By Brian Bariyo Tumuramye
Mesut Ozil has not appeared for Arsenal yet this season, but Glen Johnson believes Gunners boss Unai Emery needs to change that situation as soon as possible.
The German was out of action due to security reasons at the start of the campaign, then was struggling with illness, but has since not been selected despite returning to fitness the 30-year-old was an unused substitute in the north London derby against Tottenham, Arsenal’s last fixture, and will be hoping for a return to action this weekend away at Watford.
Former England international Johnson believes Ozil should be back in the starting XI, describing the play-maker as a ‘genius’. ‘He’s one of the best players in the Premier League, I really believe that. He’s a genius,’ Johnson told media. ‘He’s clearly got issues with something within the club, whether it’s the manager or even something else behind the scenes, I don’t know. ‘But, for me, they’ve got to do what they can to resolve the issue and try and get him in the team.’
Head of the Arsenal academy, Per Mertesacker, believes that his compatriot can do things on a football pitch that no one else in the squad can, although he suggests that he needs to work harder. ‘We need players who step up on the field and show what they’ve capable of, and Mesut needs to, there’s no doubt about that,’ Mertesacker told press.
‘He needs to play at this best. He has this magic touch no one also has in the squad and we really need that. ‘I want him to be as fit as possible and the manager to get the best out of him by putting him in the number 10 position, because that’s him playing him at his best. ‘But the manager has requirements for that to happen. So I wish that Mesut puts a shift in, gets fit as quickly as possible and blows everyone away again.’ Ozil has made 231 appearances for Arsenal since arriving from Real Madrid in 2013, scoring 43 goals.
