Mesut Ozil sent warning by Freddie Ljungberg as interim manager ends reign with clear message over his future
Outgoing Arsenal manager believes Ozil must improve his behaviour is he is to have a future in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad
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Your support makes all the difference.Freddie Ljungberg bowed out as Arsenal manager with a thinly-veiled warning to Mesut Ozil that his behaviour must improve he is to have any future at the club.
Ozil was absent from Arsenal’s drab 0-0 draw with Everton on Saturday due to a foot injury, but interim manager Ljungberg confirmed that the German would not have been selected regardless due to his angry reaction to being substituted in the defeat by Manchester City.
The irony came in that Ozil’s moment of frustration came in kicking his gloves away as he was replaced last weekend, with news of his foot injury causing a more than a few laughs among the Arsenal support at Goodison Park.
But regardless, the former Arsenal ‘Invincible’ turned coach made the decision to leave him out of the matchday squad in order to convey his message of what is expected from the club – which falls into line with what the newly-appointed Mikel Arteta expressed in his first press conference as permanent manager on Friday.
"The fans were not happy," Ljungberg said after Saturday’s match. "I got asked about it and said, 'At Arsenal, that's not how we behave and not what we do'. I stand by that.
"Mesut was injured, but I would not have picked him for the squad because I want to make a stance that it's not what I accept from an Arsenal football player.
"That's my decision. I won't make the decisions again, but that's what I think."
Ljungberg’s message is unlikely to fall on deaf ears given that the Swede is set to remain among Arteta’s backroom staff, although whether he will remain assistant manager remains to be seen as t is understood the Spaniard is set to name a number of coaches to help him in his first permanent role.
"I've been told by the club that they want me to stay,” said Ljungberg, who was promoted from his role of under-23 coach to Unai Emery’s assistant at the expense of Steve Bould in the summer.
Ljungberg’s final act as Arsenal’s interim head coach saw him put his faith in a young side that featured three teenagers in Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, though they lacked any bite against Duncan Ferguson’s side in securing just two shots on target.
"I was very happy,” said a defiant Ljungberg. “We put a very young side on the pitch and gave them a chance.
"We tried to dominate possession and could see Everton getting tired and frustrated."
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