Dion Dublin has told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (24/10/20 at 1:55 pm) that it ‘surprises’ him that Mesut Ozil is still allowed to train with Arsenal’s first-team.
The former Premier League striker is adamant that ‘something has happened’ with Ozil and certain individuals at the club for him to be left out of Arsenal’s 25-man squad.
Whilst Ozil sitting on the sidelines and seeing little playtime surprised very few people, it seemed to have shocked a lot more when he was snubbed altogether from the main squad this week.
Dublin suggested that there was more than just footballing reasons for Ozil to be left out in such a ruthless manner, but he did also question whether the door is open for him given that he is still training with the senior side.
“Something has happened,” Dublin told Sky Sports. “Having been in the game, it cannot be football because he is one of the best.
“So, something has happened in regards to the manager isn’t happy with or the hierarchy aren’t happy with. Something has happened where he has been rude or he’s not pulling his weight on the training pitch. For them to say, ‘right we don’t want you to be any part of our squad’ then something away from the game, not what his talent can bring, has happened.
“And they aren’t happy with it and won’t forgive him for whatever he has done.
On Ozil training with the first team: “It surprises me if what I have said is true. It surprises me that he is still allowed to be with the first team. Sometimes when that happens you get shift off to what was called the reserves in our day. You were out of the way.
“For him to play and still be involved in the first-team, is the door still open?”
It’s a bold move by Mikel Arteta and he will be hoping that it’s a decision that pays off because if things go wrong for him then that Ozil call will come back to bite him.
At the end of the day, Arsenal fans have called for their previous managers to be ruthless and clear in their decision-making and it seems Arteta is doing just that in North London.
Whilst the Ozil saga will still be fresh in the minds of many, it will end up taking a backward step if the players do the business on the pitch and push the club up the table.
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