Good day gunners all over the world, it was a perfect day for Arsenal at Norwich as once again everything decided to work in our favour, and you can only wish the same had happened against Brighton. The best part for me was a defender whom we have been waiting to see in action came in for his debut and put the icing on the cake. What a debut Cedric!
Now, speaking of defenders, there has been one stand-out performer who, in recent weeks, has been phenomenal for us in the person Skhodran Mustafi.
When you mention Mustafi, what comes to mind is an erratic, inconsistent player who is waste of money, and should therefore be offloaded as quickly as possible, but to be fair to the world cup winner, there have been times where he has shown great promise and put in top performances in our colours (remember his patnership with Holding in that 22 game unbeaten run?) but he usually undoes everything good he has done with one stupid error.
Don’t be surprised that before his recent upsurge in form, he made an error which led to us conceding our first goal at Stamford bridge earlier this season, although he has barely put a foot wrong since then and in fact, been a mainstay at the heart of our defence, I am sure many Arsenal fans are surprised he has not made another costly error since then – because Mustafi will always be Mustafi…
But what if he has turned a corner? What if he has grown to become the defender we have always wanted him to be?
We have been so occupied with the contract situation of Aubameyang and Saka that Mustafi is not even mentioned at all. Why? Because it is just Mustafi? He is never good enough?
In my opinion, Mustafi is one of our best defenders and if I were the club, I would keep him because he is young, fairly pacy, a good passer and he has a strong mentality, he just needs to cut out his errors and we have a very reliable defender in our hands.
At the moment, he is irreplaceable in any kind of formation we want to play and that is why I have been asking myself, is he playing for a new contract or playing to get a good move away from Arsenal? What if we extend his contract and he loses motivation?
His contract expires in the summer of 2021 and I really wish we could extend his contract and find a way to sell Sokratis, but from the look of things I don’t think he is going to be offered a new deal.
Should Mustafi get a new contract or not?
Thanks
Goonerboy…
I will vote for Mustafi contract extension or renewal.
The pressure on Mustafi is a system matter. If we play 4-4-2. Then there will be support at the rear flanks where he is guarding. Unfortunately he is drawn b/w the flanks, offensive getting behind along the corner line and near the box. Most of the blame is not fairly placed on him. This is a stalwart natural defender. Arsenal will regret if they lose him.
He’s errors are compounded by the lack of delivery by other team mates. Bar the errors, he plays pretty well . Even without his stats, just watching him, you can see he does the right things. It’s not like he messes up every match, but even Van Dyke messes up. We should just try to improve other parts of the team.
No.
Well if you give Luiz a contract then might as well give Mustafi a 3 year 300,000.00 a week contract!!
Younger than Luiz and Sokratis. Most consistent CB fitness-wise, and I think our quickest defender. For me, give him a contract, he is a useful squad player. And CBs at his age are in their prime, or heading to it. He has got enough experience in PL and from his mistakes.
Like any other CB, he will do mistakes, but in his last run, it was at much fewer rate. Fans has to support him in his next mistake.
If we cannot utillize Luiz in a back 3 of real defenders which does not include Sead or in midfield we should have dropped him.
Same with Sokratis. They are past their prime and their speed and fitness are questionable.
Yes he has if there is fairness here, he is a fighter, he knows he been under standard but he is taking all criticism very well and putting on some solid displays and I can see him going frm strength to strength
No,stop being silly, he is not good enough, so just because he puts in a couple of performances against lesser teams and doesn’t make a mistake it doesn’t mean you extend his contract, we ha saliba to come also mavrapanos who is far better and mari ,mustafi and chambers are 2 players who we could do without
Mavro far better? Has the young Greek
done anything but spend time on the
treatment table since Arsenal signed
him? Even when healthy he was
shipped out on loan because of his
inability to beat out Socrates, CC,
Holding and Mustafi.
The book has yet to be written on Mari,
although I do rate him.
Mustafi has been Arsenals most
improved player since MA took over
the reigns and imho should be given
a new contract. He shouldnt be
guaranteed a starting spot but quality
depth @ the CB position has eluded
AFC for years and the much maligned
German would provide at least that.
Awesome reply mate. Mav had one good game and was awful for the rest yet some people think hes going to be world class. I have no doubt that the third tier of Germany is exactly where the young man should be. Mustafi is and has been our most constistant cb this season and should be offered a new deal. Ideally it would be him Saliba and Holding competing next season with Luiz playing the cups.
Mustafi is a World class defender and a World Cup winner with Germany. mustafi s mistakes are unfairly blown out by a rapacious english press. even my good old friend Carl Jerkinson never received so much slack as Mustafi. He must be a priority for another 3-4 year contract.
Most certainly not.Two wrongs do not make a right.Luis, Mustafi and Sokratis are, at best , mediocre .If we are to improve defensively we need to bring in quality at CB and DM.These three players should not be part of Arteta’s development plan for a better future. Nor for that matter should Bellerin and Kolasinac.Apart from Tierney and hopefully Saliba, we do not have one top quality defender but in Holding and Chambers we have guys who are better than the trio mentioned.On a brighter note, at least we have found out recently, that we have not one, but two very good keepers.
I normally agree with most of your
posts Gdad but Holding and Chambers
even when healthy and in form are
at best squad players that have as many
mistakes in there boots as Mustafi. The
German isnt going to walk into any of
the top four back lines but he has been
to hell and back @ AFC and has shown
the professionalism on and off the
pitch that should be rewarded. He at
worst is a quality CB that if paired with
a TC partner( hopefully Saliba) could
see his game continue to evolve.
It pains most fans to admit the
truth that Mustafi has been the best
CB since MA took over the reigns @
AFC.
WTS I do agree with your assessment
that the likes of HB, Kola and Socrates
should be binned in the summer
window.
I don’t think I could sit through another 2 or 3 years of that!! I know he’s improved, but I’m sorry, not for me!!
😂😂 be merciful @Sue! If D.Luiz can get an extension, then Mustafi certainly can! Besides, we haven’t seen any blunders from him so far, could he have changed?
I’m still coming to terms with that, QD…this on top would finish me off for sure!! 😅😅
What a test tomorrow will be… that huge game and he’ll have to try and deal with Jimenez and that man mountain Traore!!! 🙈
Let’s see how Mustafi deals with them, our new formation seems to provide a bit more protection to the defenders. Also, our very own tank, Kolasinac, will be there to match Traore. We will answer fire with fire!
Fire with fire… like the sound of that! Bring it on hey QD?! 🤩
XXX NO XXX!
The only reason why Mustafi is still at Arsenal is because no one was willing to match his 90k per week wages along with a decent fee in previous seasons…so I think arsenal will definitely try to sell him this summer…. improved form and expiration of contract in 12 months might actually lead to his sale
Why would Arsenal sell a quality CB,
who has improved greatly under the
new gaffer for peanuts in the summer
window? Even if the futbol universe
wasn’t dealing with the economic
fallout from Cvid 19 no team would
be a salivating at the opportunity to
fork over tens of millions of pounds
for the maligned German.
Arsenal arent going to spend money
they dont have on a WC CB this
window, so why would they let a
quality CB walk out of the Emirates
for nothing?
The truth hurts but Mustafi has AFC’s
most improved player under MA and
should be in the CB discussion going
forward
I don’t think we should extend his contract even if he keeps performing well,nothing personal,I just think we are at a stage where we need new blood,hungry,motivated and better players,players that MA wants!
Not in a million years! Even under Arteta he hasn’t been that great, so I am baffled as to why some think he’s been great?
How do you define great? What would he have to do to show you he’s improving. It’s not like he’s a forward who’ll score goals to prove himself
His defending has improved maybe a tiny amount, but he’s still making howlers (both Chelsea games), and his passing is still very poor. Done absolutely nothing to earn a new contract.
How do you define improvement? SM have done so many mistakes during the years, mistakes leading to goals, and lost points for Asn’l. You can find his “greatest hits” on youtube. We must stop feeling sorry for the suckers who isn’t good enough for EPL. Or give up all ambitions to ever again be a contender for the Premiership. Sell the corps. Let them improve somewhere else. In leagues on a level that better suits their capacity. I’m sure both Xhaka and Mustafi would be big stars in “Allsvenskan”, the first division of Sweden (my native country). One of the worst series in Europe.
Your right Sue I don’t think my poor heart could stand it let’s sort it out once and for all
😄😄 spot on, towny 👍
I think Mustafi lost confidence and when you lose that as a defender it’s easy to try too hard and make costly mistakes. I think since Arteta joined he has targeted certain players he knows are standout performers remember he knows them well and like Xhaka, Musafi was another player he know he could turn into a solid performer which is what he’s done. Yes keep him.
need 4 centre backs so holding the new french kid and the greeks … luiz should be sold even if he has been given an extension along with mustafi who is hapless … chambers can be kept as a general replacement in case of emergencies as he can play several positions … i would like to see a RB but seems unlikely now but if the french kid is decent then cedric holding saliba tiernay could be a an upgrade but they have to play together … and arteta needs to start asap
Mustafi is a world cup winner.
It is down to the coaching team to get the best from him. I can see that with M.Arteta the lost tenacity is coming back.
Yes, Mustafi can renew the contract.
There is no doubt that mustafi has improved, but so as the Team generally. We can’t have luiz, sokratis and mustafi next season – that’s suicidal. There is what we call squad management, and am sure Arteta is working on all this. Arteta sees all this players in training. Let’s trust in decision and be positive always but I bet we will sell mustafi and might sell sokratis(it all depends if a club wants him, and also depends on the injury of Chambers and the adaptability of Saliba). At the moment, I don’t think we will be signing a CB next season. We’re definitely gonna sign a central midfielder and left winger/attacking midfielder.
More over, we have got contracts issues to solve. Let’s hope when the league ends, Arsenal are in a favourable position.
Huge respect to Mustafi for turning his fortunes around at Arsenal but I think it’s time to move on. Mari, Saliba, Holding, Chambers, Luiz (groan) and a new CB (funded by selling Socrates, Mustafi and Mavroponas) are more than enough. His value is probably as high as it will ever be and, however harsh, his performance in the first half against Norwich suggests to me that he will never be able to fully cut out the simple mistakes.
Absolutely, we should give Mustafi a new contract. As mentioned from some of the fellow commentators, he is a fighter with or without the ball, great technique with the ball on the ground and on the air, team player, and something that goes unnoticed he rarely gets huts to a point to miss games. Bar 2-3 defenders in PL today, cant really see anyone else demonstrate the same skills & capabilities as Mustafi does.
He is younger than Luiz and better, also he is getting way much better with MA and Holding aside and he can play as RB too.
But if he earns anything .. let’s leave him decide this option by seeing him against Man-city in FA games and the rest of the league.
Spot on Trudeau.
This is average thinking. And Mustaphi is below average.
I’m reading the comments and all I have to say is Arsenal either need to replace 9 out of their 11 starters or they should replace their fans, many of which are too outspoken and know little about football.