Arsenal: Mesut Ozil is a problem, but not a twenty-year problem

Arsenal have an ongoing problem with the massive contract that Mesut Ozil is wielding, but that doesn’t mean we can’t compete for 20 years.

In case you missed the memo, Mesut Ozil has been a problem at Arsenal for a while now. His massive money contract that he signed in January of last year has truly hamstrung the club, making players like Aaron Ramsey head for the door because they are not able to secure the same, deserved money.

Paul Merson has done his usual thing, and vociferously leapt to criticizing the management of the club for what this deal has done to them.

He makes one really good point – that if the Gunners go out and buy a big money signing, that signing is then going to want what Ozil is making, because let’s be honest, Ozil is no longer a big part of the club, so why is he making any more than the next big player?

The club, however, can’t afford to pay anyone else that kind of money. Otherwise Aaron Ramsey wouldn’t be leaving. Which basically all translates to that the Gunners are being held back by their decision to give an enigmatic and unreliable player the biggest contract they have ever given.

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But, while Ozil is a problem, he isn’t a problem that will haunt the club for 20 years, as Merson also said. When asked how long it would take for the Gunners to compete for the Premier League title again, Merson said, quite plainly – 20 years. Now, maybe he’s being a bit dramatic, as he is known to be, but even if that is the case, let me go ahead and reassure everyone that no, the Mesut Ozil problem won’t be holding back this club for two whole decades.

At worse, he will hold us back for a couple years after he leaves because, conceivably, other clubs will be getting the leg up on the Gunners while they are still dealing with the money problem that the German has caused, but beyond that, it’s silly to think that this won’t all be done and passed within five, six years.

Then again, let’s be honest – five, six years is a long time too, and it’s crazy to think that this is where we currently find ourselves with Mesut Ozil’s mega deal.

One thing is certain, and Merson did make this point – you can’t really go about addressing any of these issues in any big way until the Ozil problem is dealt with.