The saga surrounding Mesut Ozil at Arsenal just does not stop.
After receiving praise in some quarters for offering to pay the wage of Jerry Quy, otherwise known as Arsenal mascot Gunnersaurus, who was cut by the club to save costs, Ozil has been axed from Arsenal’s Europa League squad.
Ozil Omission is Beneficial for Arsenal
Mesut Ozil Only Has Himself to Blame For Arsenal Absence
Following the summer signings of Gabriel and Willian, as well as the re-signing of Dani Ceballos on loan and the deadline day capture of Thomas Partey, Mikel Arteta had a tricky decision to make.
Who would be left out of his Europa League squad for the 2020/21 season?
Continuing his no-nonsense approach, Arteta left out Ozil, the club’s highest earner, along with defenders William Saliba and Sokratis. Given his status as the Gunners’ highest-paid player and World Cup winner, the announcement has caused a stir on social media. Many Arsenal fans are perplexed as to why a creative midfielder has been left out of a squad that often struggles to break down defences.
Ozil has been excluded from Arteta’s squad for a number of reasons but the most glaring one is that he notched a paltry two assists in 18 Premier League appearances last season.
The 31-year-old did not feature in any of Arsenal’s post-lockdown games last campaign, his last appearance coming on 7 March in a 1-0 win against West Ham. Ozil being the only member of the squad that refused to take a pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic may have also been a contributing factor as to why he has been, to put it bluntly, missing in action for the past seven months.
Off the pitch, it is an entirely different story. Ozil has not turned down any opportunity to increase his publicity, peppering his personal Twitter feed with gestures of good-will. His offer to pay for the return of Gunnersaurus is the latest example in a series of messages. His intentions are clear: to endear himself to his legion of fans so they can scream his name from the rooftops in adoration, as if he was the latest hero to walk through the doors.
Ozil Exclusion Reinforces Arteta’s No-Nonsense Approach
This approach will not work on Mikel Arteta, who is too determined and focused on bringing Arsenal back to the top of English football to have the wool pulled over his unwavering eyes.
Since taking over at Arsenal last December, Arteta has been consistently clear in what he demands from his players. Players who work hard for the team instead of their own individual interests will be selected. This has seen Dani Ceballos and Ainsley Maitland-Niles return to form after slumping and sulking midway through last season.
Ceballos and Maitland-Niles being back in favour should serve as an example to Ozil that, with Arteta as manager, you will not play unless you impress the manager. It is he who picks the team after all. Ozil being allowed to go on holiday whilst Arsenal played the FA Cup Final is a sign that he will not be included in an Arsenal squad any time soon. He could yet be excluded from their 25-man Premier League squad, which will be finalised by 20 October.
If Ozil does not feature in either of Arsenal’s squads in 2020/21, the final season before his contract with the club expires, you can be sure that this will not be the final chapter of the Mesut Ozil saga at Arsenal.
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