Arsenal: Rob Holding should replace Shkodran Mustafi

Arsenal’s defense is improving as Shkodran Mustafi is getting worse. It’s time to make the switch and let Rob Holding loose on the pitch.

As many of you know, I have a knack for defending Shkdoran Mustafi and his prolonged stay (and use) at Arsenal. It’s rare when you see a centerback that is so athletic, so not hindered by his smaller size, and so vocal.

But the mistakes keep coming. And you aren’t going to iron them out by not delivering any sort of reprimand as a means of driving home the point.

Mustafi has had several bad games in a row now and, in the meantime, Rob Holding has been on the uptick. I didn’t expect Holding to be as domineering as he has been in the wake of Sokratis’s injury, but lo and behold, he is.

It’s time for Unai Emery to make another switch, this time to get younger and allow Holding to take over starting duties ahead of Mustafi. It still hurts to say, because I really like Mustafi and think that the Gunners can still get a tremendous defender out of him, but the best way to ensure that is to actually make him work for it.

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By putting him on the bench until he’s earned it. And the funny thing is, he won’t even be ‘on the shelf’ because he will still be playing in midweek matches, getting his confidence back and finding himself all over again.

But it’s the same thing I’ve said about Bernd Leno, and letting him keep his role even when Cech comes back – it’s all about confidence. If Leno can maintain control between the posts and assert himself, then it’s unfair to rip him from the starting role.

Same with Holding. Holding is one step ahead of Leno. He has asserted himself on the starting XI and proven to be ready for the challenge. So in the wake of Sokratis return, it shouldn’t be Holding that makes way, but rather Mustafi.

Sokratis has had to babysit for Mustafi at times, sweeping up his mate’s messes, and while he has done an admirable job doing it, ideally you don’t want him to have to do it at all.

So get Holding out there and see if he can do better. The clean sheets are coming now, and Mustafi isn’t getting any better, so what’s there to lose? Try something new.