Mesut Özil’s agent has claimed that people are using his client as a “scapegoat” for Arsenal’s 5-1 defeat in Munich. The German attracted a lot of criticism, particularly for his work-rate and body language during the demolition in the Champions League (via BBC Sport).

Things have changed drastically at Arsenal in the last couple of months. From a lengthy winning run and a top place finish in the Champions League to a club on the brink of crisis. The Gunners are effectively out of both the Premier League title race and the Chamions League and there are serious question marks over the futures of the manager and two of the club’s star players.

One of those star men is Mesut Özil and the German’s agent has hit out at the response to his client’s performance in Munich. Özil attracted a lot of negative attention for his performance but his lawyer and representative, Dr Erkut Sogut thinks it is unjust.

“Criticism is normal if a player plays badly,”Sogut told BBC Sport.

“But Mesut feels people are not focusing on his performance; they are using him as a scapegoat for the team after bad results.”

“Bayern had 74% possession, how can someone in the No.10 position create chances if you don’t have the ball?

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“Football is a team sport and Arsenal are not performing well as a team. Eleven players were on the pitch but Mesut was singled out for criticism. Was he the reason that Arsenal conceded five goals?

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“It started before the match, throughout the week leading up to the game. People started discussing: ‘Should he play? Should he be dropped?’.

“It was as if everyone knew Arsenal would not make it through and we needed a scapegoat. This is not right. You win as a team and you lose as a team.

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“He is sorry to the fans, and he’s sorry that he and his team-mates couldn’t give the fans a better result in Munich.”

It was the worst night for Arsenal for quite some time and the fans are right to criticise their time. As unusual as it is for an agent to come out with comments like these, he does have a point. Mesut Özil had a poor match but he was certainly not alone in that respect.

The German actually made five successful tackles as well as six ball recoveries, far more than a number of his teammates. The playmaker is going through a bad run of form but it is wrong to single him out for the defeat last night.