Charlie Nicholas: Arsenal and Mesut Ozil are finished - his time is up
Soccer Saturday pundit and former Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas discusses the club's showing since lockdown, and says Mesut Ozil has played his last game for the Gunners.
On Ozil's Arsenal future
Arsenal have been better off without Mesut Ozil for a while. A player of that ability is becoming an entity. His teammates will love him, because of his touch and technical gifts but Mikel Arteta had to be strong, and ask what he's giving the team. It's harsh, but it's reality.
What is Ozil giving Arsenal more than Joe Willock or Dani Ceballos, to tell those two that they're not going to be picked? You look at it and think that this is right.
Arteta isn't a fool that won't use the talent. Ozil has probably made up his mind for him, and so Arteta has decided he can't get through to him. If he was putting it in in training, Arteta would have got him involved. It's not to do with his wages, he has made a fortune all his life. Ozil has obviously got to the stage where his Arsenal time is up.
Arsenal and Ozil are finished.
They need to tie up his remaining salary as that itself will be worth a lot. The payment could go towards the renewal of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's deal. If you give it to Aubameyang, you can guarantee goals. Guaranteeing goals and paying over the top wages isn't a risk.
Ozil was a risk that went wrong, and it's time to say farewell. He's too good to stay and worry about money. It's not like that. His agent will be awkward and want something, but Ozil can look at Arteta and ask if his time is up. He would say yes, go get a game and enjoy your career.
On Arsenal's push for Europe
I don’t think Arsenal are good enough for the top four, and that is much to do with the fixtures they have left. They will beat Leicester and narrow the gap. We can see how Chelsea and the others go, hoping for a couple of upsets.
Leicester are in danger but after this, Arsenal have Tottenham away and Liverpool at home. They could win but could lose both of these. If they can get maximum points, they have to win their last five to even have a chance of the top four, and even then it would be a struggle - I don't see it happening.
At best, four wins or three wins and two draws would be good from the run-in. For that reason, alongside every team playing each other, I still think seventh would be realistic, but hopefully they surprise me!
On Arsenal's young players
The first thing is talent and they all have that in abundance.
Bukayo Saka can play anywhere. He has a sweet left foot, a good temperament, but he can give the ball away, often cheaply. He will work back, and he got himself a goal against Wolves. They are just trying to get him in the team.
I love Eddie Nketiah. He is no Alexandre Lacazette, but he loves to get in behind and he is more of a Jamie Vardy style player. His pace is excellent and his touch is great. He has not found the way to take the ball properly in his stride but he can win free-kicks too. He has to work on that, but he wants to be on the shoulder and hurt people and ask questions of defenders. It is a great attitude to have.
When Gabriel Martinelli is fit, he will be so quick and a real handful. I could see them both together in time, so those three are the promising ones. Joe Willock is a midfield runner, and I am a big fan of him on the ball, but I have not seen enough of Reiss Nelson just yet that tells me he will be a regular feature.
I am delighted that Saka signed and for that reason, I am upbeat. Emiliano Martinez looks steady between the sticks, but now it is time to bring in a young centre-back, who will hopefully come in alongside William Saliba. That will be perfect.