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Arsenal success offers Mikel Arteta best way to end Mesut Ozil questions

Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal FC via Getty Images

If there is one way for Arsenal to stop all the focus surrounding Mesut Ozil, it is by making sure their actions on the pitch speak louder than the talk off it.

The build-up to tonight’s Europa League opener against Rapid Vienna has been dominated by Ozil, after he publicly hit out at Mikel Arteta yesterday and accused the club of lacking “loyalty” after he was left out of their 25-man Premier League squad.

“You haven’t asked too many questions about the game,” said Arteta, with a wry smile, during his pre-match press conference in Austria last night. “I am worried, because I have seen from Rapid, they look a strong and dangerous side, so we’d better be prepared.”

Arteta is used to dealing with questions about Ozil, who has not played for Arsenal since March, and last season showed him how winning on the pitch is the perfect answer to them.

When Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi were continually left out after the season restart in June, those questions were frequently asked, but the attention on the 32-year-old German midfielder soon stopped when Arsenal won the FA Cup.

Arteta has said he takes full responsibility for Ozil’s exclusion. There can be no comeback to his decision if things continue to go well for the team — and the Europa League is a competition that is firmly in the Spaniard’s sights.

“We are very excited to be playing back in Europe again after a difficult season where we had to earn our right to play here through winning the FA Cup,” he said.

“It’s a big bonus for us. We want to make the best out of it and every competition that we are involved in. Our aim is to try to win it. We know that this club has to aim for every competition and we have to be involved in European competition.”

Arsenal had to work very hard to qualify for the Europa League last season and that is partly why they will take it so seriously. After failing to secure qualification via the Premier League, they went on an impressive

FA Cup run that included a semi-final win over Manchester City and victory against Chelsea in the Final.

Arteta now wants to add European silverware — and he has taken a strong 21-man squad to Vienna for tonight’s Group B opener that will be played in front of 3,000 fans.

Dani Ceballos and Willian have not travelled, but new £45million signing Thomas Partey could make his first start after coming off the bench against Manchester City last weekend.

“He reacted really well, he came on and look strong and confident and he added something positive to the team,” said Arteta.

“It was a very short turnaround for him since he joined the team — he had a day, a day-and-a-half only in training. He has done a few more training sessions and he looks ready to start.”

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