Mesut Ozil needs to get with the programme or his Arsenal career is over

Aditya Devavrat 22:39 28/08/2018
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  • Mesut Ozil's time at Arsenal may be up.

    Mesut Ozil ruffled feathers this summer after hitting back at criticism of his performance for Germany at the World Cup in Russia that took on racist undertones, but now that he’s back at Arsenal, he’s embroiled in a far more familiar controversy.

    Since he joined the Gunners in 2013, he’s been one of the most polarising figures at the club, oscillating from being the embodiment of what the Gunners can be at their best to being emblematic of everything wrong with the team at their worst. And though one of the other main figures in that controversy, Arsene Wenger – whose faith in Ozil could infuriate fans and pundits alike – has left the club, there’s no sense that the debate surrounding his role in the side has changed.

    The latest flare-up came after Ozil delivered two lacklustre performances in new manager Unai Emery’s first two games in charge, losses against Manchester City and Chelsea – bringing back the familiar refrain that the German does not perform against top opposition.

    After being withdrawn while Arsenal were chasing a winner against Chelsea, he was left out of the squad for the most recent fixture against West Ham – either after a disagreement with Emery, according to reports, or due to illness, the official story from the manager.

    But it’s difficult to believe the official story when Ozil and Emery are such an obvious clash. The Spaniard’s playing style involves high-intensity, high-energy pressing and movement, an anathema to his playmaker’s more casual, languid manner. Though Ozil has often, to the surprise of many, topped the distance covered charts among Arsenal attackers, or at least outdone players expected to be above him, that level of laser-focused commitment is usually beyond him.

    During the summer, there were reports that Ozil was impressed by what he heard from his team-mates about Emery’s training methods, enough to come back a little earlier from a holiday in order to link up with the squad. But two weeks in, it seems clear that feeling has faded.

    Which begs the question if there’s any place at all for Ozil in his new manager’s side, or if he’s an indulgence Emery cannot afford.

    At his best, Ozil is one of the best in the world at what he does. Since he arrived in England, he’s had the most assists, 50, and most chances created – a whopping 525 – in the Premier League. His vision and passing ability mark him out as one of the premier playmakers in Europe. Any manager would love to be able to get the best out of such a player, because he’s guaranteed to make everyone around him better.

    But his lack of defensive work-rate has been a recurring issue. It was a hindrance under Wenger, who largely chose to ignore it because of what the 29-year-old brings at the other end, but Jose Mourinho wouldn’t tolerate it at Real Madrid, and indeed got Ozil to buy into his system during their three years together, with plenty of growing pains. There’s an argument to be made that no manager has gotten more out of the German than Mourinho in those years.

    Emery, whose philosophy is similar to Mourinho’s in terms of defensive effort, is having no such joy so far. In theory it should be too early to make a call, but if the rumours regarding a disagreement between player and manager are true, then Ozil could be in his last days as an Arsenal player. A new manager needs to stamp his authority on a team as quickly as possible, and any dust-up with Ozil will prevent Emery from doing that.

    While the bumper new contract Arsenal offered their star playmaker in January complicates matters, ultimately, it’s still more likely that the club will back Emery if push comes to shove. And Emery is not going to pamper Ozil the way Wenger was accused of doing, and the way he himself was forced to do at PSG with Neymar.

    Which means, bluntly put, that the German needs to get with the programme. If he can’t adapt to fit his new manager’s style, he’s going to be the one to suffer, and likely, he’ll be the one to leave.

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