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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Liam Prenderville

Tony Adams defends Mesut Ozil over Arsenal star's rant after Brighton defeat

Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams has defended Mesut Ozil after his rant following the defeat to Brighton .

Arsenal's dismal season continued on Thursday night as they were beaten 2-1 by Brighton at the Emirates.

The Gunners have now gone nine matches without a win and fans made their feelings clear at full-time.

Ozil appeared equally as frustrated as he made his way off the pitch, expressing his dismay at the latest performance.

Ozil was seen gesturing in the direction of former teammate Per Mertesacker, who is assisting interim boss Freddie Ljungberg.

But Adams believes it showed the defeat meant something to the German.

Mesut Ozil gestures as he comes off the pitch (Amazon Prime)

"I don’t mind that actually. There’s a little bit of spirit there. I don’t mind that," Adams told Premier League productions. ‘

"Maybe he should have done it before the game. Before the game take that attitude on to the pitch.

"The game’s gone now, it’s all over.

"If he’d got the frustration out before the game and say ‘I’m really go and run around and do my stuff today’. He’s frustrated, obviously."

Tony Adams defended Mesut Ozil (Premier League Productions)
Mesut Ozil of Arsenal runs with the ball (Getty Images)

Adams also insisted Mertesacker had made the wrong choice by leaving his role as academy boss to help Ljungberg.

He added: "‘He’s got to do the recruitment for the future of the club. We’ve got to produce players.

"That’s more important than what’s going on today on that football pitch.

"You need to build the future of Arsenal Football Club, Per Mertesacker.

"That’s what he’s got to do, concentrate on that. Go and find the players, go and sort that out. You can’t take him out. What’s the academy doing at the moment?"

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