English Premier League: Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka is on strike three
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, who cost Arsenal £34m two summers ago, has been nothing but inconsistent since joining the club.
Granit Xhaka divides opinions the way only a few other players in world football do. His passing is often so exquisite to watch, but it’s his off-the-ball play that drives fans nuts.
How often have we seen him stay motionless as a ball flies past Petr Cech from the area he was supposed to be defending? You could probably find 5 or 6 instances of that in the past couple of years alone, not nearly good enough.
The truth is, Xhaka has been far too inconsistent in the past two seasons and this season likely spells his last chance to impress. Had Wenger stayed in charge, Xhaka’s leash may have been even shorter, but under the new management of Unai Emery, everyone truly does deserve a fair chance. It’s very unlikely that Xhaka’s form improves anytime soon however.
It seems to be a common occurrence for him to start a season extremely poorly, only to finish strong, instilling a false sense of hope into fans through the summer.
The arrival of Lucas Torreira this summer may prove to be the final nail in Xhaka’s coffin.
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The sublime Lucas Torreira was brought in by Arsenal to bolster their waning midfield. The Uruguayan is at his best when he is utilized as the deepest playmaker, as he positions himself superbly when off-the-ball. He can provide some impressive passing and dribbling displays with the ball at his feet.
Torreira started on the bench on Sunday against Manchester City, which came as a surprise to many. You can’t expect him to stay there for long though, as Arsenal’s midfield proved to be their weakest link against the defending champions, costing them the match. Many feels it should be Xhaka to make way for Torreira’s place in the XI, and this may prove to be true.
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There’s no real point pairing Torreira with Xhaka, as they seem to be players who could prove to be redundant when paired together. Both prefer the deepest midfield position, and although Xhaka’s passes are often sublime, Torreira is the best fit for the position and the better all-round player in general.
If Granit Xhaka’s performances don’t improve in the coming months, don’t be surprised to see Arsenal place him in the shop window in the coming transfer periods. He simply hasn’t proved his quality over the course of a season. The arrival of Lucas Torreira may signal the end of his journey as an Arsenal starter.