‘It’s a shame’ for Ozil but you have to ‘admire’ Arteta’s stance

Ian Wright has said that he feels sorry for Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, but admires Mikel Arteta’s stance on and urges fans to get behind the team.

The German playmaker has fallen down the pecking order in North London during the last nine months, with him not having played a senior match since the Coronavirus pandemic put a halt to the Premier League schedule.

His stock at Arsenal has plummeted even further down since the new season began, and Ozil has not even been registered for the club’s playing squad for the Europa League or Premier League, meaning he will be stuck vying for a place in the Under-23 squad, or hoping to feature in the Carabao Cup or FA Cup, unless he was to look for a move away.

Ian Wright can’t help but feel sorry for his fellow professional, but backs the manager for sticking to his word.

“It’s a shame,” the ex-Arsenal striker told Premier League Productions (via Goal). “From a professional point of view, I’m gutted for Ozil because for some reason they can’t settle their differences.

“At the same time, you’ve got to admire the manager sticking to his guns. He’s the one that’s said ‘Listen: This is my decision’.

“For whatever reason, he doesn’t want to play Mesut. It’s a shame because he’s a quality player. Sometimes it just happens like that. Unfortunately for Mesut as a professional he wants to play football it won’t happen here.

“From what Mikel is trying to do Arsenal fans have to concentrate on now, it’s all about the team and the progression of the team.”

I don’t think much more needs to be said after Wrighty’s closing comments, as he hit the nail on the head. Ozil is done, Arteta made his decision, now let’s get behind our team and cheer on the player’s who are actually on the field.

Patrick

Tags Ian Wright Mesut Ozil Mikel Arteta

12 Comments

  1. This is really what Wright said: “For whatever reason, he doesn’t want to play Mesut. It’s a shame because he’s a quality player.”
    The last sentence is just to soften the blow.

    1. You heard him right. You don’t Ceballos or willock to Ozil. We now have defence and good strikers. We still luck goals because we don’t have creative middle fielders like Ozil. Leave Ozil behind and win us games convincingly because that’s our happiness if you are Arsenal fan Arteta.

  2. Grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

    1. You missed out “the “(serenity)! I’m in a mischievous mood today PAT! But it iIS a very true saying, though many sayings are false and unhelpful, Esp “Sticks and stones” etc, which is false nonsense and can do immense harm for a whole lifetime.

  3. I thr exclusion was a statement.

    He hasn’t put the effort in. He was a passenger last season. He didn’t want to move on, he wants to “honor his contract”. He could’ve gone anywhere around Europe had he lowered his wage demands. He didnt want to leave and now that its his last season, he suddenly wants to fight for his place and is baffled how he’s excluded.

    Good stance from Arteta: you don’t put the effort in at training and on match days, you don’t play.

    If he played him after all his slacking, what kind of a message does that send?

    1. Reason is not a footballing one . just tell one player in the current crop who is as creative as him. These many years , we just cried out loud that he does not back track . That time our defense was in shambles . Now we have got a good defense at least a decent one . Now is the time to utilize his skills to the fullest .
      Arteta on the other hand thinks current crop of players deserve to play . not a chance. No one in this team is as creative as him . DOT.

  4. the legend has said it all with decent maturity. just give support to the manager and the team, and leave behind such bad influencer.

  5. Distance covered by Arsenal players v United:

    1. Ozil 11.53km
    2. Torreira 11.41km
    3. Aubameyang 11.03km
    4. Xhaka 11.02km

    “The former Germany international has often been regarded as lazy but his stats in the Man United win suggest Arteta has turned him into a new man. Ozil regained possession 10 times, more than any other player on the pitch. And he also lead Arteta’s side in distance covered, with 11.53km.”

    1. Intensity in running is far more important than mere distance, which is misleading, though oft quoted by stats freaks who just do not know how to use them properly.

  6. Arteta , has personal beef with Ozil. Ozil ,can do wonders than some players we see play in that team.
    You cant just do that to a proffessional player . Its a big shame

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