One match was all Cristhian Mosquera needed to flip Arsenal’s thinking

Arsenal left much to be desired at Villa Park this weekend. For the travelling Arsenal fans, it was a grim trip, and one many wish they hadn't made.

Even ignoring Aston Villa snatching all three points with the last kick of the game, Arsenal's performance before Buendia shot home was woeful. It was the worst Arsenal performance we've seen in some time.

For the most part, Arsenal were pretty good defensively. Piero Hincapie held his own, played aggressively and got tight to Ollie Watkins and co. Despite all of this, it was clear that Arsenal were not playing with their best defense.

And, despite William Saliba and Gabriel being out, it was Cristhian Mosquera's defense which was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Arsenal learned a Cristhian Mosquera lesson the hard way

Cristhian Mosquera went off injured in the previous game against Brentford. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, it was serious enough for the Spanish defender to be ruled out for the trip to the West Midlands.

When Gabriel and Saliba were injured, both individually and collectively, Cristhian Mosquera performed at his highest ability to make Arsenal fans turn a blind eye to the main injuries. He played superbly against the likes of Liverpool, showcasing Arsenal's impressive depth.

It is at the point where Mosquera can safely say he is Arsenal's third choice center back, behind the obvious two Gabriel and Saliba. This might seem harsh on Hincapie, but Mosquera is the third choice.

Against Aston Villa, Arsenal were playing with their fourth and fifth-choice center backs. It personified their injury crisis, and while Arsenal fans won't want to make an excuse, it kinda does excuse the two goals conceded away from home.

So, the Aston Villa shambles did teach Mikel Arteta one thing: Cristhian Mosquera is the third-choice defender at Arsenal.