Arsenal: Rolling Up Sleeves Just The Start Of It

Shkodran Mustafi has stated that Arsenal must roll their sleeves up for the remainder of the year. Unfortunately, that is just the start of it.

The year started so promisingly for Arsenal. After a summer transfer window in which many major contributors were welcome back from injury, nearly £100 million was spent on new players and a sense of confidence engulfed the club, by late October it was thought that Arsene Wenger’s team could well offer a sustained and successful title challenge.

Related Story: Arsenal: 10 Reasons Arsene Wenger Extension Makes Sense

That, though, has been far from the truth. A shaky November with two draws against Spurs and Manchester United preceded a December in which successive away losses to Everton and Manchester City left the Gunners nine points behind league leaders Chelsea. Since that point, the season has only spiralled out of control.

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

Now, Arsenal have exited the Champions League in embarrassing fashion, have won just three games in their last nine – two of which were against non-league opposition – and face an almighty task of hauling their way back into the top four. The remainder of the season will be a fight to protect their Champions League status, one that Shkodran Mustafi recognises as extremely important.

In an interview with DFB.de, when asked about the prospects of the team moving forward and what they must have to do moving forward to stem the tide, Mustafi stated that he and his teammates must ‘roll up our [sic] sleeves’:

"“We haven’t been playing to our potential. As a team we can use this international break to refresh and then start again when we go back. When we meet up again in London we need to roll up our sleeves. We want to finish in the top four because Arsenal wants to be playing in the Champions League next year. If we had beaten West Brom, we wouldn’t be sixth. After the break we have a crunch game against Manchester City in London.”"

While that may be true, that is the least of what the side must do. The Gunners still face both Manchester clubs, Tottenham and Everton in the league, needing to win at least three of those ties to offer any semblance of top four hope.

Next: Arsenal: 3 Changes Arsene Wenger Must Make

Rolling up the sleeves is needed. Necessary, even. But there are many more issues with this side that require far more than mere hard work and grit. There is a missing element of quality from the start of the season, quality that will need to be rejuvenated, somehow, someway.