Don’t Use Me As Scapegoat For Every Arsenal Defeat, Says Arsenal Midfielder

Arsenal midfielder, Mesut Ozil says he’s unhappy to be blamed for every defeat the team encounter against the big teams in the Premier League.

The former Germany international, who has made just one appearance in the 2019/2020 EPL season in the 2-2 draw against Watford on 15 September, told The Athletic that he has not been given fair criticism each time the team lose against teams like Man City, Chelsea, Man United, Tottenham, and Liverpool.

Ozil is contracted to Arsenal until 2021 but doubts remain over his long-term future in north London, having only started one Premier League game this season.

“It always happens that an ex-player stands there on TV and criticizes me. Others just continue the theme and it gets in everyone’s heads.

“If we don’t do well in a ‘big’ game, it’s always my fault. If that’s true, how do you explain our results in the ‘big’ games when I wasn’t involved? There’s no real difference. I know people expect me to offer more, dictate play and make the difference — I do, too — but it’s not that straightforward.

“I’m not the only player in the team and, don’t forget, some of our opponents are simply better than us. Also, what is a ‘big’ or ‘small’ game? In the Premier League, anyone can beat anyone. Look at Wolves and Norwich beating Man City, or Newcastle and West Ham beating Man United.

“So you can’t say my good performances only came in ‘small’ games because these games don’t really exist. The intensity is there in every match and often the ‘small’ teams raise their standard against the ‘big’ teams.