Former Arsenal captain Thierry Henry has criticised Mesut Ozil, claiming the midfielder “doesn’t do enough on a daily basis” and suggested his performances are “sometimes not up to standard”.
Ozil’s contribution came in for scrutiny after Arsenal’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Manchester City on Sunday, despite registering his 50th assist for the club for Shkodran Mustafi’s equaliser.
Ex-Manchester United captain Gary Neville accused the Germany international of “bottling” a second-half opportunity when City goalkeeper Willy Caballero beat him to the ball and Henry was equally unimpressed with the former Real Madrid man’s recent efforts.
“He can clearly play and last year everyone was praising him,” Henry said to Sky Sports. “This year, he is struggling because he doesn’t do enough on a daily basis.
“When he plays in an Arsenal shirt, sometimes it is not up to the standard of Arsenal.
“I’m a big admirer of him and how he plays but if he was in my old team, I know a couple of guys would have had a go at him and maybe that is what he needs.
“In my old team, everyone talked. Sylvain Wiltord talked. Edu the same. Even Nwankwo Kanu would have said something. Jens Lehmann, he was talking all the time. We had guys at it throughout the team.”
Henry added: “When he has a good game, he is unstoppable. He is a World Cup champion, he won at Real Madrid and he won two cups with Arsenal.
“But you need to play like that all the time. It can’t be from time to time.”
Prior to the City game, Ozil – who is out of contract in 2018 – revealed he felt like a scapegoat for his side’s poor form in the second half of the season.
Arsenal have only won three of their last 10 games across all competitions and sit seven points adrift of the top four after the City draw.
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