Tim Sherwood thinks Arsenal player is ‘blocking’ pathway for academy graduates

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Tim Sherwood said on Sky Sports News (2:01pm, October 24, 2020) that Mesut Ozil training with the Arsenal first team is going to block an academy graduate’s pathway.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa manager does not think that Ozil should be training with the Arsenal first team.

Sherwood believes that the 32-year-old former Real Madrid attacking midfielder will block the pathway for a young player if he trains with the senior side.

The London Evening Standard has quoted Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as saying that Ozil will continue to train with the first team despite being left out of the club’s Premier League and Europa League squads.

Sherwood said on Sky Sports News (2:01pm, October 24, 2020): “Well, I think you are blocking a pathway for a young kid who should be getting that experience training with the first team. He has not got a squad number, he is not going to play.”

Showing Mesut Ozil respect

True, Ozil training with the Arsenal first team is not going to do anything for him as he will not be part of Arteta’s matchday squads until January at least, but the German should be shown respect.

After all, the 32-year-old is a senior player and has been on the books of the Gunners since 2013, and he did do well in the first few years of his time at the Emirates Stadium.

Ozil may not fit into the way Arteta wants to play, but he is still a very good creative player with vision, and training with him will help other players.