Arsenal fans shared their anger at manager Unai Emery for withdrawing Mesut Özil from the club’s Carabao Cup match with Liverpool at Anfield.
The German was returning to the side after being left out of the starting eleven for over a month in all competitions.
His performance was impressive, being involved in the build-up play to most of the Gunners goals in a game that finished 5-5 on the night. He did eventually provide an assist in the rare outing he had for Emery’s side on Wednesday night as he provided Ainsley Maitland-Niles with their fourth of the match after working hard to keep the ball alive in the penalty box (per video highlights on YouTube).
However, he was substituted on the 65-minute mark for defensively-minded midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, a move that caused fans on Twitter to question their manager’s decisions once again.
He’s been the best one out there!?!?
— Drew Chapman (@DrewChapman1) October 30, 2019
Are you really serious?!!!
— Ceballeros ??? (@10Yxsh) October 30, 2019
He wasn’t playing negative enough for emery
— Triple A Theories (@TripleATheories) October 30, 2019
Emery was freezing Özil whole season, played just two games whole season, put him in the team with kids at Anfield so he has excuses if he performs badly. Özil with the best individual performance whole season from our players and gets subbed off in 65th min. What a disgrace
— Valentine Mwamburi (@MwamburiV) October 30, 2019
Unbelievable. How do you take Ozil off when he’s having such a good game. The treatment of him is disgraceful.
— Anthony O’Sullivan (@ajos1981) October 30, 2019
Emery couldn’t handle Ozil dropping a 8/10
— Will Woodmansee (@Will_Woodmansee) October 30, 2019
FRAUD GET OUT OF MY CLUB
— DL (@hxrrzer) October 30, 2019
What do we think?
Indeed, it was nice seeing Özil in an Arsenal shirt on the pitch again as he looked to produce a solid showing, despite having not featured regularly for Emery. Of course, why the Spaniard felt the need to take the playmaker off was questionable, although perhaps it should not have come as a surprise considering how little he has played (the reason the manager eventually gave), or maybe it is done to how things are perceived between the duo currently. Maybe he’s saving him for Saturday’s home tie against Wolves but since he’s been not-so-quietly kept from Gunners fans for so long, we’re not holding our collective breaths.
