Arsenal: What’s the rush with Mesut Ozil?

Unai Emery has been “urged” to make a decision regarding Mesut Ozil’s future at Arsenal, but what’s the rush? It’s not even March yet.

This has been Mesut Ozil‘s most tumultuous season of his career, as his digs at Arsenal have been challenged by a manager demanding more of him than he is used to giving. Arsene Wenger would have never asked these things of him, for better or worse, but Emery is a different man ushering in a different era.

But it’s roiled more than a few feathers, dividing opinion, and forcing many to choose sides (even though the concept is entirely unnecessary, no one has to choose sides at all because we’re all on the same side).

Now, there are commentators urging Emery to make a decision one way or the other – will Ozil be a part of this club, and thus a central part, or will be be forced out because, apparently, there is no middle ground.

My question is, what’s the rush? Emery hasn’t even been here a full year yet, he’s experimenting with his best club and how he can best use his guys and he’s waiting to see if Ozil can step out of his own shadow and be a part of this.

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You don’t rush something like that. Not only that, but you really can’t rush something like that. You have to give it time to reach its natural conclusion, otherwise the results are going to be muddled by the fact that you did, in fact, force a result.

And besides, the season still has a few months to go. No decision has to be made until the end of the year. Why does Emery have to make a decision right this moment, or by the end of March even? He doesn’t.

The bonus to this methodology is in the process of motivating him to produce results, Ozil is driving up what transfer value he has, allowing Emery to truly consider both options – to keep and make a central part, or to sell. Which is just another reason why you don’t have to rush this – worst case, you sell him at a higher price while still deciding that he isn’t right for the club.

Emery isn’t doing anything wrong in his lengthy evaluation of Ozil’s future with the club. I appreciate that he is taking his time and not making any rash decisions.