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Arsenal vs Red Star Belgrade: “Warrior’s” like Mesut Ozil fight
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal’s match against Red Star Belgrade is going to be one hell of a fight, and it’s warriors that fight. So, cue Mesut Ozil, the German Warrior, right?
Arsenal’s loss to Watford has give rise to a whole new conversation. A whole new conversation as in, the same conversation we’ve had multiple times, but with more evidence to support previous claims.
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And of course, one of the main points of contention is Mesut Ozil. The German blew a wide open chance to put his club up 2-0 over Watford and put away the game, which then, in turn went in the host’s favor.
In response to the intense criticism pouring out against Ozil, Robert Pires has come to the German’s defense, saying that Ozil is “a warrior” and simply angry that Wenger is not investing in the club and providing him the supporting cast necessary for someone like Ozil to succeed.
You can’t argue with that latter part. Ozil needs very specific circumstances to thrive. At Real Madrid, he certainly had those circumstances. At Arsenal, he certainly doesn’t.
I take no issue with that part of the statement, I take issue with calling him a “warrior” and this inferred case from Pires that Ozil is too angry to be at his best.
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Mostly because, for all of the things that Ozil is, a warrior is not one. At least not in the sense that I think about it. Alexis Sanchez is a warrior. Even as he is begging for an exit, it’s hard to deny that he’s giving his all out there more times than not.
With Ozil, I’m not so sure. But again, that’s where this belief of mine comes that if he really is a “warrior” he would be fighting. Fighting to be more than he has been before. Ozil fought once, but nowadays, not quite so much.
To me, that’s not a warrior. There are a lot of things that Ozil is. He’s and artist. He’s a magician. He’s a maestro. But if he was a warrior, he’d be on the plane to Serbia, asking the coach to put him in that starting XI so that he can make a difference.
That’s what a warrior does.
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Maybe my gripe is nothing more than word choice. I just wish that Robert Pires was right. Right about that Ozil was a fighter that could step up and make a difference.