The Arsenal transfer rumours about Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil were rife in the summer and continued right up until the last day of the transfer window. They are still continuing as we approach the January window, and the fans certainly think that the two so-called superstars are not playing their best for the club since not being given a massive pay rise, or in Alexis’ case, not being allowed to join Pep Guardiola at Man City.
The difference between the summer and now is the fact that many fans now want to get rid of them as soon as possible, especially as Sanchez has only scored one goal since the failed transfer, and Ozil seems to be disinterested on the pitch. The Arsenal legend Lee Dixon thinks it is obvious that they want out and he thinks their team-mates must feel the same way. Dixon said: “Agents and players manipulate situations – and clubs do, in order to get the best deal for the parties concerned – but in general, if you don’t want to go there, and you don’t want to stay, then you will be ousted from the environment and dressing room pretty quickly.
“Players work out whether you want to be there or not, and certainly fans do when they see your performances on the pitch.”
So what does he think should happen in this situation? “We’d have just shown them the door,” he added. “If you don’t want to play, then go. That’s not changed.
“If a player doesn’t want to play for you: it happened with Michael Thomas 18 months after he scored [the title-winning goal against Liverpool] in ’89, he was in dispute with the club or George about money. He ended up going in similar circumstances and signing with Liverpool.”
As for Ozil, Dixon was even more cutting! “At the moment Arsenal’s levels are a bit off, they aren’t working hard enough,” he said.
“Ozil’s a perfect example, how talented is he? But there are times when I look at him and think ‘I’d drive him to the airport right now’ because his application to his job for the team is so far below what it should be.
“Unless he steps up it doesn’t matter what the rest are doing, you’re still carrying him.”
So do you think that their continuing presence is causing unrest in the dressing room? Should we just let them go in January at whatever price we can get?
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