If ever any player were to define the phrase “he’s got a rick in him” surely it would be Shkodran Mustafi. Because whilst the Arsenal centre-back can look to be the picture of elan and surety when the moment takes him he is no less likely to deliver the sort of kamikaze performance that cost his side victory at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Just as you were beginning to wonder whether Unai Emery might have discovered the consistency in Mustafi that ought to be a prerequisite for any elite defender the other side of this Janus of a defender reared its head.
Mustafi had been largely excellent in victory over Leicester on Monday, particularly in the second half but even in the harum-scarum first, where he was perhaps the only centre-back to show the composure required to tame Jamie Vardy,
But that composure was nowhere to be seen when he hurled himself in for a wild tackle in his own area, taking out Cheikhou Kouyate and handing Palace a penalty from which they took the lead just before the break.
Nor was it apparent for the second penalty. Certainly Alexandre Lacazette put his team-mates in trouble when he punted the ball aimlessly back into midfield, but was Mustafi’s best option to come haring out from the line, leaving auxiliary left-back Granit Xhaka one-on-one with Wilfried Zaha?
Certainly if he did choose to attack the ball he should have ensured that he either won possession or fouled Alexander Sorloth. Instead a tame boot poked the ball into Zaha’s path and a second spot-kick seemed inevitable.
Former Arsenal Women’s captain Alex Scott, who over two spells and 10 years at the club was the model of consistency the men’s team so often craved in defence, was far from impressed.
“I’m confused as to why Mustafi is going to ground in the first place,” she said of the first penalty. “[Kouyate] has got his back to goal, there’s no need for him to even make that tackle. Stay on your feet and keep him going from goal.”
It is, though, hardly the first time Mustafi has dived in when it feels utterly unnecessary. It is arguably his trademark.
However, when it was put to Emery that Mustafi’s errors have become somewhat habitual he was emphatic in his support for the German.
“Mustafi’s mistake? One is Xhaka, no?” Emery told Standard Sport. “Maybe you see it better than me. Maybe not.