Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi had another poor game against Crystal Palace yesterday afternoon.
The German international was at fault for the Eagles’ second and third goals and looked uncomfortable all game against the opponent’s forward line.
After the match, Gunners boss Unai Emery was quick to defend Mustafi for his performances over the whole season:
“He can play very well. I prefer to speak about the consistency in the season. We are helping every player to play with a big performance. Today also when you can defend against Benteke and Zaha you can suffer more. Over the season I think he has been consistent.”
Fans on Twitter pretty much had the opposite view of the Spaniard:
Is he completely insane?
— Jon Ryan (@vicgroves) 21 April 2019
Emery was right; @MustafiOfficial has been consistent in making mistakes
— Master John Adikpe (@MJA_Gunners) 21 April 2019
We have to sell him so he needs to talk up his, ahem, “qualities”
— mark sandle (@msan168) 21 April 2019
He is obviously trying to back him, no way he would say anything bad about him
— Julián (@JuliPampin9) 21 April 2019
His grasp of diplomacy in English is admirable ?
— Paul (@aerzenspider) 21 April 2019
CONSISTENTLY DREADFUL
— Danny (@GunnerDanny4) 21 April 2019
Factually correct
— pardeep dhillon (@PD_1987uk) 21 April 2019
I mean technically he’s right
— مهند جناحي (@MohannadJanahi) 21 April 2019
He’s 100% correct. Consistently bad. #Arsenal
— Sherrygooner (@Sherrymon) 21 April 2019
You’d have to hope he’s raging and backing him for a transfer
— Livers Delivers (@Sir_Livers) 21 April 2019
Mustafi’s absence from the starting line up against Napoli last week pretty much tells you where he is in the pecking order at the London club.
To be fair to the 27-year-old, he had started four of the previous seven games, with the Gunners having only conceded one goal, against Everton in the 1-0 loss.
However, it is apparent that despite what Emery says, he trusts Sokratis, Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal more in a three-man backline.
A lot of Arsenal supporters will be relieved that Sokratis will return from his two-match suspension against Wolves on Wednesday night.
