%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal: Shkodran Mustafi Rust A Tough Pill To Swallow
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal’s title bid came to a screeching halt against Bournemouth and Shkodran Mustafi was as guilty as anyone. The German rusts like no one else.
Arsenal nearly got embarrassingly smashed, Southampton style, against Bournemouth. Right about when it happened the last time out, too. The comeback spared us the embarrassment of a full on devastation, but answers have to be uncovered, and those answers are not “well, it’s a busy holiday schedule.”
Related: 10 Things We Learned About Arsenal In 2016
Everyone is on a busy holiday schedule.
There were some seriously poor performers for Arsenal. Hector Bellerin was atrocious. He was the polar opposite of his usual self. His defense was all over the place (in a bad way) and his crosses were piss poor.
Aaron Ramsey was a mixed bag in what could have been a monumental match and his relevance is dwindling rather quickly.
Then there was Shkodran Mustafi. Maybe he just spoiled us early on. I just assumed that he would come back and be ready as ever to resume where he left of. He was thrown in instead of Gabriel (who had done rather well) and no one questioned it because Kostafi had to be reunited.
But Mustafi was just as poor as everyone else. He made his share of contributions, but the rust of the German center back was a tough pill to swallow. Especially as he should have been fresh and inspired.
More from Pain in the Arsenal
- 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
- 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
- 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
- Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
- 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
For starters, his passing was not on. He didn’t feel in-tune with the match and I recall at least one instance of Olivier Giroud screaming at Mustafi, confused as to how the ball could end up where it did.
The numbers don’t lie. Mustafi suffered three times as many poor touches as the rest of Arsenal’s back line combined. He committed three fouls (poor fouls, at that), more than all of the back line combined.
It was not a good day for the German and as a spectator, it was hard seeing someone you had chiseled in as a surefire, bonafide trooper come up so wanting in the steadiness department. He did salvage a crucial tackle late on, but it didn’t do enough to cover up what was a truly poor day.
Next: Arsenal's 30 Greatest Players Ever
Thankfully, it was just his first game back and Bournemouth were not kind to him. This should change as he molds back into the role and I’m sure in a week or two this performance will have been all but forgotten.