According to a report published by Daily Mail , Mesut Ozil will allegedly be sidelined for Arsenal’s Premier League encounter against West Ham United through illness, having missed first-team training on Friday.
Unai Emery will supposedly deploy Aaron Ramsey in place of the 29-year-old playmaker, as without the former Germany international in the starting XI, the Gunners’ midfield lacks substantial creativity and vision.
The north-Londoners have lost their first two domestic fixtures of the 2018-19 campaign after failing to resist Manchester City and Chelsea, and as the Hammers have also failed to claim a single point, Saturday’s showdown at the Emirates has been dubbed a ‘six pointer’.
Ramsey is a worthy replacement for Ozil, however, as the Welshman is capable of retaining possession with very little difficulty, whilst scanning for an opportunity to dispatch vital killer balls for the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to hound down in the final third.
The 27-year-old’s future at the club has been shadowed in doubt due to a lack of movement regarding contract renewal negotiations and the former Cardiff City midfielder was ultimately dropped to the bench for last weekend’s tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where Arsenal indeed lost 3-2.
Emery, speaking to the media via Sky Sports, is seemingly discontented by the contractual matter and urged Ramsey to focus solely on his performances, rather than engrossing himself in other pressing affairs that are presently engulfing his career at his current employers.
“I spoke with him last week,” he said.
“I said: I want you focused only on training and only on the match, you show us the capacity to help the team.
“The contract is another thing for his agent and the club but we want and I need his focus only on training, only on the match and on his performance each day.
