Arsenal: Fixing Mesut Ozil mess up to one man

Unai Emery told media on Wednesday what Mesut Ozil must do to get back into the Arsenal team. Fixing this mess is down to just one man: Ozil himself.

Mesut Ozil at Arsenal is a mess. I don’t think anyone will disagree with that. Having a £350,000-a-week player sat on your bench is never a smart way to run a football team. And that is precisely what the Gunners were doing with their recent usage of Ozil, justified or not.

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While a decision will come in the summer regarding his long-term utility and future, for now, there needs to be some form of action. Ozil is too good and Arsenal are too lacking for this impasse to continue. There are few that would not recognise a need for immediate change in circumstance.

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And speaking to the media this week in his pre-match press conference prior to Thursday night’s crucial second leg against BATE Borisov, a match that Ozil could be extremely useful in, Unai Emery recognised this and spoke surprisingly freely about what Ozil must now do to work his way back into the starting XI:

"“The key is in his heart. He is working very well this week and I asked him in our conversation to be consistent, to be available for us in training. When you can train with quality and consistency, you can help with the best performances for us in games. Now, the way he is looking, is good for all the players because we are now in a big and an important moment for the season. I know he wants it but I need consistency, to be available in training and in matches without the injuries, without being sick. And that’s when we will see the best Mesut with us.”"

This, really, should have been obvious. It should never have been about Emery bowing to Ozil. No manager should ever have to lower himself below his players. It should always be the players bending to the manager’s will.

Even with Arsenal struggling in Ozil’s absence, especially in regards to finding creativity and ingenuity in the final third, two things the German World Cup-winner provides in spades, the power should remain with the manager — whether it actually does or not is another question.

There is only one man who can solve the mess that is Mesut Ozil between now and the end of the season. And that is Mesut Ozil himself. Emery has shown that he will not pander to him. No one else can prove commitment, effort, a positive attitude, a willingness to be obedient and to work. Only Ozil can do those things.

Emery wants to see a response from Ozil. If Twitter is anything to go by, Ozil is ready to give one. I guess we will have to wait and see, but only Ozil can solve this for himself. He knows what he has to do. Emery has told him. Now he simply has to do it.