Comeback kids – is there any way back for Ozil and Guendouzi?

Comeback kids – is there any way back for Arsenal pariahs Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi?

By Andy Baber

How do you solve a problem like Mesut Ozil?

That is the question that has consistently cast an unwanted shadow over Mikel Arteta’s reign at Arsenal ever since he took over the top job in December 2019. 

Overlooked by Unai Emery towards the end of his tenure, Arteta initially put an arm around the German in an attempt to get the best out of a player he described as ‘an artist’. 

And all appeared rosy for Ozil under his former teammate before coronavirus and lockdown brought the season to a halt, with Arteta stressing the playmaker’s match-winning qualities. 

Yet the 31-year-old World Cup-winner has been left out in the cold since the 2019/20 season restarted in June, with his last appearance for the club coming on March 7. 

So, what’s happened? Well, the signs were there when Arteta arrived that Ozil might not fit into his future plans as he stressed the importance of work-rate and energy from his players. 

For all of Ozil’s creativity, his lack of desire to get back and help his team when the going gets tough has long been used as a stick to beat him with since he joined the club in 2013. 

Too lazy for Mikel?

That perception of Ozil as ‘lazy’ rose to the surface on numerous occasions during the spells of Arsene Wenger and Emery, especially when things were going against Arsenal. 

And while Arteta often dances gracefully around the issue when questioned, the words he uses suggests Ozil has fallen foul of the “non-negotiables” he outlined at the start of his tenure. 

“The team is evolving, you can see the level they are achieving,” he told reporters when asked to explain Ozil’s prolonged absence. “This is where we are at the moment. 

“We want to evolve more and play better and compete better. We need to keep maintaining that… I try to select the players that are, in my opinion, in better condition.” 

The message is clear. Ozil just doesn’t work hard enough for the team - and having won an FA Cup and the Community Shield in his first season, Arteta sees no reason to alter his approach. 

Even with Ozil’s wages costing Arsenal £350k-a-week, there appears to be no way back for a player who is still the most naturally gifted attacking player at the Gunners. 

His gesture to pay the wages of sacked mascot Gunnersaurus may have curried favour with the fanbase yet it is on the pitch where the problems lie - and his omission from the club’s 25-man Europa League squad for this season says it all.

Guen will we see you again?

But Ozil is not the only player who has been exposed to Arteta’s ruthless streak, with Matteo Guendouzi another who has found himself seemingly surplus to requirements. 

The 21-year-old French defensive midfielder was tipped for big things after joining the Gunners under Emery in 2018 but he has had a fractious relationship with Arteta. 

He was dropped in response to his attitude during a training camp in Dubai over the winter before being reintegrated into the squad and used again briefly post-lockdown. 

Yet he was frozen out again after being involved in an altercation with Brighton’s Neal Maupay during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat in June, with his conduct leaving Arteta unimpressed. 

And it appears the ties have been permanently cut after Guendouzi joined Hertha Berlin on loan for the 2020/21 season after making the move to the Bundesliga outfit on transfer deadline day.

That said, there is still a glimmer of hope for both Ozil and Guendouzi. 

Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Dani Ceballos have already shown that Arteta is more than willing to reconsider his stance and bring players back into the fold if his demands are met. 

But neither Guendouzi or Ozil’s cause has been helped by Arsenal’s form without their presence, having beaten Liverpool (twice), Man City and Chelsea during that period. 

Time is now running out for both players to prove their worth to Arteta – otherwise they will be consigned to a period of history at the Emirates he is keen to leave behind. 

Ultimately, it’s Arteta’s way or the highway and the fat lady is warming her vocals. 

Photo credit: Getty Images