Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi believes that the key to the Gunners' recent success has been their ability to read the game and try to win the ball in the final third of the pitch.

The Gunners have shown good form of late having won seven matches in succession and climbing up to second spot in the league table in the process, trailing leaders Manchester City only in terms of goal difference.




The defender credits their ability to win the ball in the last third of the pitch as being behind their success and also insists that their reading of the game has also been impressive of late.

Speaking about the success stories of big teams in recent times, the former Everton man said that it has been their ability to be compact at the back and a tendency to win possession in the middle of the pitch that has stood out.
 


“It's about having identity”, Mustafi told his club's official website.  

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“We are doing well reading the game, because sometimes it's important to go up there and win the ball in the last third of the pitch.

“But sometimes it's about being back, being compact and trying to win the ball in the middle of the pitch. I think that's what makes big teams win titles, reading the game well.

“It's not only about us just keeping playing our game. Sometimes if you see that it doesn't work you have to change it and you have to be able to change your style of play.

“We're doing that well, because sometimes we're just playing always in the opponents’ half, and sometimes we'll just drop and play counter-attack.”