SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 6 hrs 33 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
SU
Premier League | Gameweek 9
Oct 21, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
AL

1-0

Mousset (30')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Unai Emery: 'Arsenal still need Mesut Ozil'

:Headline: Unai Emery: 'Arsenal still need Mesut Ozil': ID:375324: from db_amp
The German playmaker has been described as "important" by Arsenal's manager.

Unai Emery is focused on the present at Arsenal and says that if the Gunners need Mesut Ozil they will use him during a busy period of the season.

The Gunners travel to Sheffield United on Monday for the first of seven matches in the space of three weeks.

Ozil has only featured twice this season and only once in the Premier League, but Emery has hinted that will change between now and the next international break.

Unai Emery has used Mesut Ozil sparingly this season (Joe Giddens/PA)

Asked if the German World Cup winner has been made a scapegoat in the past, Arsenal's manager responded: "We live in the present.

"In this present we are looking for the best way to be competitive and to be a strong team, playing each match with our best quality of available skills and our best mentality.

"Mesut Ozil, for us, is important. Sometimes one player could be important playing or could be important being on the bench or could be important preparing for the next match. This is our mentality and this is the way we want to create with 25 players in the squad.

"I told you now for the last three weeks Mesut is working and improving and being better in training and if we need him, we are going use him because with his skills in some matches we are going to need him."

Ozil was a key player under Emery's predecessor Arsene Wenger and agreed a new three-and-a-half-year contract worth £350,000 a week with the club in January 2018.

The 31-year-old has seen his role in the team decrease since the Frenchman departed that summer and he was absent for several games last season.

During the current campaign, Ozil has often not even made Arsenal's bench and in an interview with The Athletic this week, the former Real Madrid playmaker admitted he was "disappointed" with his lack of game time.

He did reveal he is doing extra work with the club's fitness coach, though, and Emery urged players in his squad not to let frustration get the better of them when chances are limited.

Mesut Ozil was a mainstay under Emery's predecessor Arsene Wenger (Adam Davy/PA)

"We need to be positive and also to learn from all the experience we are taking as a team, as a player and as a coach and to use that for the next step," the manager said.

"On Monday we prepare for the match. Then on Thursday we play in the Europa League against Vitoria.

"We have challenges every day, we have challenges when we are playing matches and we have them collectively.

"This is our mentality and really we can be frustrated with some moments in our past. We are in our present but that frustration is to be one step ahead and be positive and be consistent in our mentality and our work."

amp_article__375324 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-10-17 22:06:48:
html db last update - 2021-02-28 19:43:09 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Mesut Ozil future - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Mesut Ozil

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .