Arsenal: Should Shkodran Mustafi Start Against Southampton?
Arsenal signed Shkodran Mustafi in the summer for £35 million. Should the German international make his full debut on Saturday against Southampton?
With the international break over (praise the Lord for that!), the return of Premier League football is on our doorstep, and Arsenal are preparing to host a dangerous and often underrated Southampton side in their quest to build upon an impressive 3-1 victory over Watford last time around.
With the transfer window now closed, Arsene Wenger has a host of key selection issues to solve before now and kick off. Should Olivier Giroud be reinstated as the starting centre-forward? Does Theo Walcott deserve to continue his role as the right winger? Who the hell should play in the centre of the park with a multitude of promising options?
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While these are all questions that will need to be answered by Wenger, a problem that brings potentially the most exciting answer is whether Shkodran Mustafi should be given his full first team debut or whether he should be eased into English football, starting initially on the bench as Rob Holding continues as Laurent Koscielny’s partner.
The answer to this question perhaps can be seen through the lens of Mustafi’s new teammate, Nacho Monreal. Speaking of how the ‘bedding in’ period with the German international may play out, the experienced full-back stated:
“He will find it easy to adapt to the club. He has already lived abroad, he speaks the language and he knows Mesut Ozil. All those elements will lessen the impact of changing environments. Luckily for him, he will feel at home from the very first day. Mustafi is a player I like. He is experienced and really tough to beat, which makes him very suitable for the Premier League’s style.”[/bockquote]
These comments, then, enlighten us as to how quickly Mustafi will be able to adapt to life in North London. The answer is very. His grasp of the English language combined with prior experience of English football stands Mustafi in good stead, and it is why he should start ahead of Holding on Saturday.
It seems nonsensical to sign an experienced centre-half for £35 million and not play him in favour of a 20-year-old who was added only two months prior for a more modest £2 million. Mustafi has been signed to start as long as he is fit. The only reasons to not play him a the weekend could relate to issues with his immediate compatibility with the side.
Those doubts, though, can be subsided through Monreal’s comments. Mustafi is more ready to play from day one than any other centre-half that Arsenal could have possibly signed this summer. Holding performed excellently for three games, but he is not a Premier League winning defender. Mustafi could well be, and it is time to see what the World Cup winner can do.
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