Europa League final - Mesut Ozil slammed after terrible show for Arsenal against Chelsea in Baku
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ByEurosport
Published 30/05/2019 at 08:02 GMT
Mesut Ozil was slated by TV pundits and slammed by Arsenal fans both inside and outside Baku following his no-show against Chelsea in the Europa League final.
Mesut Ozil of Arsenal reacts following the UEFA Europa League Final between Chelsea and Arsenal
Image credit: Getty Images
Ozil started one of the biggest games of his Arsenal career but was hauled off with 15 minutes remaining, with Arsenal losing 4-1, as he was replaced by youngster Joe Willock in a humiliating move.
The German playmaker ambled towards the sidelines in a lethargic display which infuriated many Arsenal fans watching. One season ticket holder said the boos which rained down on Ozil from the Arsenal fans were “savage”.
Some fans called for Ozil’s time at the club to be brought to a swift end following a season in which he has drifted in and out of the team – despite being the club’s highest earner.
The judgement from the pundits was only marginally less severe.
Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen took umbrage with Ozil’s slow walk off the pitch.
“The one thing is you tell me if you’re the manager of Arsenal… you’re 4-1 down in the final you take Ozil off and he’s walking at the slowest pace like he’s waiting for a standing ovation,” said Gudjohnsen on BT Sport.
I’m sorry if that’s me I’d feel embarrassed, head down and I sprint off the pitch. He’s a wonderful player, tremendous quality but as a manager I could never watch that in my team.
And fellow pundit Cesc Fabregas, a former captain of Arsenal, said Ozil just isn’t leadership material.
“I think sometimes you just have it inside or you don’t have it,” he said. “When he was at Real Madrid he was surrounded by top, top players and one of the best players in the history of the sport in Cristiano Ronaldo.
I’m not taking anything away from Mesut, he played top football there, but once you step down a little bit, because we can all agree Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich they are top three, you have to show yourself a little bit more because you don’t have the same quality around you.
“The club buys you to be the actual leader around the club. I don’t think Mesut has that in him to carry. I don’t train with him every day, but I don’t think he has it in him to be leader.”
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