Shkodran Mustafi (Out)

[gkoat]

You're not supposed to leave it in all day!

Then WTF is the point?

 

[TornadoTed]

I'm all for the window shutting before the season starts, all the transfer hullabaloo really is a major distraction when teams should be concentrating on getting off to a decent start in the league.

It would have been very awkward had the 4th place Premiership team had to qualify for the Champions League group stages as in previous years with a Champions League/Europa position not sorted until after the deadline but that is no concern anymore in England. It would be a massive headache for a club like Celtic where Champions League pretty much decides if they have a transfer budget or not!

FIFA should standardize it globally, 31st July or something. It would leave it tight on World Cup/Euro years but I'm sure clubs would adapt soon enough.

 

[Rex Stone]

I don't think he will actually leave, but if he did: would people be happy going into the season with Sokratis, Chambers, Holding and Mavropanos as our available centre-backs?

I don't think I'd mind a Sokratis-Chambers partnership and it'd be fun to see the young ones play, but depth-wise it could really backfire on us.

Having said that, unless Mustafi really picks up his form this season, it's hard to argue that we lose anything by him leaving. Don't *think* it'll be happen though.

Yeah man I’m keen for those four. Mustafi’s a black hole, I don’t know if there’s anything worth saving in his game at all.

The longer we keep him the less we’ll get I fear.

 

[Garrincha]

Disagree. PL are doing the right thing.

Less scope for transfers than the big foreign clubs but the football will be better for it which is what really matters. Focus on the football 'product' rather than catering for the elite clubs is what has made the league so special.

I bet next season it shuts August 31st after another vote.

 

[tap-in]

Then WTF is the point?

The point is the end that goes in first. You don't wanna go getting the ends mixed up!

 

[dashsnow17]

Yeah man I’m keen for those four. Mustafi’s a black hole, I don’t know if there’s anything worth saving in his game at all.

The longer we keep him the less we’ll get I fear.

There'd be something quite liberating about it, don't you think? I don't feel comfortable with the amount of CBs we have, it doesn't feel neat. Sokratis and the three yutes is much more neat, with Kos in the Per role.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

There'd be something quite liberating about it, don't you think? I don't feel comfortable with the amount of CBs we have, it doesn't feel neat. Sokratis and the three yutes is much more neat, with Kos in the Per role.

Don't know guys, I'd be all for replacing Mustafi with a proven top CB or someone in the Pavard mood, but on the paper he is still our best CB after Kos.

Besides, he isn't so bad when he's on top of his game and if he is to be played in a well structured system where he gets clear instructions and his risky tackles do not mean the attacker can go 1 on 1 with the GK.

I'd consider Mavropanos our most exciting prospect and I certainly see some potential in Chambers and Holding, but they just don't scream elite talent for me. They also, what I consider almost a necessity for any topclass club who often plays a highline, lack pace and acceleration.

You gotta say prime Mustafi, as of yet, is the best defender out of those. Sokratis is a big question mark till he settles and proves his quality again whilst Koscielny could potentially be pretty much a side case this season.

This is not a heap praise on Mustafi but he isn't ****, we should certainly not sell him without a good price and a replacement, even if it's only a young promising talent in the Guendouzi mood. Our CB options overall are still pretty average. Mavropanos could become elite, but he has a long way to go for that

 

[gkoat]

There'd be something quite liberating about it, don't you think?

Can't tell if this is about Mustafi or buttplugs.

 

[dashsnow17]

Don't know guys, I'd be all for replacing Mustafi with a proven top CB or someone in the Pavard mood, but on the paper he is still our best CB after Kos.

Besides, he isn't so bad when he's on top of his game and if he is to be played in a well structured system where he gets clear instructions and his risky tackles do not mean the attacker can go 1 on 1 with the GK.

I'd consider Mavropanos our most exciting prospect and I certainly see some potential in Chambers and Holding, but they just don't scream elite talent for me. They also, what I consider almost a necessity for any topclass club who often plays a highline, lack pace and acceleration.

You gotta say prime Mustafi, as of yet, is the best defender out of those. Sokratis is a big question mark till he settles and proves his quality again whilst Koscielny could potentially be pretty much a side case this season.

This is not a heap praise on Mustafi but he isn't ****, we should certainly not sell him without a good price and a replacement, even if it's only a young promising talent in the Guendouzi mood. Our CB options overall are still pretty average. Mavropanos could become elite, but he has a long way to go for that

Yeah I get that, but I can't imagine us selling Mustafi and getting a really top quality replacement in the space of a week. That feels like a very remote possibility.

As I said I think he'll stay anyway, and you're right that on his day he is very good. I don't agree with those who think he's always dogsh*t, he's played some immense games. But how quickly would it take one of Chambers, Holding or Mavro to get to his level/surpass his level if they were played regularly? Imo at least one of them can surpass Mustafi, they just need to play.

By the spring we might have six CBs available. It's too much surely? If Mustafi isn't the future, then start the future now. Let's face it, we all know it was a panicked mistake buying him in the first place.

 

[SingmeasongSong]

Yeah I get that, but I can't imagine us selling Mustafi and getting a really top quality replacement in the space of a week. That feels like a very remote possibility.

As I said I think he'll stay anyway, and you're right that on his day he is very good. I don't agree with those who think he's always dogsh*t, he's played some immense games. But how quickly would it take one of Chambers, Holding or Mavro to get to his level/surpass his level if they were played regularly? Imo at least one of them can surpass Mustafi, they just need to play.

By the spring we might have six CBs available. It's too much surely? If Mustafi isn't the future, then start the future now. Let's face it, we all know it was a panicked mistake buying him in the first place.

Your arguments make sense, but my point is that I don't see Chambers and Holding ever reach heights to make us compete and even if they do well, we would only have Sokratis as a proven CB, if Mustafi leaves. I think the chance of Kos not coming back at all this season is a real possibility. He is quite old, has consistent injury problems and might be done for good.

Sokratis could turn out to be pretty ****ty as well, his first games did not make me feel comfortable about him being the leader at the back

 

[dashsnow17]

Your arguments make sense, but my point is that I don't see Chambers and Holding ever reach heights to make us compete and even if they do well, we would only have Sokratis as a proven CB, if Mustafi leaves. I think the chance of Kos not coming back at all this season is a real possibility. He is quite old, has consistent injury problems and might be done for good.

Sokratis could turn out to be pretty ****ty as well, his first games did not make me feel comfortable about him being the leader at the back

We just need one outstanding defender, we have an array of so-so defenders. I agree, I don't smell 'future world class defender' from Chambers or Holding. I get a whiff of it from Mavro though, but that's way down the line.

Overall I think we'll basically muddle through this season with the defence, see what happens and have another go at sorting it next summer.

 

[tap-in]

We just need one outstanding defender, we have an array of so-so defenders. I agree, I don't smell 'future world class defender' from Chambers or Holding. I get a whiff of it from Mavro though, but that's way down the line.

Overall I think we'll basically muddle through this season with the defence, see what happens and have another go at sorting it next summer.

Agreed, I was hoping for a top CB but I guess that and not much else wouldn't help much. The players we have brought in will help the squad overall which does make sense on our budget. As you say, we can try next season when the rest of the team doesn't need so much attention, and maybe we'll have CL to help attract the right players.

 

[dashsnow17]

Agreed, I was hoping for a top CB but I guess that and not much else wouldn't help much. The players we have brought in will help the squad overall which does make sense on our budget. As you say, we can try next season when the rest of the team doesn't need so much attention, and maybe we'll have CL to help attract the right players.

This wouldn't be such a problem if we actually had an owner interested in us being successful. It's a constant exercise in expectation management, and Kroenke has been very successful in that. We've gone from expecting to challenge for the title to hoping to make the top 4.

Our summer business in defence has been good, but nothing more. It's the business of a club who want to improve, but don't want it so much that they're willing to properly pay for it.

We have grown pale under Kroenke and forgotten what it's like to be in the sun.

 

[dashsnow17]

Don't know guys, I'd be all for replacing Mustafi with a proven top CB or someone in the Pavard mood, but on the paper he is still our best CB after Kos.

Besides, he isn't so bad when he's on top of his game and if he is to be played in a well structured system where he gets clear instructions and his risky tackles do not mean the attacker can go 1 on 1 with the GK.

I'd consider Mavropanos our most exciting prospect and I certainly see some potential in Chambers and Holding, but they just don't scream elite talent for me. They also, what I consider almost a necessity for any topclass club who often plays a highline, lack pace and acceleration.

You gotta say prime Mustafi, as of yet, is the best defender out of those. Sokratis is a big question mark till he settles and proves his quality again whilst Koscielny could potentially be pretty much a side case this season.

This is not a heap praise on Mustafi but he isn't ****, we should certainly not sell him without a good price and a replacement, even if it's only a young promising talent in the Guendouzi mood. Our CB options overall are still pretty average. Mavropanos could become elite, but he has a long way to go for that

The argument in support of this would be that if he can produce consistency in his performances then he is a better defender than any of the young guys. What's more he has good passing statistics. The fact that Sokratis isn't the best passer means that he'll need someone next to him who can take the responsibility to play those long balls etc.

I have more patience than most when it comes to Mustafi. I see the good as well as the bad in him. If he repeats last season then it's game over. If he plays consistently then he could actually be quite good. We'll see, it's a risk.

 

[avalonhse]

The argument in support of this would be that if he can produce consistency in his performances then he is a better defender than any of the young guys. What's more he has good passing statistics. The fact that Sokratis isn't the best passer means that he'll need someone next to him who can take the responsibility to play those long balls etc.

I have more patience than most when it comes to Mustafi. I see the good as well as the bad in him. If he repeats last season then it's game over. If he plays consistently then he could actually be quite good. We'll see, it's a risk.

I support Mustafi stay, too. Everyone can see the lack of discipline of Ramsey and Mustafi last season is due to Wenger's coaching method.

We will see whether they improve this season under Emery. They will be given load of videos and restriction of not doing reckless things.

We know they have quality, why not give them another year?

 

[Camron]