Arsenal are in action against West Ham at the Emirates today, as Unai Emery aims to get a first win as Arsenal manager.
Mesut Ozil is uninvolved, however, with the erstwhile German international not even on the bench. Arsenal's line is that Mesut Ozil misses out through "illness", which has been an alarmingly frequent occurrence in recent years.
Mesut Ozil absence
Mesut Ozil gets ill a lot
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) August 25, 2018
Apparently this is the 7th time Ozil has missed a game in the last couple of years due to 'illness'. Mental.
— Andy Kay (@NotMyTempo85) August 25, 2018
Mesut Ozil’s illness is that he is sick of Arsenal
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) August 25, 2018
There may be more to Mesut Ozil's absence, however.
Joao Castelo-Branco, a reporter with ESPN, reports that Ozil had a dispute with his manager during training this week, eventually storming out. As punishment, Ozil was omitted from the squad today.
Ozil was subbed after just an hour of last Saturday's game away to Chelsea, the same fate that befell Aaron Ramsey the week previous against Manchester City. Emery evidently is unafraid about clashing with the biggest personalities at Arsenal.
