Shkodran Mustafi says Arsenal showed character to beat Sheffield United after Dani Ceballos netted a late winner to send us to an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
The Spaniard popped up in the box to score in stoppage time four minutes after David McGoldrick had cancelled out Nicolas Pepe’s first half penalty.
After the match, Mustafi faced the BT Sport cameras. Here’s what he had to say…
On a late win…
Normally, just before we conceded the equaliser, that’s the moment when we need to kill the game. Unfortunately, we didn’t, we conceded. But I think that we showed character. The win against Southampton helped the team a little bit to get back confidence. Today, we didn’t give up, even when they got the equaliser because we had to prepare for the extra-time. We believed until the end and we got rewarded. I’m happy with that.
On it being a battle to find how to play together…
Sometimes you have to see what the opponent does. Sometimes it’s not easy when the opponent throws a lot of bodies up front and a lot of long balls. I don’t know what they give this goalkeeper to eat but he kicks it [the ball] out of the stadium. It’s not always easy to find solutions. When you’re 1-0 up, your opponent suddenly goes with everyone to press you. What I see is that this team believes and believes in how we want to play football and tries things even when sometimes it doesn’t look as good as it should. It’s a process and we have to believe in the process, we have to continue to get on board with the ideas the coach is giving us to try and develop into a team that we want to be. This is a process and we have to believe in it and go with it.
On David Luiz…
At the end of the day, we’re all human beings, we make mistakes. For a defender, it’s not always easy but he’s experienced enough and knows how to deal with those situations. For us, he’s a fantastic teammate that brings a lot fo life into the dressing room. His career speaks for itself, if you win what he has won then you’ve done something right. For me, he’s a big personality and I’m happy to have him in the team.
On another trip to Wembley…
Yeah, we’re looking forward to it.
I hope to see the Arsenal I fell in love with. Crisp, one touch passing, dominating play.
I’ll take this win. Just missing those days.
Who knew Mustafi would be our number #1 defender after the restart?…strange times indeed! I am preparing my big slice of humble pie just in case…if we manage to we win the FA cup and not sweet FA.
Me.
😉
LOL
Great guy ??
refund me for my underwear because i shitted in it everytime they had a set-piece/long throw.
Depends on whether they are disposable ones or not.
Just wear a diaper next time.
Do you love watching Arsenal, but hate having to wash the shit out of your underwear after every game? Well now there’s a product that can clean all the doodoo right out! New Arse-away spray! Arse-away let’s you enjoy the gut wrenching strain of Arsenal games and forget about your underwear! Just one Arsenal game can lead up to 1/4 cup of mudbutt! But Arse-away leaves your underwear clean and ready for more!! Stop buying new underwear after every Arsenal game! That can cost you THOUSANDS every season! Arse-away leaves underwear good as new and clean enough… Read more »
Disgusting.
? I’m a scat man
?
It’s weird what I’m gonna say: Mustafi is our most reliable defender at the moment.
And that is sad
I think thierny’s more reliable.
Mustafi is like a stent. We think all’s well and then suddenly boom! Heart attack.
I assume you mean Tierney who is a left back. Why are you comparing him to Mustafi who is a central defender?
Because Felipe said ‘most reliable defender’, and Tierney is a defender.
We got lucky again. Our defence is properly the worst in the league with winning headers. Surely we have to bring in a defender who can fix our BIGGEST WEAKNESS!!!!
Also I know we dont get much out of ozil, but surely he is better than Willock. There are games were I totally forget Willock is playing in the match. We need every player to show up!!!
Oh dear he’s back again with the moans. How were we lucky. We dominated possession and defended well and should have won more comfortably. I can hardly think of any occasion when missed headers apart from their goal. I agree however that Ozil would provide some more creativity. Pity he’s injured
Martin, I love how you hang from my balls everytime I make a comment. ????
The starting XI was a shambles, the defending was a shambles and the word ‘inevitable’ no longer does justice to describe how this club’s defenders can collapses like a deck of cards. We were beyond lucky today with our winner. It almost feels embarrassing to go through to the next tie. No Guendouzi, no Ozil, no Auba – no clue. Today was paper over a fucking great chasm, never mind a crack.
Yep, had we lost more people would agree with you. Just because we won people dont want to admit that our defence is still shit.
We won because our defence kept them out. You are really so illogical
“Our defence kept them out” ?
Yeah the defence is shit, but people are enjoying the win. It doesn’t happen that often so let people enjoy it.
Give it some time.
Saliba: 1.92m
Mari: 1.93m
BFG was 3 meters long and our defence was still crap. I just hope Saliba and Mari will not be injury prone and get some games.
I wont doubt mustafi’s comments on making mistakes cos he sure knows a thing or 2 (or 3 or 4..) about making those.
What a turnaround for Mustafi! Glad for him.
Yeah, let’s see how long this ‘turnaround’ lasts… City’s forwards must be licking their lips.
No, Mustafi, you showed that, at the drop of a hat, this defence that you inhabit has the ability to destroy the rest of the teams efforts with ease. You were bailed out today. There have been countless times when you haven’t and your so-called ‘defending’ has cost this club badly. You got away with it today. At least admit as much.
This is really not necessary.
Perhaps not today. But it’s in the post. And that’s my point. Our winner was a bail out for the defence.
I honestly thought Martinez should have come out on that throw, and could have caught or, at worst, punched it out, quite safely.
Just tell me which defender played badly today? Apart from their goal the defence hardly put a foot wrong. Did you really watch the match which we should have won by at least 2 more goals. It wasn’t brilliant but we were much too good for Sheffield Utd.
“Apart from their goal” – yeah, let’s sweep that under the carpet shall we? Pretend it never happened. The fact that we were three minutes away plus injury time from going through and our insipid bunch of Olympian Bottlers, aka the defence, threw yet another lead away, is neither here nor there. Seriously, you people are a large part of the reason why this club has been allowed to decline and stagnate in mid table. The bigger picture doesn’t bother you, because you’re too busy burying your heads in sand. Stan Kroenke must absolutely love your sort.
Your a nob
*You’re
I watched some old games over the lock down and I realised that even Tony Adams and others had a mistake in them but the defence covered up for each other most of the time I’m no fan of Mustafi but his brain farts have decreased. I’m no fan of Xhaka but his left foot adds balance in the middle. Good results will hopefully lead to more fluent football with confidence. Ps There was something Pires like with Ceballoss shimmy after first touch for goal
I am honestly very happy for Mustafi. Massive turn around. It also reflects very well on the personality of Mikel Arteta, very independent minded coach, if he had considered the public sentiments on Mustafi, he would never have had the guts to play him.
Everything Musti said is spot on, it’s a process, it’s going to take time. I was proud of our Gunners today, some of it wasn’t pretty but they stuck at it and stood up to a very physical side. Some of our negative, theatrical fans need to adjust their perspectives, it is what it is and is going to be a work in process for a couple of seasons now. If you can’t deal with that and give credit where it’s due maybe you should save your heart attacks and nervous breakdowns and stop watching. This situation has taken at… Read more »
I can not believe they were asking Mistaky about another CB making a mistake! As Alantis said, “Is it ironic”.
How many mistakes has Mustafi made under Arteta. Let’s look at his improvement and not the pasr
past
Isn’t it ironic that you (mis)quoted a line from a song that completely misunderstands the meaning of the word ‘irony’?
We don’t have the perfect complement at the back. Adding Saliba will not be instant solution either. Mari jury still out, Holding an improvement but hardly the “masterclass” some on AFTV will themselves to believe. Maybe Chambers will be retain, looks like Sokratis is likely to leave with a good offer. Mustafi IMO improved with Arteta taking less risks. Several critical stops today. BUT as can be seen, we still leaked two offside goals from set pieces and their legit goal again from corner we failed to dominate (in this case felt Emi should have been… Read more »