Mesut Ozil: What's happening with the midfielder at Arsenal?

 

Where is Mesut Ozil? It must be a question Arsenal boss Unai Emery is getting tired of answering. Or, sort of answering. The German midfielder has made just one Premier League start for Arsenal this season and has now been left out of the Gunners' last four matchday squads.

On Monday, his absence prompted more questions, with Arsenal badly lacking any creativity as they fruitlessly tried to break down a solid Sheffield United defence. In the end, the Blades won 1-0 while Arsenal slumped to another defeat on the road.

Sheffield United stun Arsenal to move into top 10 Asked by BBC Sport if Ozil was available, Gunners boss Unai Emery simply replied with: "He can help us, yes." BBC Radio 5 Live summariser Chris Sutton, however, believes Emery should be more forthcoming. "It would be nice if Unai Emery just came out and said and then we would know instead of us guessing," he said. "Is it a lack of commitment? We know he's a quality player but do we think he's lost his guile? His awareness? His touch? "Of course we don't - so what's the problem?" That, it seems, is the question on many people's lips.

Why has he not played this season? Since joining Arsenal six years ago, Ozil has missed 101 games for the Gunners but has only had one major injury in that time. Most of his absences have been explained away by illness or minor niggles, while he missed Arsenal's season opener against Newcastle along with team-mate Sead Kolasinac because of security concerns after they were involved in an attempted car-jacking.

Kolasinac, however, has long since returned to the squad but Ozil has appeared and then disappeared, sometimes because of fitness, sometimes because Emery has felt other players have been more deserving of a chance.