Arsenal: Shkodran Mustafi acting as the hero with part villain

Shkodran Mustafi should be back and ready for Arsenal selection against Liverpool, but his very presence makes him the hero and the villain of this set-up.

Arsenal head into another match that could be classified as the “biggest” of the season. Sitting in fifth place, just one point behind Liverpool, this Friday night clash figures to be an epic one. Not least of all considering hows the first match-up fared.

At Anfield in the third week of the season, an uninterested Gunner’s side was lambasted by a fierce and determined Liverpool. There weren’t many highlights to speak of, as the visitors looked flat, deflated and powerless to stop the opposing attack.

This time around, the Gunners are recovering from a brief period of average play, which followed their best form of the season. Now, they are trying to sneak back into some good form.

It figures to be the third consecutive match with the back four utilized. Ever since Aaron Ramsey has been out with his hamstring problem, Arsene Wenger has overloaded the midfield and cut down on the defense.

With Shkodran Mustafi returning, the German is set up to be part hero and part villain. On the heroic side, I do find him our most capable central defender. Nacho Monreal has been great and consistent, but in terms of overall ability, Mustafi takes the cake. Especially with Laurent Koscielny‘s struggles this year.

However, utilizing Mustafi in the back four has been a hit and miss endeavor. He started his Arsenal career in the back four, shooting out to 19 unbeaten matches in a row. A similar streak began with the back three, but he has yet to make his return to the back four. It is even being questioned if his presence will force Wenger to swap to the three at the back again.

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Whatever the case, Mustafi is returning the hero because of his ability alone. He has pocketed top-class strikers the world over, and it’s a different ball game facing the wide emphasis of Liverpool, but he has the athleticism to handle the test ahead.

At the same time, he is almost a villain because of the shift that has likely ensued thanks to his return. With all signs pointing to the continued use of a back four, Mustafi and Koscielny will make things awkward for Nacho Monreal, who is supposedly heading back out to leftback, where he hasn’t played (let alone successfully) in quite some time.

Sead Kolasinac, who I reckon as our third or fourth best player of the season, has been unfairly ousted in the process, in what I believe to be a preemptive move to prepare for the return of Mustafi. Then again, that makes Wenger the villain moreso than Mustafi, but the latter is the beneficiary.

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It’s not expected to be a defensive struggle at the Emirates, that’s for sure. There is a statement to be made by Wenger depending on which defense he sends out there. But should Mustafi make his return, you can bet that he will be a key player one way or another.

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