Former Germany captain Michael Ballack claims that Mesut Ozil should not have joined Arsenal.
The former Real Madrid midfielder struggled to adapt to the Premier League last season, having arrived from the Spanish side last summer but he had been expected to improve following the World Cup with his country.
However, a poor performance against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening, which saw the Gunners lose 2-0 to the Bundesliga side, has further raised doubts on Ozil’s place in the Arsenal starting eleven.
And, former Germany international Michael Ballack has called his move from Madrid to North London a ‘mistake.
“What’s happened with him? I don’t know. There must be something behind [the scenes] because his head is mostly down, the body language is not improving even with the world champion [medal] in the pocket,” he told Sky Sports.
“I don’t really know what’s happened over the last year since he moved from Madrid to Arsenal.
“A player like him with his ability should have tried to stay longer at Real Madrid. That is my opinion. You could see there was a little bit trouble, a little bit moaning. I think he played well but you need time to adapt at a club.
“If there is some ups and downs [at a club] you need to fight these things and now it’s a little bit the same situation. He got criticised here [at Arsenal], he’s not at his best but I don’t see a reaction.
“A player like him with his ability should show a reaction but he never was the strongest player in terms of fighting, body language. That’s his weakness – especially in these situations now when he can’t use his technique and his vision.”