Arsenal: Mesut Ozil’s Bayern Munich Reasoning Offers Veiled Dig

Mesut Ozil has explained that Arsenal lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League because of their poor squad, offering a veiled dig at Arsene Wenger.

I cannot remember a more difficult time during Arsene Wenger’s reign. Since February 11th, Arsenal have won just three games: Sutton United, Lincoln City and West Ham United. They exited the Champions League thanks to a 10-2 aggregate embarrassment and have now lost four consecutive away games in the Premier League, conceding three goals in all three.

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The two 5-1 losses to Bayern Munich in the Champions League were particularly damaging. Rewind three years, and the German club was the yardstick by which Ivan Gazidis chose to measure the future of Arsenal. How disparaging the two were when they met this season.

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Arsene Wenger stated that Mesut Ozil was someone who took the humiliating exit particularly badly, as the Champions League was a primary ambition of his for his career. And now Ozil has revealed his reasoning for why he believes his current side are unable to match the European giants such as Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Ozil claimed that the depth of the Gunners’ squad is what is holding them back, suggesting that they need to invest in the transfer market to advance:

"“I think the club know they need to strengthen. But what’s most important is the manager’s opinion. He and the club will make the decision. When you look at our squad, it’s not as broad as Bayern’s or Real Madrid’s. In the Champions League, that’s not enough, especially against big teams, because they have more breadth in their squad.”"

Such comments are certainly the perspective that many fans and members of the media hold. There has not been enough investment in the playing personnel for the side to ever challenge, not just in Europe, but also domestically. And that is particularly poignant for Ozil.

The German was brought to North London by Wenger with the intention that his personal ambitions would be matched by that the club; that Wenger would heavily invest in the squad, bringing in players of the same calibre as himself; that Arsenal would challenge for the upper tier trophies, both domestically and on the continent.

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Ozil’s remarks are, when put in that context, a clear dig at the workings of Wenger and the club in the transfer market throughout his four years in North London. It is for that reason that he will likely leave in the summer. Quite simply, Ozil has more ambition than the club.