Arsenal manager Arteta: Ozil has clean slate with me

Posted Tuesday, December 24, 2019 by Tribalfootball.com

Mesut Ozil will have a clean slate under new Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Ozil was missing from Saturday's draw with Everton due to injury, but caretaker manager Freddie Ljungberg said after the game that he wouldn't have picked the German if he was fit due to his angry reaction to being substituted against Manchester City the week prior.

But the 31-year-old playmaker will now have the chance to impress his former teammate Arteta.

"I don't know, it's a question for him," said Arteta when asked about Ljungberg's comments.

"I just wanted him to make the decision on the day to pick the best possible lineup to win against Everton.

"My job started straight after the game, so I had to pick the players up first of all mentally and then put them in the work frame that I want.

"With me, they have a clean slate. I told them that. You're not going to be judged on things you've done in the past, whether they are negative or positive.

"This is evolving every day and I'm expecting you to perform and be in the right mindset every single day for me. If you do that, you'll have a chance to play. If you don't, you won't."