After helping Arsenal to a 2-0 win in the north London derby against Tottenham back in November 2017, Arsene Wenger came out and publicly hailed Shkodran Mustafi, comparing him to Per Mertsesacker.
“He’s similar to Per (Mertesacker) on a mental front, but of course he’s 10 years younger, and he’s a leader, he’s a motivator. He has a strong focus, and he’s strong in the challenge. I agree with you that he had an outstanding performance. You need that kind of leader because they have a picture of the whole team in front of them.”
Unfortunately for Mustafi, it’s been criticism from fans and pundits alike that have generally dominated his career at the Emirates. From Gunners supporters slamming his performance against Norwich earlier this season, to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher simply insisting the Gunners would be better off if he left.
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It has been quite the roller-coaster ride for the German, but in recent weeks, things have changed dramatically. Mikel Arteta’s appointment as head coach has heralded a new slate for everyone, with the former Manchester City assistant name-checking Mustafi as someone who could still have a long-term future at the club.
The 27-year-old has played in the last four games across all competitions, including starting and completing the full 90 minutes in the previous three Premier League matches. And he has massively delivered for the Gunners in that time.
Even after his high-profile mistake against Chelsea that saw his attempted back-pass punished, Mustafi enjoyed an impressive game for the Gunners at Stamford Bridge. As per Sofascore, his 7.7 match rating was the highest of any Arsenal player, making nine clearances, blocking three shots, and completing nine of his 11 attempted long balls.
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Over these past three league matches, Mustafi has averaged a match rating of over seven as per Whoscored, making seven total interceptions and a mammoth 24 clearances. He appears to have knuckled down and is simply doing the basics of defending, and it is really showing in his performances.
With Mertesacker retired, Mustafi is finally showing why Wenger once compared him to the big, ‘friendly’ German. Amidst all the blunders and howlers – who can forget his mistake against Crystal Palace last season – the 27-year-old is really beginning to blossom in an Arsenal shirt.
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