Cristhian Mosquera is reportedly back to full fitness, yet Mikel Arteta’s continued preference for Ezri Konsa has left Arsenal supporters wondering whether the young defender has already fallen down the pecking order.

Mosquera began the season with an opportunity to establish himself in Arsenal’s defence while William Saliba was unavailable, and his performances offered hope that he could become a dependable option for the future.

However, a hamstring problem suffered against Aston Villa on August 31 interrupted his progress, forcing him to miss several matches and giving Konsa an opportunity to establish himself alongside Gabriel.

Since then, the competition for defensive places has become increasingly difficult for Mosquera, particularly because Konsa has impressed sufficiently to make his position in the starting eleven harder to challenge.

The most frustrating part for Mosquera is that returning to fitness has not immediately translated into playing time.

Reports ahead of Arsenal’s October 10 meeting with Leeds confirmed that Mosquera was fit again, but he was left out of the matchday squad as Arteta opted for other defensive options.

He was also absent from the squad for the Champions League meeting with Lille on October 13, while Arsenal continued to rely on their established defensive choices.

That raises a legitimate question about whether Arteta now considers Mosquera primarily a squad player rather than someone capable of competing immediately for a starting position.

There are, however, reasonable explanations for the manager’s approach.

After spending several weeks recovering from injury, Mosquera may need time to rebuild his match sharpness, and Arteta could be reluctant to introduce him before he is fully prepared for the intensity of competitive football.

Konsa’s performances have also given the manager little reason to make a change simply for the sake of rotation, especially when Arsenal are trying to maintain consistency across several competitions.

Nevertheless, completely overlooking a fit defender creates a different problem, particularly when the player needs competitive minutes to continue developing and demonstrate his value.

Mosquera offers Arsenal useful defensive versatility, and his ability to operate at centre-back or right-back could become important during a demanding run of fixtures.

With injuries and fatigue capable of disrupting even the strongest squads, Arsenal would benefit from ensuring that their defensive alternatives remain match-ready rather than allowing them to become spectators.

The situation Is also complicated by the eventual return of Saliba, which could make the competition for centre-back positions even more intense.

If Mosquera cannot earn opportunities while Saliba remains unavailable, supporters will naturally question how much room there will be for him once Arsenal’s first-choice defenders are all fit.

Still, it would be premature to conclude that he has permanently lost his place at the club.

Arteta has consistently shown that selection depends on form, tactical requirements and training performances, and Mosquera still has time to convince his manager that he deserves a meaningful role.

The next few matches could therefore prove important, because even a short substitute appearance would give the young defender an opportunity to rebuild momentum and remind Arteta of what he can offer.

For now, Konsa appears to have the advantage, but Arsenal must ensure that Mosquera’s recovery does not turn into a prolonged spell on the sidelines without a clear pathway back into the team.

Sources:

The Standard — Arteta reveals Arsenal injury boost as Mosquera returns to fitness](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-fc-injury-boost-timber-mosquera-white-b1296554.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)