Ljungberg Called Ozil's Absence The Reason For Arsenal's Sluggishness

Mesut Ozil (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Former Arsenal midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg has questioned the club's decision to freeze Mesut Ozil from the Gunners squad. He said there were few players better at opening up defenses than the German playmaker.

Ozil has not played for Arsenal since March and has not been included in the squad lists for the Premier League and Europa League, effectively sidelining the 32-year-old until January when the club can sign a new signing.

Without the experienced playmaker, Arsenal looked sluggish in attack, scoring only 10 goals in 11 league games. Arteta's men are even 15th and 11 points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur.

Ljungberg, who was Arsenal's interim coach when Unai Emery was sacked last season and helped Arteta leave in August, admits he doesn't know why Ozil is not in the team's picture.

"When you have a player like him, and I'm not saying he has to play every week ... but when you have possession and you need to get that sweet pass, I don't think there is a better player than Mesut," Ljungberg told Sky. Sports as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, December 8.

"Of course you lose defensively, but that's a decision they make. I don't know why that decision was made and he is out of the squad of 25 men. So they can't use him.

"But for other things, I don't think there is much better in this world."

Arteta has previously said that Ozil's condition was a "football decision". The German is one of the club's highest paid players and his contract expires at the end of the season.