Arsenal: True or not, Mesut Ozil must pull his finger out

Mesut Ozil missed Arsenal’s win over West Ham United through ‘illness’. There were reports that the real reason was a training ground bust-up with Unai Emery. Whichever is true, the German must pull his finger out. And fast.

The curious case of Mesut Ozil meanders forward. There are few players that my opinion of has fluctuated so frequently and drastically as Ozil. The German is uniquely gifted and uniquely difficult to work out. Does he work in the quiet, creaking cracks of the game, work that is so easy to overlook, or is it anonymity, a lack of commitment, application and attitude? Only Ozil can say either way.

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However, what is clear is that there is a growing disparity between what is expected of the Arsenal midfielder and what he is producing, and that is inevitably causing friction, most specifically with Unai Emery.

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Let’s outline the narrative of the past few months. Ozil endures a difficult World Cup with Germany. He is embroiled in a racist controversy that is horrific and he deserves complete and utter support in. He retires from international football and returns to Arsenal. He starts the opening match against Manchester City and is his typical, missing self in the big games. Emery calls him out in public before the Chelsea match. Midway through another typically absent performance, he was hooked. And then he misses the next match altogether through a mysterious ‘illness’.

Emery has persistently maintained that Ozil was indeed sick and that he gave his permission for the midfielder to miss West Ham United’s trip to the Emirates. It is, however, a little difficult to believe. And Emery has also conceded that he was considering altering Ozil’s position, which comes with reports of a training ground bust-up between player and manager last week also.

The whole situation is extremely murky, shrouded and ambiguous. Other than Ozil and Emery and perhaps a few selected others, no one really knows what the truth is. But, actually, irrespective of whether there is a rift, irrespective of a bust-up, irrespective of Ozil’s eighth absence through illness since December 2016, in which no other Arsenal player has had more than one in the same period, he still needs to pull his finger out and start performing at the level expected of him.

Ozil is a £350,000-a-week player. Yes, the money that he is paid does not dictate the level that he plays at. But it does dictate the expectations of the club. Ozil should be a figure akin to Kevin de Bruyne and Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard. Currently, he is nowhere near that level whatsoever.

And when Ozil does not produce in the final third, such is the luxury in squeezing him into the team that his presence comes at a major detriment. He does not press effectively, he is not disciplined and diligent in his defensive duties, he does not simply run and run to ensure that he is at least vaguely helpful to the team if his flicks and tricks are not coming off. And Emery is working that out.

Whether Ozil has been sick, whether Ozil has been arguing with his manager and teammates, whether he’s been the most enthusiastic and conscientious trainer, his performances and commitment have not been good enough. He needs to pull his finger out. And fast.