Es sounded like a call for help from Mesut Özil. “I’m ready,” wrote Arsenal’s midfielder on Instagram on Tuesday. The 31-year-old once again did not appear in the squad when his club won 2-1 against English champions Liverpool one day later – the club cited back problems as the reason for the non-nomination. Almost two years after his spectacular retirement from the German national soccer team, Özil’s time with the Gunners is not in danger of ending.
Since the resumption after the corona virus interruption, the former German international has not caused a stir on the pitch and is still waiting for his first assignment. Özil only attracted attention when he sought protection from the sun with a red screen as a substitute during the 2-0 win at Southampton FC. After that, the 2014 world champion was no longer appointed by coach Mikel Arteta.
“The situation for him is currently unchanged,” said the Spanish coach before the duel against Jürgen Klopps Liverpool. Arteta repeated this statement again and again when asked about Özil. But Arsenal’s top earner actually disagreed via Instagram. “I am ready” and two posted photos of him during the Arsenal training don’t sound like a back injury. Maybe Özil is still hoping for a comeback in the semi-finals of the FA Cup against Manchester City on Saturday.
Arteta always speaks a little opaque when it comes to Özil. “I bet on players who are 100 percent committed to our culture. And players who live up to what we expect from them every day, ”said the successor to Unai Emery, who was released at the end of November 2019. The running-intensive pressing expected by Arteta is not one of Özil’s strengths.
“He needs a certain way of playing the team to show his strengths in the game,” said Arteta at the end of December. It was a phase in which the former Bundesliga professional at least briefly indicated his skills. The years in which he dominated the Premier League with 19 assists in one season (2015/16) and dismantled the opposing defensive lines have long been over. “Liverpool have prepared as many Arsenal goals this season as Özil,” scoffed a Twitter user after the Klopp team initiated the Gunners goal with two defensive errors on Wednesday.
In any case, Özil has gotten a lot of malice in the past few weeks. Sky expert and former Arsenal professional Paul Merson described the former Real Madrid star as “one of the worst players in the world” when he doesn’t have the ball on his feet. “Name me a worse one,” asked the former England international. “If your team doesn’t have the ball right now, Mesut Özil will most definitely not take it back for you. Neither for love nor for money. I have never seen a player who shows so little interest. “
On July 22, 2018, Özil caused even more stir when he published his three-part announcement about his resignation from the German national team via social networks. He cited racist hostility and a lack of backing by the German Football Association (DFB) after the photos with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the main reasons for this. After that, he hardly made any headlines.
The long-time midfield wizard only appeared at home games recently because the former Bremen player presented FC Arsenal’s new training shirt on the edge of the field on the advertising board. Whether he will ever wear it, however, is completely open. Özil’s contract expires in 2021. Arsenal would like to hand over its highest paid player. A farewell from London, the German-Turk explained several times in the past, but has not been an issue so far.
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