Arsenal: Shkodran Mustafi eyeing up heroic deja vu

Arsenal will be welcoming back Shkodran Mustafi against Stoke City, which makes this two years in a row now that he can be the hero.

Arsenal are entering a familiar situation defensively, albeit from a slightly more positive set up. Last season they lost on opening day to Liverpool in a match that looked very much like the opening day match we just witnessed against Leicester City. It was back and forth and absolutely thrilling.

However, this time around we won. However (part 2) the defense was equally atrocious.

Last year, the 4-2-3-1 was still the formation of choice and Calum Chambers and Rob Holding were eviscerated by the Reds speedy attack. This year, Rob Holding was back there again, but this time with two other non-center backs and, surprise surprise, they were eviscerated again.

Last year, that opening day defensive decimation was answered by one key addition – Shkodran Mustafi. The most expensive defender in recent memory and certainly the club record defensive signing for Arsenal, Mustafi had pressure galore and many doubted if this ‘panic signing’ would be the solution.

Well, he was. He started off his North London career with 19 straight undefeated matches and proved that defensive solidity was not some pipe dream. His partnership with Laurent Koscielny was superb and it took next to no time for us to see that the German was the real deal.

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This time around, it isn’t a new signing, but the feelings of deja vu should be pretty poignant. After seeing the defense get decimated yet again, this time against Leicester City, we will be going into Stoke City looking for a defensive savior and it isn’t going to be Laurent Koscielny, as his suspension is still running.

Instead, we will yet again be turning to Shkodran Mustafi to be the defensive help that saves the day. Because this day certainly needs saving.

Thankfully, we should have every bit of confidence that he can do it. He is a late returnee after the German’s (second team) won the Confederations Cup, but given another week of training and the need to have him back this very instant, you can bet that he will be out there in the starting XI.

What happens from there is anyone’s guess, but just the boost from having him stationed in that back three will be enough for me to take a deep breath and allow him to do his work.

Next: 3 Defining Positional Battles Of 2017/18

There’s no reason to expect anything less, as that’s what he has always done.

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