Bold claim! Ex-Arsenal star says Ozil is to blame for his own demise

Mesut Ozil only has himself to blame for his demise at Arsenal, says Lauren, who believes his latest snub under Mikel Arteta proves it.

Ozil, who hasn’t played for Arsenal since March, is out of contract next summer and very much out of favor under Arteta.

The head coach has seemingly closed the book on Ozil’s Gunners career by excluding him from both the team’s Premier League and Europa League squads for this season.

The German responded by releasing a lengthy statement where he slammed the club’s treatment of him. While his agent, Dr. Erkut Sogut, called out Arteta for not being ‘fair, honest, and transparent’.

〽️⚽️ #M1Ö #YaGunnersYa pic.twitter.com/hF7abGklOT

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 21, 2020

But Lauren, who starred in the Arsenal defense between 2000 and 2007, believes Ozil must take full responsibility for his demise.

“Ozil is a top player, it’s sad to see a top player not being involved in a team like Arsenal,” the former full-back told Sky Sports.

“All of us who follow Arsenal want to see the best players but this situation has not come from now. I believe it is the same with (Unai) Emery and Arteta.

“Arteta would love to have the best players in the squad. If Ozil is not there, it’s a consequence of many issues.

“First of all, it’s the fault of the player. I believe if you have the quality, if you are a top player, if you are not involved week in, week out I believe that is your own fault.

“Obviously all of the club have to try to do their best in order to make the player happy and be in the squad and be in the team and play every weekend.

“But the fact that with Emery and now with Arteta he hasn’t been consistent it is not the manager. I believe it is more the player than the manager or the club.”

Okay then, let's go Gunners!!! 😁❤️💪🏼 #UEL #COYG #YaGunnersYa #M1Ö @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/aNIDFewHyy

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 22, 2020

Lauren added: “This is what I believe because if you have the quality, if you are a top player and you are 100 per cent committed in the team they will play you, they won’t have any other option.

“If you are doing everything that you should do as a top player it is difficult for a manager and a club to say ‘look, you are not going to play, you are not going to be involved in the team’.

“Of course it hurts (Ozil). It hurts (me) because I would love to see the best players in my team. I would love to see the best players playing for Arsenal.

“They’re the team that I follow, they’re the team that I love and I would like to see the best players in that squad but if he is not there it’s a consequence of so many issues that came from the past.”