !
Jon, why do you think he has an agenda?
He’s just stating HIS opinion, as you do in answering him.
One could accuse you of utter tosh and fantasy, when you claimed that Ozil would 100% leave fourteen months ago – that Elneny would never wear an Arsenal shirt again 100% – that you would 100% never comment on an Ozil article again – that you would be finished with football 100% if the game was played while corona virus was still around – that The Arsenal would 100% lose to both city and chelsea in the cup semi and final…now for someone with a 100% record of complete and utter tosh, one would hope that you might learn from your mistakes??????
DON’T FORGET the big 100% statement that Ozil would never wear an Arsenal shirt again, is still on the table for further discussion, if and when we now if this statement is proved correct/incorrect.
I would say “sad for you personally”, but as you keep putting others down in such a hostile manner, I feel obligated to keep reminding you of your personal errors in predicting “100% facts” wrongly, despite being a self confessed realist and also a well noted successful professional gambler
So let’s just remember your latest claim “Ozil is far too lazy to be even considered for a place by this hungry, dynamic and ambitious manager” and see if you fall by your sword YET AGAIN.
Meanwhile, paul25mm, exactly who is the “boss” you refer to?
I assume it’s stan kronkie, but my problem with that, is, we are told he takes no interest in the club, it’s running, it’s results or anything else come to that – so I see a flaw in, either your example, OR the fact that kronkie doesn’t take an interest and I doubt we will ever find out the truth about this particular subject.
I note, also, that Jon didn’t challenge you on any part of your views on the situation, but lectures you on the TRUTH….as he sees it of course…funny old world of being always right until it’s proved 100% wrong!!!
Wow!
You are keeping all those record?
But he is a case study really.
Hahahaha he is really a case study to him for him to keep all dis records.
OK let’s face it Ozil is a talented player no doubt about that bt wit d current squad of
Leno,
Holding, Gabriel, Tierney
Ballerina, Ceballos/Elneny, Xhaka, Saka/AMN
Willian, Lacazet, Aubamayan
Whom will u substitute for Ozil? Ozil is a kind of player who needs two combative midfield players who can play 1&1/2 position to coverup for his lack of tracking back and making interceptions & we don’t have such kind of resources here, anytime he plays against a tough & organized team we get bullied in the middle of the park but if arsenal can get TP he can be given a try in a three man midfield of TP, Xhaka & him which we are not sure of that now. Let’s not overwhelm ourselves with the politics being played behind the seine & MA is the boss & let’s support him for a grater & better arsenal.
Well I have to say that you wrote a book to state what we either believe or disbelieve
God it’s boring
Arteta doesn’t think Ozil is good enough for the first team at the moment, thats it until something changes. The ball is squarely i Ozils court to start trying.
The idea that Ozil isn’t trying… where did that come from? Arteta has never said that. Emery did, but clearly it wasn’t true. This is the Arsenal board and front office v. Ozil and the executives are all too full of themselves or too stupid to understand that paying someone 300,000 to do nothing is worse than paying someone 350,000 to contribute to wins.
It is one of those situations where the front office idiots will not admit they’re wrong, so they’ll keep saying things like Ozil is not trying.
The people who really suffer are the players who play ahead of Ozil who know they are not as good. Remember, they train with the guy. They know he is better. This situation and the Guendouzi idiocy were the two main reasons Emery’s team fell apart. Freezing a guy like Ozil works if you win. If you lose… well. Then you have the entire team thinking – this manager is a moron because we have one of the best play makers in football not playing and we’re losing. Similarly, forcing Guendouzi into the side because he was Emery’s lap dog was fine when they were able to win, but as the losses piled up, the players start to resent it and lose confidence in the manager and the club.
Take a look at an Ozil at Arsenal highlight reel and ask yourself; who at the club can do those things. The answer, if you are honest, will be ‘no one’.
Arteta has inherited this stupid situation that he did not create and clearly has no authority to deal with, no matter what he says publicly. He is a lot more savvy than Emery, so he says nothing to contradict his board, but at the same time, does not lie about Ozil publicly either (something Emery did).
See, fans are willing enough to believe crap like, ‘he doesn’t try’ when the team says it, but the players know the truth. They know Ozil is training, they know he is better than they are, and they know he is not playing because the club seems to think, even after the same tactic has failed for two whole years, they can bully him into leaving or hurt him by not playing him. The P.R. lies do not work inside the team because they know for a fact that Ozil does try and Ozil is every bit the player he was three seasons ago.
It is only fans too lazy or too gullible to think for themselves that do not see through these obvious lies.
Ok, not putting enough in too get in the squad.
And you are being presumptuous to say Emery also said Ozil didn’t try but he did. He obviously isn’t doing enough or Arteta would have him in the team, bit of a theme going. I dont buy all this bull crap Arsenal are trying to force him out, i dont buy Arteta going along with it and i do buy if he was good enough he would be playing.
They forgot a certain Freddie didn’t play him either. That’s 3 different coaches now, how much more evidence is needed that there’s no conspiracy against ozil?
So tell me Kstix, what happened to Unai Emery (SACKED for not doing his job) and what happened to Freddie ( out of his depth and replaced after just a handful of games ), who didn’t even have the qualifications needed to be given the post permanently and YOU forget that Mikel had played Ozil on a regular basis up and until the corona virus. Why?
Are we to believe that it took him this long to decide Ozil was lazy and didn’t train properly?
Remember also, in case YOU forgot, we were unbeaten during this time in the PL, so how did that happen?
We now know , it seems, that during the lay off, Ozil didn’t train enough to be considered for the team, he was lazy, his attitude was wrong and a 20 year old youth team player, with no experience at senior level, called Matthew Smith, was seen as a better player to appear in the cup final squad than Ozil.
I have no issue with MA selecting who he wants, in fact I support him 100%, but let’s not be treated as dumb fans who cannot see that there is more going on behind the scenes regarding Ozil and the club hierarchy.
Common Ken
Your pure love for Ozil is in another level.
This is a question for you?
Who did Arteta play instead of Ozil?
To my own knowledge, he played no AM, CM in place of Ozil but only pull out Ozil to change his Formation.
Which means, Niles replaces Ozil in the team to make the defense much stronger.
You people claimed Ozil played all matches pre-lockdown and we won all but he got dropped and we lost 2 matches including the Aston villa game.
I still wonder why you guys are so blinded to the impact of Xhaka that you never noticed Xhaka did not fixtures in those matches(left the field before Man city over power us, not in Brighton game and was on bench at Aston Villa).
Do you have to credit that to Ozil too? Why not the impact of Xhaka.
The only point I can see from you is Ozil not making the bench(but I won’t comment on that cos I don’t know the actual fact, won’t be like you people jumping to conclusion that he was frozen out because of pay cut)
You claimed you support Arteta 100% but you always come after him when it’s about Ozil. That’s not supporting 100%, more like 50% for Arteta and 100% for Ozil.
Sometimes you sound like you want Arsenal Arteta not to do well at the creative front so you can bring your Ozil(I told you so) up.
Just make up your mind
If you support him 100%, stop questioning him about not picking Ozil and stop accusing him by your thinking of Ozil is not used cos the board don’t want to.
That said, I wish Ozil play against Leicester cos I still believe he’s the most creative player in our team(but not with this current formation cos he’s lazy to play such formation).
Bobs, nice reply my friend, I do like it when one can have a civil conversation.
The thing is Bobs, I really don’t care about Ozil in regards to his not being selected by MA.
We are winning trophies, we have won four games on the bounce and MA has transformed the club in the short while he has been here – he has done an incredible job.
When Dan wrote this article, it was about Ozil, not Xhaka or anyone else, so that’s why I am talking about him.
He said that Ozil needs to play and if he doesn’t perform then go and buy someone who does…or words to that effect.
I am in complete agreement with him and if Ozil doesn’t perform, then send him on his way – it is up to Mikel and I don’t see how I can be any clearer than that Bobs.
What I saw against WHU was a game completely void of any pattern and attacking flair.
Remember how Aubameyang was looking like a fish out of water, he was getting no support and/or through balls that he could exploit (bar one) – that is why I feel Ozil should be given a chance, as Mikel has said all players are giving 100% in training and are all available for selection.
Nothing more and nothing less: no love for Ozil, no disrespect for Arteta, just my personal view on what I see as a supporter of the club – IF he plays against Leicester IN a team full of second string players, that isn’t a fair way to judge him.
Just my personal view Bobs and I respect yours.
It has become a mantra
I’m pressing the snooze button
give him a chance plz we love ozil
when he earns it, the anwer to that is.
Very nice Dan Smith for this article. I just think that Arteta does not really have much of a say in this Ozil situation, as we all initially assumed that Emery had an issue with Ozil too. Like someone already stated, i think its more like “The board vs Ozil” rather than “Arteta vs Ozil”
Arteta is manager now which means he has complete autonomy of player management. No interruptions from the board whatsoever
You are naive!
And you are a conspiracy theorists. If we got our cases before a judge, we know who the judge would rule in favour of. You have no evidence, just going about with unfounded fables and old men’s tales of something that’s just a figment of your imagination.
Arteta wants those who play when we DO and when we do NOT have the ball. Ozil never has and never will. Out of possession – we play with 10 men ! How many others have wanted to buy him ? China and Turkey. And that’s probably with AFC paying half his wages. If Ozil so loved to play … he could have accepted a big wage cut to go elsewhere but he won’t. He will look back with regret and it serves him right.
(well played Gazidis .. that’s one thing not down to Wenger).
👍
Ceballos and Saka did open West Hams defence,didnt they?
Dan’s primary point is well-made. No one is worrying about Ozil, or defending Ozil’s pay packet or anything else. What Dan (and the rest of us watching the team stutter on the attack while Ozil rots) us worrying about is Arsenal.
This, but the way, is the best Ozil/Arsenal article in a while.
The article is on point. First, if decisions were actually being made based on footballing ability and the ability to contribute to wins, Ozil would play. Arsenal have no actual #10 in the team (please do not pimp Ceballos for the role. Emery tried that and it was not pretty). Ozil is not playing because Arsenal are mad at him for refusing a pay cut and refusing to move on to China or some other backwater so they can correct what the fans believe is a mistake in paying him 300,000 base wages and 50,000 per week in incentives.
Was it a mistake for a second-tier club (face it, 5th, 6th, 5th, 8th makes Arsenal a second-tier club) to pay a player 350,000 per week? Yes.
Is it Ozil’s fault for accepting? No. No one, offered triple wages, would refuse.
The second point, play him or buy someone better. Dan is not saying play him, he’s saying that, since Arsenal obviously do not have someone better, and since when he plays, they win because Ozil makes the team better, if you aren’t going to play him, go buy someone better.
Hossem Aour may be better. We will not actually know he is better for Arsenal until he is actually playing for Arsenal. At the moment, however, he does not play for Arsenal, however. He is a Lyon player.
Joe Willock is not better. Ceballos is not a better playmaker than Mesut Ozil. Neither is Willian, Maitland Niles, Xhaka, Guendouzi, or Lucas Torreira. All players who have been deployed in the #10 role by Emery or Arteta while Ozil was frozen out.
Clearly, Arteta knows Ozil is better than his current options because he played him in almost every game before the restart. Clearly, Arsenal perform better with Ozil in the middle of the attack.
Rotation is essential to reduce the risk of injuries, etc, and it makes sense to spread the load by bringing in the likes of Guendouzi,Ozil,Willock , Nketiah and Nelson against Leicester.We need to be careful with Auba and Laca with Liverpool on the horizon, when I suspect AMN will be used to mark Salah.
Ozil doesn’t care anymore, then why should I. Arteta knows best,and whatever he decides, I will support 100%.I just wish Houssem Aouar could be signed in the next 48hours .
Ozil is a world cup winner. Not a bad player and he is at a peak age. Surely he should be playing in the Carabao Cup and Europa league. It would be stupid not to. In the PL we have a team, but we have to rotate for other competitions. For that Ozil is more than good enough.
If its creativity you want, play Saka instead of Ozil.
And for all you Ozil fanboys, he doesn’t like you or the club, its the money he likes.
Such a hypocrite you are, I guess for you definition of honour is as long as something benefits you, right? When players don’t honour the contract then they become traitors and money worshippers blah blah buy when the club does the same it’s fine because we love the club so that makes every wrong thing they do right as well.
The club are trying to get rid of the most expensive flop in EPL history, why wouldn’t I support that?
It’s unfair to Saka to keep playing him non-stop. Look at Wilshire and what playing too much did. We have to give players a rest……rotation.
Dan Smith, I am quite in sync with your opinion. Arteta must for once, swallow his pride or whatever & give Ozil & Gueze some space in his project. The midfield is still bereft of the skills & talents of the duo, particularly Ozil with his masterly creativity skills. We could all see how Aub & Lac most often struggle & play deep to get the balls forward, despite their having goals or the team still getting wins. We must not loose the fact these goals & victories, most often than not, come the hard way. Your call on Arteta is quite apt & you will always get our support, inspite of whatever name the anti Ozil pple tag your opinions, as I can see that your views are very much based on football reasons, as well as the club interests, unlike some others, whose reasonings are merely based on some jaundiced sentiments. Thk you, always.
Dear Ozil fan club member, get over it. Ozil will not play for Arsenal again. He should’ve gone somewhere else to show what he’s got.
Dear Kronke fan, you can not force him out by cheap moves and ideas. He has a contract he is honouring it, if club does not want to play him and give him money for free it’s their fault. He has nothing to prove, he is not a 19year old starting his career.
Nketiah,
Nelson, Ozil, Pepe,
Guendouzi, Torreira,
Kolasinac, Luiz, Saliba, Cedric,
Macey..
Can this squad win at Leicester?
I’d be happy with that team, SJ 👍 As for your question – I’ll answer that on Wednesday night at 21.30 ish 🤣🤣
Only if we can get a LB from the youth team to replace kolasinac. We already know what to expect from him so I’d say give someone else a chance to surprise us
Luiz will keep him in check 😜
Anyway he’s got to make up for Saturday, so that Leverkusen come back in for him 😉
AMN or anybody else instead of Kolasinac and you have a good team.
Keep Kolasinac fresh for the big games.😒
I didn’t see this. Lol. I guess kolasinac for the big games part is you being sarcastic
A very sensible team S.J. for what is a secondary Cup competition.My only change would be to switch Nelson and Pepe who I would love to see as a conventional left winger.
I read a report which says that Ozil is removed from the main squad and is currently training with the U23s…..
He should be tried specially with all this creative issues we been having in midfield. The club should realise they can not force him out so why not make use of him. Playing a player is one thing and building team around him is other (which we don’t need to around ozil). Class is permanent, MA can definitely spark the flame one last time before he leaves the club next summer. I say use him, specially in home games for more attacking option.
Martinez is trending on Twitter! He’s already impressing at Aston Villa.
Martinez will save villa 10 points over the course of the season. Meanwhile Leno will cost Arsenal 10 points. He already made couple mistakes vs West Ham that didn’t cost us. I expect more mistakes vs Liverpool.
@HA559 Did you watch Arsenal play when Leno carried the team together with Auba? Leno saved us on numerous occasions. Martinez is awesome I would have loved to keep him. But I have not forgotten how awesome Leno played before his injury.
. Martinez has saved a Estate penalty.
How long since an Arsenal keeper saved a penalty?
Manager Arteta, please let Oil play to launch his come back to justify his loaded purse.
Ozil’s issue at Arsenal is kind of similar to Bale’s tetchy relationship with Zidane.
In both cases, the 2 top players are viewed by thier managers as surplus to requirements.
That is football.
First of all, Guendouzi could still have a chance to again play for Arsenal this season. But (1), if he is not one of the 3 Gunners who were reported to have revolted against the club to refused a pay cut in their wages to support the club ibm during the club’s finance Covid-19 imparted.. (2). If he is not sold this summer by the club. And (3). If he has apologies to his first team manger Arteta, the senior club’s bosses and his team mates for his grossly offending them by his been arrogant to them in his unbecoming arrogance behaviour. Which if he apologized will indicate that he still want to be at Arsenal to continue playing his football there.
But in Ozil’s case, the player is a coupisr whose undermining and trying to sabotage the club’s hierarchy chieftains by his refusing a pay cut in his wages when he should have accepted it like nearly all his colleagues at the club have accepted to accept the cut. But save 2 other ones who Ozil is likely to have convinced not to accept the cut, can be said to tantamount to reasonable felony committed against Arsenal by Ozil. Which after he was put on trial by the club was found guilty of trying to overthrew the club’s regime. And consequently, he was sentenced to banishment from playing for the club henceforth with.
But why has Ozil been having series of problems with all the Arsenal head coach/acting head coach/first team manager since the club manager Arsene Wenger who brought him to the club has left the club?
First of all, Guendouzi could still have a chance to again play for Arsenal this season. But (1), if he is not one of the 3 Gunners who were reported to have revolted against the club to refused a pay cut in their wages to support the club during the club’s finance Covid-19 imparted issue. (2). If he is not sold this summer by the club. And (3). If he has apologies to his first team manger Arteta, the senior club’s bosses and his team mates for his grossly offending them by his been arrogant to them in his unbecoming arrogance behaviour. Which if he apologized will indicate that he still want to be at Arsenal to continue to play his football there.
But in Ozil’s case, the player is a coupist whose undermining and trying to sabotage the club’s hierarchy chieftains by his refusing a pay cut in his wages when he should have accepted it like nearly all his colleagues at the club have accepted to accept the cut. But save 2 other ones who Ozil is likely to have convinced not to accept the cut, can be said to be tantamount to treasonable felony committed against Arsenal by Ozil. Which after he was put on trial by the club was found guilty of trying to overthrow the club’s regime. And consequently, he was sentenced to banishment from playing for the club henceforth with.
But why has Ozil been having series of problems with all the Arsenal head coach/acting head coach/first team manager since the club manager, Arsene Wenger who brought him to the club has left the club?
City looking good 2 horse race them and scousers no one else even close to them million miles away from challenging these 2 just 3rd and 4thup for grabs!!
Some on here saying why doesn’t he just go to China, because he stands for something more than football , they are called morals , some may not understand what that means. If he went there he would probably be put into a concentration camp like the Uighurs? Some one summed it up well on here that ozil has contract and is basically being bullied out of the club and weather yr a fan or for of ozil ya cant really deny that . Personally I dont think he will play until after the window closes and he wont have moved on hence not playing him then will be of no benefit to anyone . I hope I’m wrong because I still think he can win us the game vs liecster city .
When and if Mezut Ozil proves to Mikel Arteta, that he offers more to the team with the ball, than the team lacks without the ball when he is loath to tackle and win the ball back, Arteta will select him.
Enough of these conspiracy theories; as manager Arteta will be judged on results and he will rise or fall on his selections.
The subject of Ozil will always be a divisive one until he leaves the club. There is a verse in the Bible that ” To whom much is given much is expected.” I believe this is the case with Ozil. He has failed to satisfy the various contending interests. By the way Ozil is not the first manager to find issue with Ozil. His German national coach had problems with him which resulted in Ozil resigning from international football. He alleged racism and bias that time but certainly there were issues.
It has always been said that no individual is bigger than the team and so Ozil’s issue should not be allowed to always keep us at each other’s throats! The manager knows better how to deploy his players. If he feels that Ozil should play a part in a game he will involve him. Fortunately Arteta and Ozil have known each other since their playing time together at Arsenal and hence one expects them to have better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. This should therefore put this matter to rest.
David Rusa, I am glad that someone else has studied the good book 😁:
“From those to whom much is given, much is expected.” Luke 12:48
Also:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36
Correction: The sentence starting “By the way—” instead of Ozil read Arteta.
Dan.. if we don’t see Ozil tomorrow, then I don’t expect we will again!
#GroundhogDay
Arteta is winning matches that is what matters most. Ozil fan boys should stop what the did under Emery. We blame the coach for not starting Ozil, when he starts we blame the coach tactics or Xhaka. He is over 30 years but still behaving like a young player.
We already have hungrier and faster CAMs in Ceballos, Willian, Smith-Rowe and Nelson
Ceballos plays decently as a deep-lying playmaker. But his best position is CAM, as seen in Spain national football team and when he played as no 10 under Unai Emery
This is why I oppose the idea of getting a new CAM like Aouar, because we already have too many of them and we don’t even play with a CAM formation currently. Aouar and Ceballos are CAMs who can play decently as deep-lying playmakers, but they’re not athletic enough to protect our defenders in deep midfield area
Hi Dan,
I agree with you 100%. To pay a player that amount of money and not use him is truly unwise. I am a man of principal and he does have a contract with Arsenal until the season is over. We know he not part of the Arsenal’s long term plan but he still has skills. I would get as much out of him as I could to justify some of his wages… Its a win-win scenario. We can’t sell him so lets use him!
The guy is only after money right now, He is not after his future carrier both in and out field thats why he does not like to provide assists as usual bcz he knows very well that whether they play him or not, his money will still go to his account. Secondly, he does not have Arsenal on his heart right now bcz i have seen many players go on to reduce there pay to alow them stay or leave as part of their sinciarity to the mother club but for Orzil thats Zero leave even giving part of his salary for corona thing where some of the players give apartments others give thousands. and thats why other clubs are not intrested in him bcz he is not performing as expected even after Arteta giving him chances over chances yet other clubs are monitering him. if he is doing well in goal assist why dont potential suiters come for his signature? We just have to set our mind on replacing him thats all.