Arsenal new boy Mertesacker savaged by German press after Poland nightmare

New Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has been savaged by the German press after a nightmare return to his national side.

The ex-Werder Bremen stopper, who arrived in London yesterday to shore up the Gunners’ defence, looked more Pascal Cygan than Tony Adams in his first international since March.

Germany had to salvage a late equaliser to draw 2-2 and avoid their first ever defeat to Poland.

And Mertesacker, paired with former Manchester City defender Jerome Boateng in an experimental line-up, took the brunt of the blame.

Newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung claimed he looked “disorientated and lacking dynamism” in his “failed comeback”; Die Welt said “Mertesacker showed once again that he is overwhelmed with swift counterattacks”; and Bild called him one of the “losers of the week”.

But coach Joachim Loew said: “We have conceded the fewest goals, which speaks for our defence.”

Mertesacker, set to make his Emirates debut against Swansea on Saturday said: “I am really looking forward to it, but I also feel nervous. It’s a new challenge in a new country.”