Arsenal: 5 players who failed to meet expectations

3. Mesut Ozil

In very similar circumstances to Nicolas Pepe, Mesut Ozil has 350,000 reasons per week why he has failed to meet expectations this season.

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The German, admittedly, has not been helped by the team around him. He is still creating chances at a decent rate. He was frozen out by former head coach Unai Emery and has looked a lot more committed and willing under Mikel Arteta. But no matter the excuses you might make for an individual, when they are fit for the majority of the season and provide just one goal and two assists in the Premier League, serious questions have to be asked.

And for Ozil, these questions are more pertinent than for other players. Where those that are more industrious and hard-working will provide an impact irrespective of the quality they provide, Ozil simply does not. The very point of his presence in the team is to create, and at present, he is not doing that.

It should be said that his play has improved under Arteta, and it is no question that his rift with Emery was very real and impactful. But even in the Arteta period, Ozil has been little more than neat and tidy. That is not enough for £350,000 per week.