Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery claims Mesut Ozil is “a bit below the top players at the moment”, saying that the playmaker struggled with consistency and the physical demands of the Premier League.
Emery, who is still jobless following his exit at the Emirates Stadium, had a fractious relationship with the ex-Real Madrid man, often leaving him out of matchday squads completely despite the Gunners crying out for a creative player to help unlock stubborn defences.
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Under Mikel Arteta, Ozil has returned to the fold on a consistent basis, with the attacking midfielder himself admitting that he is much happier under his new boss, but Emery remains unwavering on his assessment of the World Cup winner's attributes.
“He's a very good player, that's clear,” the 48-year-old said in an interview with Marca. “But the physical demands in the Premier League are high.
“His performances are unpredictable. He's a bit below the top players at the moment. Sometimes Arsenal play better with him but other times he doesn't make such a difference.”
Emery also added that he still feels Ozil has yet to reach his maximum potential under Arteta, but admitted that the atmosphere around the club appears to be far more positive since his departure.
“Mikel has a lot of experience as a footballer and has worked alongside Pep [Guardiola at Manchester City], who is one of the best. He fits the profile of an Arsenal coach perfectly.
“He's playing a 4-2-3-1 formation like I did – Ozil is still their 'No.10' and is slowly looking for his identity. But with my departure, the hostile atmosphere has relaxed. The results are not the best at the moment but you have to give [Arteta] time to improve them.”
Asked to comment on how life has been since being shown the exit door in north London, Emery said: “It's the first time in 16 years that I've had a break of more than a month without work. I'm trying to do other things like rest, see my family, travel and see football people.
“I've been watching live games, which, really, is where you can take in the most information. I feel relaxed – I don't have to make big decisions or do press conferences.
“In the first two weeks I had [job] offers and became tense about coming back, but now I want to be calm. I've managed to keep my phone to one side.”