Having a dig at Mesut Ozil has become something of a sport in recent months.
It almost feels like some in the media have made it a full-time job; their criticism arrowing in on every enigmatic shrug of the midfielder’s shoulders, every misplaced pass, every Instagram post, every questionable photo-opportunity with an autocratic political figure. *cough*
However, amidst all the guff – much of which is floating over from Bavaria like a radioactive poo-heavy ash cloud – one thing is clear; the Germany international has the backing of his club, his manager and his teammates.
Whether you agree or not with the huge pay packet he’s negotiated for himself, Ozil is our main creative force. If we’re going to do well this season, you can be sure as hell we’ll need Mesut on top form.
You get the feeling Unai Emery recognises that as well. Asked about the German’s traumatic summer, the Spaniard again insisted that Arsenal have his back.
“We are here to help him,” Emery told his pre-West Ham press conference.
“We are his family and it is his home. We are used to being criticised but we are professional. In our careers, as coaches and players, we are going to receive criticism.
“When we do well, they are going to speak about us well. We need to live with this. Here, we need and we want to help him.”
Emery’s words come a few days after Jurgen Klopp was asked for his take on ‘photo-gate’ (which also affected his former players Emre Can and Ilkay Gundogan) and Ozil’s subsequent decision to step down from international duty. The Reds boss, who comes across like a possessed madman on matchdays, nailed the situation on the head when he implied that most of the noise had been made by those with an agenda or the willfully ignorant.
“This is a classic example of absolute misinformation and, of course, complete nonsense,” Klopp said in an interview with German TV station Sport 1. “This photo was used – first by Erdogan, then by many other people.
“In politics, little things have always been blown up and big things pushed away in order to continue. Normally intelligent people tend to hold back because it is not easy to say the right thing. I would count myself too. All those who have no idea are very loud in the consideration.
“I know Ilkay Gundogan very well, I know Emre Can and Nuri Sahin very well. I do not know Mesut so well, but I would like to take him home. I do not doubt these guys at least about their loyalty to our homeland.
“The difference is that they just have diversity. Where is the problem? That’s beautiful. Cultural diversity, we all thought it was really cool around the 2006 World Cup. I saw these fantastic commercials where the parents of Gerald Asamoah and Mario Gomez had a barbecue party together.
“We all sighed for how great that works. And now two guys are seduced by a politically quite intelligent people to a photo, and then have relatively few opportunities to say the one hundred percent right. That’s why I find this discussion hypocritical. Bad things happened because people were not informed properly.”
He’s our player and our most skilful. Let’s back him all the way.
I have to say that is the best I have ever heard from Klopp. Spot on.
A quality coach and he may also be a quality man I’m beginning to find out. A complete upgrade in almost every way from some of Liverpool’s recent coaches.
Sometimes I do feel a little regret that we missed the boat with him.
This is not a dig on Emery at all, just a nod to a fellow who’s over the top exuberance I enjoy, and who’s mind is obviously very sharp.
I was so mad when Liverpool landed Klopp. I always thought he’d be awesome as Arsenal coach. Very classy and nice words.
says who?
He is the only WORLD CLASS player we have.
If you don’t look after him, I’m sure others will.
Auba says “hi”.
Mustafi says ‘hola’
Lacazette says Bonjour!
TGSTEL would like you to know that even though Ozil is world class and perhaps Arsenals key player at the moment no one matches TGSTEL’s achievements at the club. Not now, not before and not ever!
world class?, ha, ha, ha, ha, oh yes I can see all the top managers queuing at the door ready to sign him up, no manager would touch him with a barge pole
More negativity from Mr Toxic himself. Most creative player in the Premier League in the 5 years he has been with us, was German player of the year on 5 occasions and a World Cup winner. Glad you find it so funny
You sir (or madam) are a shithouse
Ein Stein Should never ever ever ever have given Özil a 350.000 a week contract. Not only that it’s a lot more money than he’s actually worth, it also gives him the guarantee to start, as Arsenal aren’t able to regularly bench a 350.000 a week player and he knows that, plus all the other players that should be signed on will ask for a lot more money than they would if Auba would be top earner at around 200.000. Said it at that time and it becomes more obvious every week. It was probably the biggest mistake in the… Read more »
That bit from Klopp about being seduced by two politically quite intelligent people… that elevated him in my eyes from nice guy to wise.
It’s not easy to see when you’re being suckered into something political, as much as people would like to pretend that it’s all black and white.
I’m sure Mesut has learned the hard way, the cowards like Hoeness can go jump.
That’ll be Hoeness the convicted tax evader…..
Ahh, that’s pride in one’s country.
Nice to see fellow Germans like Klopp come out and talk about the hypocrisy and mostly utter nonsense, especially from a certain Bavarian club whose senior hierarchy really need to analyse their own players’ shit performances from the time Ozil failed to make a single tackle, before coming out and dissing Ozil.
The best way for Ozil of course, to shut up the critics is to have a blistering season, with goals and assists aplenty. So let’s hope, for his sake and ours that he has that stunning season!
Now that Chelsea & Mcity are out of the way, I really believe it is time now for Mesut to take us on a winning streak
I think Klopp will be the one to step into Wengers shoes in the prem as the man to field the wider non-football questions with some level of intelligence
It’s hard not to like and hugely respect Klopp.
Klopp nailed it on the head and I’ve got a lot of time for him, but I lost a lot of respect for Toni Kroos after his take. Of course he’s happy for Ozil to take all the heat after that dire Germany performance at the WC!
Like Rudiger said, Ozil has never mentioned any racism in the team in any sentences.
I’ve had his back since he got here and will continue to do so.
Media muppets.
“All those who have no idea are very loud in the consideration.”
This!
Without Wenger, Klopp is about the only manager left in the PL that’s erudite and charismatic.
Pep, for all his genius isn’t really a character. Jose is a character of the opposite kind (a villain). Our Emery still finding his feet but has never been that type of a charismatic guy (we don’t really need one tbh), but Klopp certainly is.
Yep, I don’t know how you can dislike him. He’s pure class.
It’s annoying when Chelsea fans (before) and Man U fans (now) act like the reason other fans dislike Mourinho is because he’s successful. It’s not, it’s because he’s a vile human being. I also don’t get this “when he first came to the PL he was charismatic” thing from – utter nonsense, he’s always been an arrogant, narcissistic bully.
I’m happy for Emery to be boring (much like Pep and Pochettino) as long as he’s successful, though.
I have no use for Mourinho, then or now. But I do think he was a lot lighter in his attitudes, funnier, more “engaging” and more “charming,” and that worked well with much of the news media. Underneath, I am quite sure, he was the same “arrogant, narcissistic bully” we see today. By the way, if you look at old appearances of Donald Trump on television, you will see the exact same contrast.
Of course you can dislike Klopp – the way he celebrates after his team scores against us is downright unbearable to watch!
Oh, I don’t know. That often played slow-motion replay of him haring down the touchline with his moobs bouncing around like two cats fighting in a sack is fucking hysterical.
I do think Mourinho’s time at Madrid pressure cooked his head and made him far worse than when initially at Chelsea. His tactic of making everything about him to deflect from the team is fine but now it’s evolved and attacks his employers.
Hope Man Utd has him for the next 5 years. And not Zidane.
We know football fans are tribal, so if you’re seen to be fraternising with the “Enemy?” Then you’re going to get a negative reaction when things go wrong. By “Enemy” I mean any club or national team that’s not the one you’re representing. I’m certainly not defending some of the OTT reactions…. But you can’t be surprised by it, Think Andre Santos swapping his shirt with the Dutch Skunk at half time, it was seen as a betrayal, because the tribal nature of football is “You’re either with us? Or against us?” There’s certainly nothing wrong with people who think… Read more »
My problem with Ozil is just general attitude. He’s been given one of the captain’s armbands but frankly I think its a mistake. You get subbed off early bc you drop your level which affects the team. Instead he goes off sulking when he should be really encouraging the rest of the team on with 20 minutes odd to go. His character is what it is. He is not the sort of player that will pull you up when the going gets tough…quite the reverse. And yes, at the salary he is on, we could instantly save a whole bunch… Read more »
our main creative force, ha ha ha, if that’s the case, we are DOOMED, and as for helping him, its about time he helped himself
Troll.
I have loved Ozil from the first day he arrived Arsenal. I have made excuses for his – sometimes – disappearing act in games. But something changed for me after the Chelsea game. It is not what he did or didn’t do, it’s all about how Hazard singlehandedly changed the fortunes of his club in the minutes he played. That is what you expect from a “World class” player on a world class wage. I watched with envy as Hazard toyed with our defence and ran rings around them with prodigal abandon. He ghosted past some like they were made… Read more »
Don’t know why you are getting all the down votes.
Seems reasonable what you’re saying.
The problem with Ozil is I don’t even think we can sell him. Who would want him? His salary is prohibitive.
If we did sell him, we would save a lot on wage bill and afford a proper winger then have Ramsey sign on the line and take over with Mhkitaryan as alternate. May alos have room for young Smith Rowe.
But for now, we need Ozil to fulfil his big calling and wages
My definition of ‘World Class’ is a player who would get into any team anywhere in his position. Sadly since Bergkamp & Henry we haven’t had one.
Disregarding the current form, Mesut is and has been detrimental for Arsenal and as such should be supported and backed by his club when being unrightfully targeted and for occasions like this I love and respect Arsenal and the Gunner’s family!
Juergen Klopp, however complete madman he might be, is sheer class and one can not but respect him for both, his passion and his morals!
Do you mean instrumental as opposed to detrimental? Sorry to be that guy, but the sentence needs to make sense to my sore little brain on this Friday afternoon…
After reading what senior members of the team like Kroos, Mueller et all had to say, it is even more clear the support or lack of Ozil received from his teammates when he was going through this.
Klopp has quite an endearing personality and has now shown why. Not a lot of people are nuanced enough to see through issues like this.
Klopp has always impressed me, but his words here demonstrate a level of erudition that I thought had gone from the English game after AW.
As for Mesut Ozil, he’s an Arsenal player, a rather excellent one at that, who’s been shit on from all angles, he should get all the support he needs from us.
He’s been shit on?
He’s been made the league’s best paid player, despite being nowhere near the league’s best player.
He’s completely disappeared since the ink on his new contract dried.
He’s being continually picked despite poor performances, and little to no output since last January, and he’s also gone missing over large parts of his previous contract.
If this is being shit on? Would someone please drop a huge runny turd all over me ASAP?
…….
I suspect you are a person who has never been subjected to any form of discrimination. If you were, you might understand that one’s salary and relative work performance don’t make it any less hurtful, and neither does it make that person’s exigency for support from others any less necessary.
I suspect that you’re a whinging lefty who always blames their problems on other people.
If you work in the public eye? Then it’s necessary that you can take criticism, and deal with OTT reactions.
I don’t think I’ve said anything unreasonable? expecting more output and better performances from a player who clearly hasn’t been performing well enough is a perfectly reasonable stance to take.
He just doesn’t look like a player who’s hungry, he looks like someone who’s very content, despite his awful form.
The left blame all their problems on other people? Surely it’s the Right that cant find an issue they couldn’t blame on immigrants or minorities! Pull the other one mate!
To be fair, I don’t think Rich is taking potshots at Ozil’s persona per se. Seems reasonable to question Mesut’s calibre as an elite footballer as he has been having these “sicknesses” waaay too often.
The fact that Ozil has been through a lot of shit probably might have affected his form a lil bit..dont u think?
I’ll always be a fan of Mesut – more so since he is a Gunner ofcourse – but Rich is actually bang on here. But the down votes suggest that brutal honesty is frowned upon on public fora. Oh well.
Emery supports Ozil so much that he subbed him against Chelsea. This is a really interesting situation. Unlike Wenger Emery doesn’t appear to have any favourites. And he’s still sussing out the squad. My guess is that Dick won’t put up with Ozil’s bullshit for long and will quickly give up on the lazy German playboy. Then Ozil will be sold, probably at a massive loss. Dick is probably now just beginning to realise what a huge rebuilding job he has on his hands. The most important part will be ditching wasters like Ozil, Xhaka and Mustafi. Then he can… Read more »
Typical Fatgooner toxic rubbish. Ozil has never been lazy and shown by Opta stats. Xhaka has never been a waster and has done well in a role he is not really suited to. He will now be able to play in his true position nowe have a natural DM
That’s why he too was subbed last Saturday. Xhaka is rubbish and not good enough for Arsenal.
We need a revolution and idiots like you are still talking up tried and failed dross like Xhaka and Ozil.
Wake up.
Yes I’m an idiot for supporting 2 of our best players. Neither player has remotely failed but toxic supporters like you can only see the negative side
Fats am I right to assume that if Emery does not go along with your wishes it will be “Emery out” replacing “Ozil out” which replaced “Le Prof out”…?
No.
The problem with Ozil is just who he is. He tends toward being negative and lets his head drop too much when things are not going our way. This has been a character of his since Madrid days. To me, he is not a natural leader. He’s not the sort of player that will grab the team buy the scruff of the neck (ala Sagna) and pull us out of a rut. He came off the field all sulky when subbed off against Chelsea when he should have been encouraging the rest of the players to get at it with… Read more »
“I think Ozil is inappropriately negative, so let me write 1000 negative words about it.” Seems reasonable.
Touché
Santori, you say…. “to me, he is not a natural leader.” Why is that relevant? Just filling space? Bore off! I’ve had a couple…:-)
We’ve got enough of our own “Radioactive Poo-Heavy Ash Cloud” without Bavaria weighing in on the matter. The big BM has lost the last shreds of my favor because of all of this. And the comments just above this show how easy of a sport it has become to Ozil bash. Anecdotal biases aside, he still smokes the rest of the league and Europe in chances created basically every season. And that’s his fucking primary job. That’s what you buy Mesut Ozil for. Not ‘Gettin’ stook en’. But some won’t be happy unless he’s got the most tackles on the… Read more »
when your coach sounds like a broken record so badly arseblog has to quote Klopp from the Kop to bring home some actual perspective.
We have a gap in manager speak these days, let Emery find his language feet before filling the gap with Klopp. Also we need to get behind Ozil for one last time…COYG!