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Ozil injury shock: why didn't Arsenal notice knee problem?
Midfielder ruled out until after Christmas, but some Arsenal fans might not be too worried
Arsenal's injury jinx has struck yet again after Mesut Ozil, fast becoming one of the most divisive players at the Emirates, was ruled out for up to 12 weeks with a knee injury after being sent for an MRI scan after reporting for duty with Germany this week carrying the injury.
News of the development is likely to prompt more debate over the Gunner's fitness regime. Ozil played all 90 minutes for Arsenal against Chelsea on Sunday and has not suffered any major injury problems so far this season, despite picking up an ankle knock against Leicester.
He was allowed to join up with the Germany side but was sent for the scan after arriving in Frankfurt this week. He was sent for a scan before he even had a chance to train with the squad.
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German FA spokesman Jens Grittner confirmed the sitation in a tweet that said Ozil had "travelled with knee problems".
2. Training ohne Schürrle (individuell im Hotel) und Özil. Er war mit Knieproblemen angereist, ist zur Kernspin-Untersuchung in München.— Jens Grittner (@JensGrittner) October 8, 2014
A statement was this afternoon posted on the German Football Association website announcing that the scan had "revealed a partial rupture of the outer band of the left knee joint". The knee must be immobilised for six weeks it added, meaning that the playmaker could be out until Christmas.
With Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta both sidelined, Arsenal can ill afford to lose another midfielder and there are bound to be questions about why the problem was only detected once he had arrived in Germany.
Arsenal's injury record is woeful and the club have already launched an investigation into why they appear to be so badly affected by such problems.
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Ozil experienced pain during the game against Chelsea and told Arsenal medical staff afterwards. "It did not seem overly serious at the time," says The Guardian.
However, he is now unlikely to play again this year and "the news serves to intensify Arsene Wenger's growing injury trouble just two months into the new season", says the Daily Mail.
But not everyone will be sad to see Ozil out of action. Arsenal's record £42m signing was supposed to "help them make the leap from an annual race for fourth to title contenders and he has consistently failed to deliver in the biggest fixtures", says Eurosport. "There's now a genuine question over whether he merits a place in the side during these crunch games."
Among his critics is former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who tweeted that Wenger did not "trust him" to play in central midfield in big games.
Others see it differently. Ozil is an introvert and does not play to the gallery, noted Chas Newky-Burden on FourFourTwo last month. As a result there is a "vast gap between the level of his contribution and the recognition it receives", he argues.
