Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: 3 players immediately effected by Pablo Mari signing

By Josh Sippie

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 23: Pablo Mari celebrates after scoring the fourth goal of his team during a second leg semi-final match between Flamengo and Gremio as part of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores at Maracana Stadium on October 23, 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 23: Pablo Mari celebrates after scoring the fourth goal of his team during a second leg semi-final match between Flamengo and Gremio as part of Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores at Maracana Stadium on October 23, 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

1. Shkodran Mustafi

The great unknown. I have seen some of the best individual defensive performances from Shkodran Mustafi, and I have seen some of the worst. But through it all, we’ve always known one big thing—we need to not be reliant on him. At all. He’s too unstable. He’s too risky.

Pablo Mari is one year younger than Mustafi, he carries less weight, he carries less expectations and he carries less of a negative track record. Until we see him on the pitch we won’t know for sure, but coming in with a clean slate, Mari absolutely bumps Mustafi aside. He becomes the fill in guy that Mustafi had been up to this point.

And, if Mari proves capable, he could be what sees Mustafi out of the club permanently. I don’t see Mari having that effect on Holding. And if Sokratis does get sold, it probably won’t have much to do with Sari either. More to do with William Saliba and/or Calum Chambers returning.

But Mustafi? Mustafi is on the chopping block here. With Luiz, Sokratis and Holding all clamoring for the right sided centerback spot and Mari the only left-sided, Mustafi doesn’t have anywhere to turn. That makes him the first to go if Mari pans out.

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