Here are your Arsenal evening headlines for Friday 9 October
How Mesut Ozil’s last Arsenal game showed the club what they’ll be missing
Mesut Ozil may have played his final game for Arsenal, with the playmaker’s omission from the Gunners’ Europa League squad appearing to spell the beginning of the end.
Once the club’s record signing, and once an undroppable force, the German has not played a minute of first-team football since March.
However, that game - a 1-0 victory over West Ham United - feels like an apt game to act as his send-off, even if we didn’t know at the time that it might be his final appearance in an Arsenal shirt.
The relationship between Arsenal and Ozil is a complicated one, with voices on both sides certain to make their arguments for and against any decision taken on the player.
However, as football.london’s James Benge explains , that game against West Ham showed us the complexities of the Ozil debate over the course of one 90-minute game.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal to-do list after Partey signing
Arsenal’s long-running transfer saga came to a head on Monday, with the club meeting the release clause for Thomas Partey and bringing the midfielder to north London.
Victory over Sheffield United in the last league game before the international break means the Gunners sit fourth in the Premier League ahead of a trip to Manchester City in their next game on 17 October.
football.london’s writers have taken a look at the issues facing Mikel Arteta as he prepares for the weeks ahead, including his midfield preferences and the importance of the choice between Willian and Nicolas Pepe further forward.
There’s also a big question mark over the manager’s preferred system when Premier League football returns, and this could be affected by the new personnel.
All in all, there’s plenty for the manager to consider after a tidy start to the campaign.
Parlour hits out at Ozil ‘PR stunt’ over Gunnersaurus
Earlier this week, Mesut Ozil pledged to cover the wages of Jerry Quy, the man who has worked as mascot Gunnersaurus since 1993.
“I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much,” the German said.
However, former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has been left unimpressed by the gesture, suggesting it’s little more than a PR stunt designed to win back some goodwill from supporters.
“It is [a PR stunt], yeah. I wish Gunnersaurus was on £300,000-a-week because they’d get their money’s worth,” Parlour said on talkSPORT Breakfast , speaking to presenter Alan Brazil.
“It’s nothing he’s done to me, but I reckon it’s a very good PR stunt.
“Don’t you think, Al? Behind the scenes, to get the fans back on his side, let’s do that.”
