Unai Emery Talks Shkodran Mustafi's Weaknesses, Hopeful of Arsenal Future

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has highlighted the areas in which defender Shkodran Mustafi must improve after he attracted blame for Sunday's disappointing 3-2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace. 

The Germany international was considered largely responsible for two Palace goals at the Emirates Stadium. Emery was asked about Mustafi in a press conference and called the player "a very good centre-back" but suggested he goes to ground too easily and isn't always suited to playing in a back four:

"He has the habit—usually he is doing the sliding tackle and using anticipation against the opposition. He can win one, win two, win three, win four—but if he loses one he is the picture and if he concede a goal he is the big picture, Sunday was the same and happened with him.

"I have spoken to him: 'You are young, you can improve and you need to work hard because you have a big quality for a centre-back.'"

The Arsenal manager added: "He is young, he is improving and Sunday he is in the big picture because of the second goal. Who is in this picture? Mustafi—but it's not his mistake. The mistake was tactical because we need to protect him with two centre-backs against (Wilfried) Zaha. I protect him because I believe in him."

Sportswriter James Benge described Emery's impassioned response, a sign as to just how badly the Gunners chief wants to see Mustafi—who isn't that young at 27—succeed at the Emirates:

As for his player's preference for being part of a three, Emery suggested Mustafi doesn't cope as well without the extra cover and has a habit of jumping into tackles when a cooler approach is required:

“When we use three centre-backs, we protect them more. You can anticipate, and you can lose one [tackle] but we have two who are covering.

"When we have only two, if you lose the anticipation, there is only one behind. That is happening a lot with Mustafi, but I want him not every time to do the tackle on the ground."

Mustafi's first error was allowing Christian Benteke to run free of his marker from a set piece and head in the opener. He later relied upon Bernd Leno to come claim a ball on the edge of his box but allowed Wilfried Zaha to steal in for an easy second goal.

Emery continued to say Mustafi "needs to improve things tactically, decision-making" and called on Arsenal's supporters to help their squad improve, presumably aware of the criticism his man has faced of late.

Data analyst Nic English is among those to criticise Mustafi's recent displays and joked about the renovation project Emery has on his hands:

The former Everton trainee moved to Arsenal in 2016 after impressing at Valencia for two seasons, not to mention winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany.

His performances in north London haven't quite reached the standards Arsenal were hoping for, and it speaks volumes Emery doesn't see fit to play Mustafi without adequate cover around him.

That's not to say Mustafi's season hasn't had its positives, though StatsBomb highlighted this as one incident in which the numbers can be deceiving:

Arsenal's defeat at home to Crystal Palace could prove to be what ends their bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League, having left the team fifth and one point off Chelsea—albeit with one game in hand. 

The Gunners face back-to-back league fixtures at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City on Wednesday and Sunday, respectively, as Mustafi seeks to restore his reputation.