“If he hasn’t got the ball he’s one of the worst players in the world” damning assessment on Mesut Ozil from former Gunner

Paul Merson has labelled Mesut Ozil a terrible player when his team doesn’t have the ball.

The German has been a divisive figure at Arsenal in recent seasons after he signed a new deal worth £350,000-a-week.

He had been told that he was no longer wanted when Arsenal was managed by Unai Emery. However, when Mikel Arteta became the club’s manager, he seemed to have been given a second chance.

But what Arteta got in return for his show of faith in the German is the same old  Ozil.

Merson reckons that the German is too old to change his game and that he is in the wrong team at the wrong time.

He insisted that the German was a fine player when his team has the ball, however, he is always uninterested when they don’t have possession and have to chase the team with the possession.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson said: ‘I think Ozil is a prime example of a player who has to play in a proper team, that is going to be right up there, dominating football matches. He’s got to play in a majorly successful team.

‘He can’t play in this Arsenal team, here’s why: he’s not going to change his game now in his 30s, and Arsenal aren’t going to change their game for him.

‘He isn’t tracking back, chasing players, and you need him in a team where you’re getting 70 per cent of the ball each week, and he’ll play. You get players around him, let him play. We all know how Ozil plays, you give him the ball and he’ll find you. If you don’t have the ball, he won’t win it back for you for love nor money.

‘He’s not interested when they don’t have the ball. How can you give someone £350k-a-week when we all knew that was his style of play?

‘If he hasn’t got the ball he’s one of the worst players in the world! I would say that. Name me a worse player in the world when their team doesn’t have the ball. 

‘I’ve never seen somebody so disinterested when they don’t have the ball, but he hurts you at the other end!

‘Can Arsenal form a team around him? At the moment, it’s at the stage where you can’t do that. They’re not going to change the team for him. He’ll pick up his £350,000-a-week and everything is rosy for him.’

Ozil hasn’t appeared in any Arsenal game since the restart of the Premier League season.

Tags Mesut Ozil Paul Merson

22 Comments

  1. That is the truth of the matter, I like Ozil as a player, it’s not his fault for being on 350k a week wage, he can’t give what we are expecting of him and we can’t change the world because of him, it’s a pity things are like this but am dissapointed at his carefree attitude towards his career, just like the then ronaldinho, who seem tired of football after leaving Barcelona. I hope he pick his career back on track

    1. I understand your viewpoint and to me it is his attitude that disappoints me the most too.
      He won the football lottery and has decided to sit on his laurels. Winston Bogarde did the same and admitted to it but reading about it left a nasty taste.

  2. OT.. Well one player we won’t be facing in the semi final is Sane… £54.8m fee agreed with Bayern!

  3. How damning is this true Merson comment and how appalling that we havew to suffer this vastly overpaid idle fraud! This is a black period inArsenal history and as a fan following th club for over 60 years, I cannot remember a single other player who gave so little effort, not even Walcott. In my opinion, Ozil owes the club around £100mill in unearned wages picked up under false pretences.

  4. One million online signatures to tell this mecernery enough is enough.I can bet on my 🏠 that he will not get half of the wages he is on even if he leaves for free.He was finished by the Madrid wanted to sell,German fans blamed him for loses in the national team, even at Arsenal he says “when we lose its my fault” …

  5. Another “truth”that has been said several times but needs to be retold to make it more than the truth😬😬😬

  6. OT.. Well, the mancs aren’t having any problems at the Amex 😕 It pains me to say this, but what a signing Bruno Fernandes has been, talk about hit the ground running! Looking very promising for them 😖 No doubt I’ll hear all about it from my son in law!!

  7. recent seasons he’s not been good on the ball either. Just a nothing player at this point. Keep up the Ozil articles. Great reads.

  8. What Merson had said was damning on Arsenal, too.

    “… has to play in a proper team …” Arsenal simply doesn’t have a proper team now.

    Downfall, free fall.

    Sad but true.

  9. As can be seen in many other teams Arsenal play, lesser ability can be more than compensated by application and commitment.
    Unfortunately in the case of many players “representing” the Arsenal at present, ability is not completely lacking but application and commitment are. For me, this is unforgivable for people playing a sport they supposedly love, earning the wages and enjoying the lifestyle they do, even given the hard grind of training to get there and stay there.
    Ozil is a prime example of that, but I don’t believe he is too concerned about his reputation or legacy.

    1. The problem with big money in Any walk of life is that you give the incentive to earn more money but not the incentive to remain deserving of your wage. That’s why all the rest of us in bottom end jobs are threatened with the sack every day, treating every work day as if it’s our last.

      1. S, you are so right; apart from the potential of a career ending injury, professional footballers in the EPL are far removed from the worries of workday existence in struggle street.
        Ordinary workers can also have their careers ended, given the push to reduce OH&S in the workplace.

  10. He is a Shirt Selling Genius. Lol
    If Ozil was not on about £350,000 a week and not have the overhype his cultists send his way we would not be talking too much about him.
    But he is on £350,000 a week, has as much influence on our games as the likes of Willock, Xhaka, etc.
    Imagine paying that much for someone that regularly gets 3/10 ratings person. The best we can expect from him is normally a 6/10 if we are lucky.

    It’s a joke that his loyal followers just deflect, blame others and excuse after excuse.
    Laca is been terrible, very average, but you can at least see that he tries even if things don’t come off. Works hard.

    The likes of Xhaka are average, but at least they try their best even if their best is stull not good enough.

    We pelt the likes of finished Luiz, Mustafi, Sokratis etc. But you can tell that they are just not good enough, but try their best even if its still not good enough.

    Ozil on the other hand has a very closed of loyal following that never see any wrong with him apart from blaming everyone and everything around him for his own flaws. Blame manager, our other players, racism, board, us critical fans, the media, the weather, the physically of tge EPL etc.
    We have had it all, all the excuses there is.
    Some people on other arsenal fan forums even said that the moped mob who attacked him with and Kolasinac was all a conspiracy but Arsenal and Emery to force him out.

    And lets not talk about his Social media propaganda and vanity where he just undermines everyone at the club. His cultists love to eat up all his social media propaganda.
    Lol 😂

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