Arsenal suddenly face defensive crisis according to Germany boss
Shkodran will miss serious time for Arsenal
Heading into International Break, Arsenal believed their biggest challenge this season was going to be trying to re-sign Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. Now, Arsene Wenger knows his most pressing priority will be cobbling together a competent back four.
The challenge to construct a quality defense has emerged due to a potentially serious injury to German defender Shkodran Mustafi. His international boss Joachim Lowe told reporters that the defender might have a “muscle tear” in the aftermath of Germany’s win over Azerbaijan. The knock resulted in Mustafi leaving the World Cup qualifier after just 36 minutes of action.
Losing Mustafi for any period of time could be a disaster for Arsenal. He’s been the club’s highest rated defender on the young season. His Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.47 makes him the highest rated player still in the squad.
The German’s absence will likely force Wenger to resort either to playing Nacho Monreal or Rob Holding as Laurent Koscielny’s partner. Both men are capable of filling the role in a pinch, but both players are also better utilized elsewhere. Monreal is better out wide while Holding prefers the freedom to play in the defensive midfield.
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It could also bring Per Mertesacker back into the frame for Premier League selection. He’s only played in the club’s Europa League and League Cup matches this year. His lack of foot speed makes him very vulnerable against elite Premier League attacks. Even so, his dominant aerial play may give him the edge over Monreal and Holding in certain matchups.
No matter what the solution turns out to be, Arsenal aren’t going to be as strong defensively. That will heap even more pressure on the club’s talented attack to outscore opponents. The trio of Ozil, Alexis and Alexandre Lacazette are certainly capable of winning matches that way, but it’s a difficult ask against top-flight Premier League opposition.
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No matter how you slice it, Mustafi’s injury could have serious impacts on Arsenal’s season. His absence will force Arsene Wenger into shifting his lineup on a weekly basis. The stress of shuffling his defence so often could prove more than the Gunners can overcome. If Arsenal still intend on finishing in the top four, they may need Mustafi to return ahead of schedule.