A Real Shame: Mesut Özil Saga Rages On

By Richard C. Banda 

Let’s discuss about Mesut Özil, a World Cup Winner, the King of Assists an exceptional player who deservedly earned a contract at the Emirates. Even though that might be the case, Özil has been on the back foot failing to find the right form and the much needed consistent since.

 Amid all the ups and downs in the football world with the global pandemic still with us. The big talking point in European football has been about Özil. Ever since his contract extension at Arsenal, it seems like a lot have changed.

 If we look closely at the Mesut Özil situation, his saga started when Unai Emery was still at the man in charge at Arsenal. We can all go all guns blazing at the current manager Mikel Arteta, but Özil was already out of the picture way before Arteta came in.

 In November 2018, Arsenal played some dismal and unconvincing 1-1 draw at home to Wolverhampton. The following match Unai Emery switched to a 3 at the back formation, these tactics led Özil to sit on the bench. This was something that never happened during the Wenger Era. These were some of the few red flags that most Arsenal fans failed to notice. It was clear as daylight that Mesut's future at the Emirates was under scrutiny. 

Özil Comments on China fuels the Whole Situation?

The comments on China were made months before football came to a halt in the whole world, and already the Germany international was now used to sitting on the dugout. The word has it that Mesut’s sack is way beyond just football. A player like Özil cannot go a stretch of 13-14 game without finding his form, worst still he is not part of Premier League and Europa League squad for the Gunners. Fishy isn’t it?

Its sad that for over 7 months we have not been able to see Özil in action. At this point, Arsenal are comfortable having player who wear a number 10 shirt, who is the highest paid player and a World Cup winner who isn’t playing. Surely, it’s a shamble and it’s a real shame to the football world.