Arsenal look set to be without Shkodran Mustafi for some time after the defender picked up an injury on international duty.

The Arsenal defender was forced off in the first-half of Germany's World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan.

Mustafi fell to the ground clutching his thigh after pulling up during a sprint.

He appeared in serious discomfort as he made his way off the pitch and Joachim Low believes it could mean a lengthy lay-off.

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But how will the Gunners cope without him - starting at Watford on Saturday.

Our friends at Football.London have taken a look at Arsene Wenger's options.

Per Mertesacker

Mertesacker during training (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

The hero of last season's FA Cup final, the "BFG" has already shown that he can slot into the Arsenal back three as his team's six-foot-six centrepiece in front of Petr Cech, taking the place of Mustafi in the middle.

Positives: Cool, calm, composed and slick with his passing, Mertesacker has the ability on the ball and positional awareness to lead from the back.

Negatives: Mobility - the main reason as to why the slightly more agile Mustafi was seen as the German's replacement when he signed for the Gunners last summer.

Verdict: The obvious choice, and with the right partners alongside him the veteran defender's lack of pace needn't be an issue in Arsenal's back three. Just ask Chelsea.

Laurent Koscielny

Will the Frenchman be fit to face Watford? (
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

Quick and alert to danger, the Frenchman has been used out on the right of Arsenal's back three of late, to allow Mustafi to take command in the middle, but he could be moved inside to switch positions with the German.

Positives: The Frenchman played 90 minutes against Bournemouth, Chelsea and West Brom.

Negatives: Koscielny now requires daily treatment and careful management for a chronic Achilles problem and is currently recovering from a setback of his own. He didn't travel with France during the international break and instead stayed in England to continue to work on his recovery.

Verdict: Still Arsenal's best out-and-out defender but increasingly a player who cannot be relied upon to play week-in, week-out, especially during busy periods in which the Gunners must play two games in quick succession. He can help to carry the load although others will need to step up so he can be rotated in and out of the team.

Rob Holding

Holding in action for the Gunners (
Image:
AFP)

A bargain of a signing from Bolton Wanderers last season, the young defender is highly-rated by fans and his coaches alike and has played on the right and the left of the back three with some success.

Positives: The sprightly 22-year-old gets around the pitch well and has already shown his has all the ingredients needed to establish himself as a ball-playing stopper for the Gunners.

Negatives: He can crumble against top level opposition when he is exposed by a lack of support and guidance, as was evident in the 4-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield and his first-half display against Cologne. Wenger hooked him off at half-time against the German side and waited a couple of week before reintroducing him to the team to face BATE Borisov and Brighton.

Verdict: If other options are fit and available, Wenger may look past Holding, if only to protect the youngster. He was not included in any of the match day squads for the games against Bournemouth, Chelsea or West Brom following the loss to Liverpool, and could suffer if his manager isn't able to pair him with the correct personnel.

Calum Chambers

Chambers isn't yet fit (
Image:
AFP)

The former Southampton academy graduate was one of England's stand-out players at the Under-21 European Championship and has also popped up in the back three for the Gunners.

Positives: A ready-made replacement for Mustafi on paper. Chambers is adept at sitting back, clearing aerial threats and playing positive passes forward to cut through the opposition's lines to find his team mates in midfield when he is on form.

Negatives: Injury. Chambers is not yet fully fit and is likely to lack the match sharpness required to take on a team in such great form as Watford. He too is relatively inexperienced and could be targeted by opponents.

Verdict: Not the immediate answer for the Watford game but with Mustafi's injury potentially ruling him out until the new year, Chambers is likely to have a role to play in filling the gap left by the German - especially in Wenger's more youthful line-ups in the Europa League.

Nacho Monreal

Monreal scores against Brighton (
Image:
Mike Hewitt)

Once regarded by Arsenal fans as one of the most underrated left-backs in the Premier League, the Spaniard has been transformed into arguably the most underrated defender since becoming a regular member of his team's back three.

Positives: A ball-player at the back, Monreal has been Arsenal's most prolific passer so far this season and also tops the charts for interceptions.

Negatives: He is already needed to balance out the back three by playing out on the left and has not stood up to pressure when charged with becoming the central focus as the man in the middle of the back three.

Verdict: Monreal is too important to the team in his current role to be moved inside.

Sead Kolasinac

Kolasinac is already a fan favourite (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

The former Schalke left-back is fast becoming a new cult hero at the Emirates and has already been deployed at centre-back by Arsene Wenger.

Positives: Strong, quick and aggressive, the Bosnian plays on the front-foot and is never afraid to seize the responsibility to snuffing out danger.

Negatives: He is the best left-back in the squad and better left to maraud down his flank taking the game to the oppositon.

Verdict: At best, Kolasniac is an option to take Monreal's place on the left to free the Spaniard up to play in the middle, but that must only be an emergency option. While Wenger may think otherwise results so far suggest that it is not the way to go about organising the Gunners at the back.

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