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Shkodran Mustafi: Cack On Top

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TakeChillPill

Established Member
We went on an unbeaten run with mustafi and kos for almost half a season in 2016.

His biggest issue is that he always seems to switch of or get complacent/over confident.

He really needs to work on his concentration for 90mins and focus on doing the simple things right.
 

Newchange

Active Member
This guy was ready to head to Italy last summer. I remember him being benched for the 1st few games this Liverpool especially.
 

Jasard

Forum Issue Troubleshooter
Moderator

Country: England
Apparently Gary Neville couldn't believe how much we were paying for him because they couldn't get rid at one point.
 

CurryFlavoured

Established Member
I don’t know, is there a top defender in there with better coaching? Probably not.
There was a point where I was hopeful. Unlike some of our previous disasters Mustafi seemed physically good (albeit small). He's quick, agile and jumps well, and seems comfortable on the ball, so I had some hope initially. But as time has gone on he's proven that he makes so many stupid errors. And its not physical errors like being overpowered/outpaced, its utterly ridiculous brainless errors that happen regularly. Jumping out of the line, being caught on the ball or being out of position. The errors have been so bad that I think he's beyond coaching, his instincts and decisions are all wrong for a defender.
 

CurryFlavoured

Established Member

I mean, look at the defending here. Talk about a lack of sense of danger and urgency. If he needs to be coached to not run out of the line like that then we may as well go back to the start and teach him how to put one foot in front of the other.
 

celestis

Arsenal-Mania Veteran
Moderator

Country: Australia

I mean, look at the defending here. Talk about a lack of sense of danger and urgency. If he needs to be coached to not run out of the line like that then we may as well go back to the start and teach him how to put one foot in front of the other.

You shouldn't have to coach a guy things like that and some of the other stuff he does , it's common sense.
 

Mitch

Blonde Brigade Grand Wizard
According whoscored, Mustafi is the PL best defender this season.

I wouldn't say that myself but he was back to his best today.
 

Yousif Arsenal

On Vinai's payroll & misses 4th place trophy 🏆
Trusted ⭐
According whoscored, Mustafi is the PL best defender this season.

I wouldn't say that myself but he was back to his best today.
Stats don't say anything he win many tackles headers but his positioning and marking so poor. But still today he deal well with Deeney
 

HBL

Established Member
No matter how many good games he has for us between now and the end of the season I’d still want us to sell him in the summer.
 

KrissKringle

Reinventing VAR 😡
Something happened before the Milan game, because there's been a massive improvement defensively in the team compared to what came before.
This guy needs to be told to play it as simple as possible whenever under pressure, not to pass it back or make an extra dribble and to not make anymore of those petty fouls just outside of the box.
When he's playing well he's quite the beast, but he tends to overcomplicate himself when you least expect it.
 

Toby

No longer a Stuttgart Fan
Moderator

I mean, look at the defending here. Talk about a lack of sense of danger and urgency. If he needs to be coached to not run out of the line like that then we may as well go back to the start and teach him how to put one foot in front of the other.
^
It's not as easy as blaming Mustafi for breaking out of the line.

https://ibb.co/kxZn2n
At this point he's got to cover two danger areas, cause
a) Chambers is in no man's land and Koscielny clowning around in the box
b) it looks as if Calhanoglu has enough time and is about to pass to the guy in the centre before Ramsey arrives, which looks to Mustafi the more dangerous option, so he commits to that area, especially since Xhaka is also late and the second CM in no sight

If Chambers moves up instead of idiotically trailing Cutrone he puts him offside.
The only guys doing something right are Ramsey who tracks and confronts his guy on the right side and Kolasinac who stays in his position moving deeper, cause there's a guy on his side.

Now look at this:
https://ibb.co/h74C2n

Cause Calhanoglu kept on to the ball, Ramsey was able to confront him and cut of his passing lane into the centre, which now makes Mustafi look like an idiot who broke his line. But it's really not the case. Like the first image showed, a split second earlier Ramsey wasn't close enough to his man and the pass into the centre, where Xhaka should've been, looked more likely than that back to Cutrone.

Now look at the guys I circled. Chambers is still mindlessly tracking a guy he easily could play offside. Xhaka is not an inch closer to his guy in the centre. He's probably seen Ramsey cut off the lane and now thinks his job is done.

And then there's Koscielny. What the **** is he doing? Nothing. He's standing around. Xhaka is more or less with the guy in front of the box, so he isn't his business. Why doesn't he move to confront Cutrone who's moving towards the box? He lets him play on, no pressure whatsoever and offers him acres of space right in front of goal. If anyone here's ****, it's Koscielny having a nap. He should've committed to defend that space between Cutrone and goal the moment he saw Mustafi leave the line. But he didn't. And if you watch the clip, it's like he's really sleeping. He reacts so late - and at that point that pass to Cutrone was the only option left.

https://ibb.co/h7MOa7
Now if they moved like in this pic, there's no clear chance to get a clear shot on goal. Koscielny moves in/towards Cutrone to deny him a clear go at goal/the long corner. Instead of trailing him, Chambers actually does the clever thing and also drops deep to shield the short corner. Now it's ****ing hard for the striker to score, or he pulls off a worldie.

Mustafi should essentially stay where he is, he's committed to protect that area, now do it. Xhaka also drops deeper next to Mustafi instead of lingering around to form a second row of two just outside the box.

Kola moves deeper but tracks the movement of the guy behind him.
Ramsey sticks to Calhanoglu. Danger evaded.

Maybe Mustafi should've stayed in line, I don't know. If Calhanoglu plays that pass to the centre then there's danger from a player who has a lot of space just in front of that line to approach goal or pull the trigger, with Mustafi and Chambers both committed to Cutrone.

The real ****up here is by Koscielny who just takes a nap and does **** all to actually take part in the game. Chambers and Xhaka aren't too clever either. Mustafi's decision to commit surely isn't an instructed one. And so we get to the final conclusion. This is less an example of Mustafi doing something absolutely stupid no one can follow, but it's a prime example for the lack of overall defensive organisation, players not committing and players not knowing what's going on around them.

Sorry for the long post and the bad pics, and I somewhat agree that Mustafi's behaviour here is suspect and that he's got a knack for mistakes, but here it isn't an easy case. I think it's understandable why he does it, and disagree on the fact it's down to him alone. It's a systemic failure above else and Chambers and Koscielny are as guilty here as him.
 
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Arsenal1508

Mods are unethical! Özil, come assist me please!
I hope he continues strong performances till the end of the season so he can get his move to Seria A.

I don't trust him, but would like to get back the money we paid for him.
Rob Holding and Callum Chambers have been impressing lately.
 

tcahill

Well-Known Member
I hope he continues strong performances till the end of the season so he can get his move to Seria A.

I don't trust him, but would like to get back the money we paid for him.
Rob Holding and Callum Chambers have been impressing lately.

Holding has had one good game this entire season. Chambers has looked solid but nothing exceptional. Mustafi has had plenty of good games this season (and a few shockers). Different levels.
 
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