2 – Mertesacker + Koscielny = Mustafi ?
Excuse the corny headline, but from watching a lot of the German defender his playing style matches the best qualities of the two current Gunners I’ve mentioned above.
Whilst being a towering presence that any striker would struggle to hold the ball up against, Mustafi relies on something more than power to achieve success in the back-line.
The way he can read a game is intoxicating, and instead of running in reckless to make a last-ditch tackle he will sit back and ensure his next move is the right one.
He won’t away any silly free-kicks and like the faults of Gabriel and Mertesacker won’t have to track back and make a stupid tackle to try and stop the opposition from scoring.
His awareness is another notable thing, and with Arsenal lagging behind on the Premier League to defend set pieces well, Mustafi could add something really important.
Whether it be corners or free-kicks the Gunners are always nervy when the pressure is on, and Wenger’s choice of zonal marking really isn’t a popular one with the fans.
Mustafi can’t work miracles but his physical presence, along with his ability to read the game will come in handy when having to put his body on the line for his new club.
Small details count when it comes to the title, and the fact that our man between the sticks speaks German will be very helpful, he’s been used to it for the last season with Mertesacker.