Shkodran Mustafi says Arsenal’s North London derby victory over Sp*rs is proof that Arsene Wenger’s squad have character even if their critics continue to write them off.
The Germany international returned from injury to head the Gunners into the lead on 37 minutes and was in imperious form throughout as the home side protected a well-earned clean sheet.
Speaking after the victory, the Germany international accused the media of stirring speculation when they know nothing about what goes on behind the scenes at London Colney.
“That’s you guys thinking it,” he said. “As always – Arsenal is dead. Arsenal is not coming back. It’s always the same. It’s about what the team is thinking and feeling.
“We keep saying it that we are always alive, we always believe in ourselves, we always try to give everything on the pitch. Obviously when it comes to games like this you have to show character. We showed a great character, when we had the ball but also when we didn’t have it.”
Arsenal travel to high-flying Burnley next Sunday knowing they need to maintain their momentum if they are to keep pace with the top four. Currently, the Gunners sit in sixth place, level with their next opponents.
“It’s about being consistent,” noted Mustafi when asked Arsenal need to do next. “That’s our goal every day in training because you are only as good as your last game. If you win today and lose next weekend you are back where you were.”
The German, who nearly left London for Milan in the summer, also dismissed questions about his future at the Emirates.
“You [reporters] like to get the shit, the biggest shit. That’s your job,” he said. “People outside, talking and thinking that they know everything. What happens in the changing room is the real thing.
“I don’t understand why people just talk about things they cannot know about. If I have been talking to clubs or if I haven’t, it’s only rumours. Obviously there are so many newspapers, they need something to write because it’s boring if the paper is empty.”
He was similarly confrontational when the subject of Alexis and Mesut Ozil was brought up.
“You want everyone to leave, don’t you? We need the players, not everyone can leave. They are big players. Alexis, Mesut, they can create chances and score goals.
“Obviously everyone in the team wants them to stay here but in the end they choose. It’s their careers and they choose what decision they make.”
As a fan, you can’t help but love all of the above from Mustafi; a proper ‘backs-to-the-wall’ media appearance, peppered with swear words and a defiant tone we’ll need if we’re to achieve anything of note this season.
Like him even more now. We have some long runs without defeat with him in the side and less good performances with him injured and out of the side.
Great spirit.
Agree 100%. He’s talks sense, takes no nonsense from the Fleet Street shit stirrers and has probably won a fair few fans around too. Bravo.
Saturdays performance was literally the perfect building block to really but a run of games together and push on; – We shut Spurs up. – We shut the anti Arsenal journo’s up. – The performance helped show that we do have the bottle for the big games. – The performance shows what can be achieved if Arsene puts out our best front three. This time last season Chelsea went on a 10 match winning streak, and they subsequently went on to win the title. Now I am not suggesting that we are capable of catching City, but this underdog approach… Read more »
Delusional
Mustafi must have been referring to you. Shit stirrer.
No, what i’m not is fickle, it takes more than one performance and him mouthing off to convince me!
You might have the memory of a goldfish but i don’t.
Mustafi should keep his mouth shut and do his talking on the pitch. We’re still 6th FFS!!
@John C
I think there is nothing wrong with coming out after a performance like that and saying a few choice words to let all the doubters know how wrong they were.
Obviously he’s put himself out there now, so he and the team need to deliver on what he’s said otherwise he will look like a clown.
But I am all for it. He kept quiet during the build up, and allowed his performance to do the talking.
Now he’s set the precedent and needs to build on it.
This happens every year, one good home result and people go overboard, it happen against Chelsea last year and Utd the year before.
It’s a 38 game season and we’ve shown no ability to be consistent, far too early to start mouthing off.
It’s just a rallying cry. And he’s also responding directly to the talk of power shift. We stuffed them proper so why isn’t he allowed to give the doubters a go? He merely continued with a rallying cry to the team.
Because we’re still below them, and in 6th!!!
What have we proved?
We have proved that at our best we are as good as any of the top sides except maybe Man City.
You are such an incurable pessimist. Who did this to you? Learn to enjoy good moments in life.
For once, I agree with John C. You don’t win a war by winning a single battle. Media are shit stirrers to anyone who has been losing or who had made an error. Ozil and Alex leaving isn’t an issue to talk about like Mustafi tried to pretend ? Mustafi himself was to me the real Man of the Match in the game but media mostly discussed Ozil’s scintillating performance. Six wins in a row and media will be talking about Arsenal winning the league so why complain ?
You miss the point, Bro. He is just telling the haters to back off the Arsenal.
I don’t mind it, but they haven’t proved the doubters wrong at all.
Whilst I am in full agreement that’s it is only one performance and their is already a lot required to salvage a top four finish (which is pretty standard by our achievements as of recent) to slate someone with characters (which this team has been missing for a long long time) make sure no sense….we need more people like him! He certainly done his talkjng Saturday lunchtime and has every right to talk the talk! Don’t knock players for displaying an attitude which has been lacking for a very very long time!
I didn’t slate anyone, it’s just far to premature to start mouthing off. We’ve set ourselves up for a fall so many times before you’d think they’d learn to keep their mouths shut.
MUstafi is a player i like
Don’t feed the troll.
Our players keep their mouths shut too much. Walcott and Ramsay are terrified to say anything remotely off script. Its a breath of fresh air to hear the germans – Mustafi, Mertesacker and podolski talk like we feel.
Keeping our mouths shut won’t and hasn’t protected us from a fall.
Put the ball back in there court i say. Tell Man U that we are frothing at the mouth and can’t wait to take them apart and see how they respond.
That’s the spirit, Brother.
You should go and tell him.
Is your second name cunt?
Please let him handle all our press conferences from now on.
That aside, as much as we have character we also have that stupid handbrake. Brilliant performance one week then deploy the handbrake the next.
That’s our problem
Saturday’s result is proof we don’t have character, being up for the Spurs match at home isn’t the barometer.
When you consider the cost of our squad compared to theirs we should be 10 points ahead of them however we’re still behind, and i’m sure we will be come the end of the season as well, we still look 5th or 6th to me.
john C – The new fatgooner..
Dude are u the writer of the book “pessimism in my blood” ?
We have results like this every season, do people not learn? Last year it was Chelsea, the year before Utd, i’m just not so simple that i fall into the trap and think this is anything but a freak result. Our position in the league is actually worse today than it was before the match on Saturday by virtue of the teams above us bar Spurs improving their goal differences. The real worry is historically we’re generally higher up in the league at this point and our bad for comes in around Jan/Feb, i don’t think finishing 7th is out… Read more »
Johny, you’re drunk. Go back to your mama
How can you complain about us handing a beating to Spurs?
I’m not complaining, just offering perspective.
Musafi said it showed our character, it doesn’t. It shows character the same way that buying your partner a christmas present shows you’re thoughtful despite forgetting their birthday and anniversary, it doesn’t show anything, it’s the bare minimum.
@John C To a degree he is right. It did show character. That Arsenal team have been getting destroyed in the press all season. Especially Ozil and Sanchez. It was literally portrayed before kick off that Spurs would beat us easily. There was a lot of pressure riding on those lads, and they delivered a quality performance and put Spurs away. In all honesty they were probably lucky to get away with 2 nil, had we of been super clinical we should of had at least 4. So yes – the performance did show character. Obviously perspective is needed. As… Read more »
I don’t agree, character doesn’t manifest itself once, character is about performing consistently, which we don’t.
Character is, whether you like it not, going to Stoke or Watford with injuries and getting a result, not playing your local rival at home with a full strength team.
Arsenal should be expected to beat all teams at home with a full strength team with our resources. Bare minimum standard requirement.
I don’t recall a certain invincibles team beating all teams at home. To put things into perspective.
I didn’t say have to win, but expected. Beating an injury ravaged Spurs it’s not a sign of character
Now adding to the narrative is the Spurs being injury ravaged? Cmon this is sports, teams go through injuries all the time. If they lost then its what? “they can’t even beat a injury ravaged Spurs club on our own pitch?”
@John C Yeah – at face value, of course Arsenal beating Spurs at home is the bare minimum requirement, but you’re not taking into consideration the context surrounding both clubs at the given moment. There was heaps of pressure on that Arsenal team to deliver a big performance going into that game, especially after getting beaten by City before the international break. We have lost 4 games already this season. So for us to lose our 5th game of the season at home to Spurs would’ve been fairly damning moment for the club, and for the manager. All the pressure… Read more »
It sounds like you would have enjoyed Arsenal losing instead so your narrative would be more enjoyable.
Just to come on here and say, “Same old Arsenal, can’t step up in big games, what were all you expecting, I’ve been telling you this forever.”
Lol…I wonder??
Your life must be filled with anger and regret! Bloody hell mate, we just beat the spuds and got our season back on track..god damn man, live a little
It’s because i’m full of happiness and that i live life that what’s happened to Arsenal frustrates the hell out of me. This groundhog monotony Arsene “Mugabe” Wenger has inflicted upon up is boring.
One of the most disappointing aspects is Wenger has battered the weak minded amongst us into submission in to accepting he’ll manage for as long as he wishes, so many people are pathetic, i however won’t stop until he’s gone
I love that Mugabe part. Wenger out. Mugabe out. Kroenke out. The Board out.
Does the C stand for c#nt or worse, Chelsea ?
Lol…I think it stand for Chelshit??
Your head needs examined
Wonderful how a difference of opinion always leads to insults on here
Nothing wrong with a difference in opinion but that guy is just too negative
So Leicester City are a better side than Hotspur because they won the title a season ago. They won on a budget less than Tottenham Hotspur. I really like your logic.
So then City squad is more expensive so we should just accept City is going to win the Title? WTF logic is that? Even at the end is true at this point its all tight between 2-7.
Love Shkodran. Great defender, great pro and someone who is not afraid to speak out be it on or off the pitch. COYG.
I’ve said this before: if he stays, he will be Arsenal’s captain not too long from now.
Damn right. Now let’s all adopt siege mentality and a fuck you attitude… all the moaning and whining after every defeat wrecks my head!
This is exactly what needs to happen. These journos have been tearing the Arsenal fanbase apart for years. I think a lot of fans are now realising we all have a common enemy, and a common goal. The more we all unite and get behind the team, the more we will see performances like on Saturday. The atmosphere was intimidating from the off. Lets play our part and not wait for the team to play well, lets inspire them to.
Go on there that proper defender give it them back ! Arsenal superior in every department on Saturday. Errr & btw … Kyle Walker gone Danny Rose going Harry thingy off to Madrid & Dele Ali moving to host ITV’s Splash? So why are the media not constantly sniping at their imminent downfall?
Because they’re shit and always have been, we on the other hand have always been held to higher standards
And this former Spurs player saying that Özil would be more appreciated by the fans in Tottenham than in Arsenal. I don’t talk about this blog, but when i read some others, it’s frightening.
To think we nearly sold him in the summer.
Is there a video of this interview?
Did he literally say, “You like to get the biggest shit”? If so, video needed ASAP.
General Mustaffi
Legend ??
Love this man even more now………it’s a long time since an Arsenal player had this fantastic attitude………..same approach next week needed COYG
Mustafi, I love your talks.. Tell those so called Experts that always predict doom for Arsenal that they will come out to eat their words. Beating Tottenham was no mean feat. Kudos my gunners. Next up is Burnley next Sunday. Let’s take them to the cleaners too.
Speaking of Media Stirrers: Have you seen Garth Crooks Team of the Week on BBC/Football? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42047394 Staggeringly out-of-touch comments about Arsenal fans ‘not deserving/appreciating Ozil’ and ‘he would get that sort of ovation every game’. It’s been the media that have been on his back constantly since we signed him, and he’s obviously never seen the ovations he gets whenever substituted (which is rare) or the huge applause he gets just walking down to take corners, let alone songs. Crooks also does an amazing job of inserting two other Arsenal players into the TotW and turns each of them into… Read more »
Couldn’t give a shit about that bitter little spud goblin. If ozil fights like that every week then we’ll happily put an extra zero on the contract offer. He’s just set the standard, whoever the opposition
Garth Crooks is Toad of Toad Hall.
Love it.
Both he and kos are much better since Mustafi moved to the middle of the back three and Kos to the right. Seems to suit strengths of both and mitigate weaknesses of each
Is it too soon to say he just made a strong claim to wear captain’s armband in the future? Because we surely need more of this mentality both on and off the pitch.
Just hope we don’t give it to him, has a good season and then Barcelona make sure to find a way to a story how he always had their DNA and all that.
Mustafi for club ambassador/spokesperson? ?
I like this attitude. We need to use the media’s negative obsession with us as motivation from here on out. As much as I can’t stand Mourinho, it worked well for him in his 1st spell at Chelsea. These players have been questioned about their effort and loyalty to the manager long enough, time to show it and shut these so called pundits and journalists up
Fuck yeah !
Does anyone know why it was being contemplated to sell mustafi?
Shkodran Mustafi of the squadron Arsenal flying high !!
The entire English football media and pundits have something against Arsenal. I still believe in the quality of our players and Mustafi summed it up very well. Everyone want us to be shit but we are not shit it’s football you win some you lose some but to be shit is never Arsenal..
Great victory, but I’m afraid the character will only be shown if they follow this up with wins against Burnley and Huddersfield really. Inconsistency is the problem and I never doubted the teams ability to win a one-off game. Do they have the appetite for a less glamorous fixture?
The next 3 games Burnley, Huddersfield and United are crucial for us. We need to play with the same focus for the next two weeks and then we’ll see where we stand.
All the big games until APRIL are Home games. We need to make the Emirates a fortress.
2 DEC – United
23 DEC – Liverpool
4 Jan – Chelsea
10 Feb – Sp*rs at our home Wembley
24 Feb – City
Our run in on paper is the easiest.
In big games our home form will be crucial.
Let’s come back and see where we stand after Huddersfield.
Can we set Mustafi loose on the cunts from Arsenal Fan TV?
Play with some flipping consistancy over the season and the media will get off your back. Played amazing against the spurs but your track record moving forward from this game still points to no one showing up for a few games and us dropping points to teams that don’t deserve them.
Good man.
Please press Burnley FC this coming weekend, COYG!
About time we established a siege mentality.
The same people who claim the words character and handbrake are used far to often….they continue to use the terms lack of character and backbone, far to often
Kicked the “Shit” outa spuds on Saturday.
With all the rubbish we got from the press over the weekend, Ozil drinking a cup of tea etc, might be an idea for Arsenal fans to boycott the Daily Mail online. With 12 million Gooner online I’m sure that the advertisers on the Mail would be delighted.
Just saying…
The man takes no prisoners. The media can’t be messing with our German.
Dis its zee da German mentality!
About time our players show a bit of bite. We don’t want them too nice. The Balkan lads have a bit 9f nasty in them. Mutsafi, Granit, Kolasinac are all bruisers up for the scrap. Granit put in a couple of cynical interventions but stayed discipline after the yellow. He had an excellent game moving us quickly in his role as our expedite. A couple of balls over the top as well notably from Koscielny Mustafi and Coquelin. But the media deserve the kick in the teeth. Tbeyve been sowing discord and spouting nonsense. The likes if Wright and his… Read more »
Wenger please never make him captain. All our players turn shit/lengthily injured when they become captains. Look at our most recent example: our Team B captain, Theo Walcott.