Mesut Ozil has been told he lacks the attitude to go with his ability, with former Arsenal manager George Graham looking for more from a World Cup-winning midfielder.
The technical talent of a German playmaker is without question, with his creative qualities making him a match-winner on his day.
The 30-year-old has, however, faced plenty of accusations during his time in England of not having those days often enough.
He is considered to lack the stomach for a fight when the going gets tough and the work rate to make him an indispensable part of the Arsenal side.
Graham has echoed those sentiments, with a man who savoured title triumphs with the Gunners as a player and manager calling for greater graft to go with the guile.
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He told Love Sport Radio: “When I was a manager, I probably would have bought [Patrick] Vieira and [Emmanuel] Petit the other side and put Ozil in the middle. He's a real quality player in possession. There's no question about it. If they can just get him working a bit harder without possession, they've got a fantastic player.
“The modern game now you have to play when you've got the ball and you play when you haven't got the ball. This is the modern way. He's just got to work a lot harder with the attitude as well as the physical side of the game.
“He's never going to fly into tackles like Graeme Souness, who was excellent on the ball but was tough without it. Nobody expects Ozil to do that, but they do expect him, when they lose the ball, to get back into the shape the team is playing.”
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Arsenal need Ozil to offer more in the middle of the park as they are about to lose Aaron Ramsey.
The Wales international has agreed pre-contract terms with Serie A champions Juventus, with Graham the latest to question how the Gunners have allowed a 28-year-old at the peak of his powers to walk away on a free.
He added: “The clubs usually, with two years to go on the contract, sit down and start talking. Then you have an indication of whether the player is going to stay or go.
“Obviously, they've made a big mistake I think in letting Ramsey go. He's a quality player, especially in an attacking sense. He's not the best in midfield winning the ball back for you but he gets goals and is a great player going forward, not necessarily defending.”
Ramsey is currently looking to secure a top-four finish for Arsenal before bidding them farewell, with Unai Emery’s side back in the Champions League places with seven games of their season remaining.
