Mesut Ozil Joins Giroud And Debuchy On Long Term Injury List

Arsenal’s injury curse mire has claimed yet another victim after it was confirmed that Mesut Ozil would be out for up to three months. The 25 year old is believed to have arrived the German national team camp ahead of the Euro 2016 qualifiers with an issue to his left knee, and after a Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) scan was carried out, it was revealed there was an issue with his knee. A statement from the German FA reads:

“The MRI examination revealed a partial rupture of the outer band of the left knee joint.

“The treatment is six weeks of immobilisation of the knee joint. Mesut Ozil is likely to be [out for] 10 to 12 weeks.”

What this means is that the German playmaker who is Arsenal’s record signing at £42.5 million would have joined Oliver Giroud, Mathieu Debuchy on the long term injury list after the latter duo were earlier ruled out for three months with a fractured bone and ankle ligament damage respectively.

It continues a rather strange injury picture to Arsenal’s early season. Since the beginning of the season the club has lost at least one player to an injury in most matches, where Oliver Giroud, Mathieu Debuchy, Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta, Yaya Sanogo and Nacho Monreal have been injury casualties. Since the German FA confirmed that Mesut Ozil arrived it camp with the knee complaint, the problem could have arisen from the match against Chelsea where he played ninety minutes in the match.

It has been a difficult start to the season for the former Real Madrid midfielder where is form has suffered because of a combination of being played in the wing and other factors that it not yet clear. He has endured several criticism this season when he has played in the wings but, his best games this season came against Aston Villa and Galatasaray when he was deployed in his preferred position.

His injury means Arsenal would be robbed of the main creative hub in the team, his hamstring injury last season in April affected Arsenal’s offensive potential, and going by how the team has struggled this season, there is no doubt that it would further affect the ability of Arsenal in the final third.

He already has a goal and two assist this season before his injury, and he was Arsenal’s best players in terms of passes in the final third and chances created in the wins against Aston Villa and Galatasaray.

No player boost the intelligence that he has in the club, his ability to run in between the lines, and his understanding of space when he picks his passes is second to known at the club, his one touch passes creates room for other players, when the likes of Jack Wilshere would hold own to balls longer than necessary.

His injury is a huge blow to Arsenal in more ways than one, and it again calls into question Arsenal’ medical department that they could not spot the issue before he traveled to the German camp. Mesut Ozil has not spent much time out injured at his previous clubs (Werden Bremen and Real Madrid) while at the end of this calendar year, he would have spent more than 133 days out injured at Arsenal.

The debate is bound to continue as to how Arsene Wenger uses his players, and how the medical staff manages players. It is yet another dark day on the injury front for Arsenal.