Mustafi is staying so Arsenal fans should support him

We Should Still Include Mustafi by Dan Smith

It’s turned into a good few weeks for Mustafi. Not just has he got his wish and stayed at Arsenal, but in his absence, the notion that everything in the world would be better hasn’t materialised. The German may be too inconsistent and mentally weak for this level, but isn’t that how you would describe David Luiz and Sokratis?
Long term we need a new centre back but while we are working with what we have, he deserves to be considered. It might not suit some agendas, but he wasn’t part of the dreadful defending against Liverpool and Spurs, like some forget he didn’t feature in the Europa League Final.

A Luiz can’t do what he did at Anfield and not expect his manager to be observing in training if there is a better option. At the very least, with the Carabao and Europa League campaigns about to start, he is a body to bring in if you want to rest people. If he were to impress, he deserves to start on merit. I especially would consider him as a right back while we wait for Bellerin to return.

There’s some gooners who have requested he never play for us again, the same who booed him throughout pre-season, who swear at him when he drives past outside the Emirates. That just sums up the modern-day supporter. They want to drive him out of the club like they did with Arsene Wenger, for the sake of views and subscribers. Once they get their way, they will move on and pick on someone else.

That’s the rise in social media, people able to share an opinion with the world within seconds, not having to think if it actually makes any sense. Like it is quite counterproductive to verbally abuse someone trying their best, then questioning why his confidence is so low? Mustafi hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s not his fault we paid the transfer fee we paid or gave him his current salary. He’s not doing anything he’s not entitled to do, if a destination doesn’t suit him and his family, he’s contractually allowed to sit and take the money.

It’s funny how contradictory we are when it comes to players. When it’s a talent we value we expect loyalty, yet if we think your bad at your job it’s okay to boo you and hound you out?

When his name is next read out on matchdays let’s do the right thing, shall we?

Dan Smith

24 Comments

  1. My biggest problem is Emery. I thought he was going to fix our defence but am disappointed. Our CBs have weaknesses but they are not completely useless. The way he sets up the midfield is also problem. Why insist on Xhaka?
    I have a feeling that even if was was sold, we would still concede easy goals.

    1. We will have a series of relatively easy games after the break. Xhaka is great for those games, especially at the Emirates

      After getting a winning streak from those easy matches, I bet the fans would forget our midfielders’ weakness in the previous big games and Arsenal might keep the less skilled midfielders because of this

      I’d prefer Emery to start Ceballos, Guendouzi and Willock in those easy games instead, to build their confidence and teamwork. Arsenal also need to phase out the senior midfielders, for rejuvenation

  2. Good observation

    The Liverpool and the Spurs matches showed that the cause of the problem is the players in front of the defenders. When they can’t score quickly and when they lose in duels, the opposition can press our defense harder

    Torreira’s tackles and interceptions were excellent at the beginning of last season. But he needs to improve his game in this season, otherwise Chambers or Willock might replace him

    1. How you guys keep failing to see that Torreira doesn’t play as our DM anymore since last season beats me honestly.
      I wonder how you guys do watch football.
      Everyone knows Torreira was doing a fabulous job as DM and he was disciplined, was always covering the midfield and defense, always staying just behind our own half without bombing forward.
      Until Emery woke up and decided to turn Torreria into Ramsey and shifts him up front.
      Torreira became ineffective since he started playing upfront and Xhaka was always the one left to cover.
      We all know how disastrous that one is.
      So I just laugh when I see people call Torreira names and say he’s not worth it, the same player that had better stats when compared to Kante in the first few months? The same Torreira every pundits applauded and termed as the DM we’ve always needed?

      I’m sorry but he’ll continue to be ineffective as long as he’s not shifted back to his natural position.
      Some footballers are not meant to cover everywhere, some can adapt to other positions.
      Not all.
      Emery needs to fix Torreria back to being the DM

      1. I agree that Torreira should have played as a DM, but a skillful midfielder should have played well as a box-to-box CM as well

        Kante plays well in both positions

        1. He should be able to play as B2B and CM??
          you’re one of the problems this club have.
          Was Torreira bought to play B2B or CM for us?
          So he should be fixed in another position he’s weak at?

      2. Torreira has never played DM for arsenal. Not in one game .
        Even when xhaka was played at left back, Guendouzi was moved to DM.

    2. In general I concur that our main problem is the midfield allowing to much pressure on the defense and that will never hold in the long run. Our defense must become better from the front.
      Against Spurs this was actually a bit better. But then a compilation of individual errors gave away 2 goals.
      For the first goal, Socratis left his position to join Xhaka in a header duel with Kane, Luiz and AMN weren’t quick enough to see the danger and finally Leno spilled the ball.
      Now, I see many blaiming UE for picking players at fault, but that is rubbish. 4 players were at fault for that goal. Who should play instead of them???
      For the second goal I don’t see any commenting on the fact, that it was AMN, who got totally tricked by Harry Winks (ffs – hardly a world class dribbler), allowed him to get to the goal line and pass backwards to Son in the penalty area, before Xhaka made his brainless challenge.

      1. Please can you tell me one match that torrera played as a Dm for arsenal last. Torrera has always been box to box cm for arsenal. Guendouzi and Xhaka has always been the one playing that DM position, please stop making excuses for torrera lets agree his simply not in form and let’s hope he will come back to form soon for arsenal sake.

  3. We defended much better in the second half against the tots… when we were chasing the game.. why can’t we defend like a unit like that all the time?

    1. Because Spurs reduced their pressure in the second half. Our defenders’ composure usually breaks when a big opposition’s attackers pressurize them heavily, especially in the first half

      This has been happening since more than ten years ago, no matter which defenders start the game. I’m afraid the same problem would still arise even after Saliba comes

      Maybe this is caused by the lack of dominant players that can be an example and is commanding in the field. Vieira was a skillful player with commendable work ethic and a leader that was a role model as well

      We never replaced Vieira, but I believe some of our young players can be groomed into great ones

  4. Emery just shouldn’t start Mustafi or Xhaka. It isn’t necessary

    We have Luiz, Chambers, Sokratis. Holding will be coming back. We have Torreira, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Wilock. Chambers can play dm
    Niles can play CM or RW too.

    Leave Xhaka and Mustafi for FA cup,League cup matches. Then sell in January or next summer

    My only concern is that Emery may believe that we need to play them to sell them. Because if they don’t play all season they may lose value. I’m just guessing. I really don’t know how the market system works

  5. Dan makes a fine point about fans double standards, also known as hypocrisy. Leave aside for the moment that virtually ALL humans are hypocritical at times, it being a normal and even a natural part of our common human condition. Specifically on Mustafi, it SHOULD be recognised that he gives his all, is never lazy and in SOME ways does not deserve the regular criticism he widely gets. From me as much as anyone else too. BUT, what is also true is that he is not Arsenal quality and either we are passionate fans with passionate and well held opinions OR we become sort of wishy washy fake liberals (sort of “social workers” no less, who are shy of ever giving a REAL, honest opinion. You cannot have it both ways. I ALWAYS prefer truth, as I perceive it (and as we all do in our individual ways too) than meally mouthed wishy washy liberalism where the “crime” of offending snowflakes, which very much includes many players, is forbidden! Please think seriously about this important principle. This has perspective, total honesty and makes sense. You can very easily be a decent, kind, thoughtful and helpful person WITHOUT needing to indulge in wishy washy , often fake and virtue signalling too, fake liberalism. I am a true liberal to my fingertips and never shy from telling the truth. The truth is what truly liberates us!

  6. You called it right, Dan, the disgusting culture of name calling, abuse and booing should stop, within the stadium and in all forums. They are our lads and we should restrict ourselves to constructive criticism. It doesn’t achieve anything other than killing their confidence and hence it is counter productive.

  7. Mustafi is not good enough to put in the team. De facto. Because he is at the club does not mean he is good enough. I wish him well in his life and hope he can be happy and free from suffering. His play though causes suffering to many thousands of supporters.

  8. Give Torierra his holding roll
    Bench Xhaka
    And give mUstaritz boot cleaning duty!! ( just hope he doesn’t mix them up!)

  9. Someone explain one thing to me. Those saying Torreira played DM for arsenal, you realize since he joined he’s always been rotated with Guendouzi and Xhaka has always been on the field. When did he play as a defensive mid? In what game? Where was xhaka playing at the time?
    I feel like the arsenal fanbase is rigged with favouritism. I agree with everyone that Xhaka messes up a lot, but we shouldn’t blame him for taking Torreira’s place. They are both playing exactly where they played last season.
    Xhaka has never played B2B for arsenal. He came in as replacement for coq at DM. So please remind me, where and when did Torreira play DM for arsenal and where was Xhaka?
    Torreira should sort his form issues out on his own.
    Tell me about concentration losses, bad tackling, I’ll agree when it comes to Xhaka. Blaming him for Torreira’s loss of form, blaming Emery for shifting their positions, that’s a lie. They’ve never been interchangeable

    1. Me and a fellow gunner argued the same thing after the spurs match about torrera, he played as a box to box cm for Uruguay against us (France) at the world cup and he was really good, I remember he almost scored a beautiful free kick in that match if not for a wonderful Lloris save. He was brought to arsenal last season alongside Guendouzi and Guendouzi played more matches than torrera and we all know Xhaka played more matches than any arsenal players last season, so to those saying he played DM last season, tell me where Guendouzi and Xhaka played then, I remember very well when Xhaka played as a left back against Palace Guendouzi was the one who played the DM position. Please blame torrera for his form not the coach not xhaka, and let’s hope he regain his form soon.

  10. Surely when any player is picked to wear the shirt, he should be supported in that game?

    UE selects the team and we, as supporters, should do just that…support them.

    It’s fine to use a platform such as “justarsenal” to vent our individual feelings amongst fellow gooners, but the awful and personal abuse given to mustafi at the Emirates Cup was so unnecesary.

    On sunday, the crowd didn’t get on Leno’s, Xhaka’s or Sok’s back after their individual mistakes, but instead helped inspire the team performance that saw us fight back so well.

    If UE selects mustafi for a game, of course he should be supported – what sense is there in doing otherwise?
    It’s not an Einstien problem, just bitch about it afterwards on “justarsenal” if the selection and/or player proves ineffective.

  11. Also, I agree with the article. If Mustafi is staying, then I’ll cheer him on everytime he pulls the shirt on. It makes no sense for me to boo and criticize him on a game day before he makes a mistake.
    As a matter of fact, some people seem to hope that the players they criticize keep making mistakes just to prove themselves right . I don’t think that’s the right attitude.
    I’ll give a direct example. On Sunday, I was among those who criticized xhaka for his tackle on Son. Very childish. But I also can’t forget the absolutely sublime through pass that he played to Pepe in the spurs box. Most people won’t agree.
    I haven’t looked at the stats but being that one of Xhaka weaknesses is short passing, I doubt the sideways and backwards passing criticism can actually apply to him. You can’t do it if you’re not a short passer and if anyone has watched xhaka, you’ll realize he’ll find it easier to play an accurate pass 40-60 yards away than he will to a person right next to him.
    If we’re going to criticize, let it not only be constructive but also truthful.

  12. What I always said is that if you want to criticize a player do it honestly and not because you dislike the player. In the Liverpool match, Xhaka made more forward passes than any of our player that day but nothing was said about that but immediately he made a mistake against spurs everyone starts calling him names, if not for the stupid penalty he gave away in that match, he would have had a better game than the fans favorite torrera. The same thing happened when to Iwobi,even when he have a good game some will still tell you he did nothing special and anyone who tries to say something good about him automatically becomes a Nigerian. Mustafi may not be arsenal quality but he’s still wearing our Jersey so we should support him not boo him even before he plays any match.

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