Granit Xhaka was expected to be a massive signing for the Gunners in the summer and joined the club in one of Arsenal’s biggest ever transfer deals.
The Swiss international midfielder perhaps hasn’t quite had the start we were all hoping for, but to suggest he hasn’t left his mark on the game would be the wrong statement to make. Xhaka’s presence in this side is very much noticed, unfortunately it’s due to his poor disciplinary record.
Xhaka has two Premier League red cards in his first season with Arsenal and has been booked in each one of his last five games. His record of receiving cards is very poor considering the short lived career he has had in North London so far, and it’s almost anticipated he will get booked in every game he plays.
There have been calls that will suggest that Xhaka has been unfairly booked in the past, although there’s no denying some of his challenges are truly reckless. Wenger on the other hand seems to believe that Xhaka only has himself to blame for his poor disciplinary record and it’s something that needs major work on.
Wenger said: “I believe he is now in a position where — on the first foul — he gets a yellow card.”
“For example last Saturday, first foul, soft yellow card. He is a victim a little bit of his reputation. You see tackles by some players that are much worse than what he does.”
“But they don’t even get a yellow — and he has got straight reds. Because he had a history of it in Germany, he is victim of that.”
Wenger previously revealed that he believes Xhaka’s lack of ability when it comes to tackling, is because he has never properly learnt how to tackle. Wenger insists that despite the Swiss midfielder generally having played as a central midfielder for the majority of his career, he has never properly trained on his tackling ability.
I find this slightly far fetched to believe that a player who primarily has a lot of defensive duties, would not focus on his tackling ability; and if that is the case that Wenger doesn’t feel he is adequate in the skill, then why an earth isn’t he implementing how the player can improve on this area of his game.
I do however agree with Wenger when he says that Xhaka only has himself to blame for picking up bookings consistently. I do not believe that Xhaka receives any different treatment from referees, especially not as a result of his past. But instead, Xhaka is just generally reckless in his challenges and as a result, is often rightly booked. Xhaka has nobody but himself to blame for his poor disciplinary record and it’s really something he must work on if he wants to be a success at Arsenal.
By AH
Xhaka is a work in progress.
But I like him.
He has an X factor about him.
Yes he is a tad reckless but so is Deli Ali
but that’s why they are feared.
Xhaka is going to be a top player.
A new manager and a clear out of the dead wood would help too.
but he is slow.. always late, can’t run with players and ends up arriving late in tackles. may be he will come good but at the moment, he is raw
Believe me when I tell you that Xhaka will come good. He is a leader but you don’t just go to a big club with “big” players and start bossing things unless you are that “one of a kind type of player”. If any of you have even been in a team set up then you would know what I’m talking about.
I agree that he can be a bit reckless at times but he’s in different league and it’s a learning process for him. If you look at how he’s playing recently then you will agree that he’s quality with his passing and reading the game. He’s no steel whatsoever but with a midfield of him, Coq and Santi should be pretty decent for next season.
biggest transfer ever?
Just another player Wenger is playing out of position. Box-to-box midfielder playing defensive mid. 20 years and he is still making the same transfer mistakes.
clueless manager, doesn’t even know what position Ramsey plays
Yep. Everyone slags off Ramsey but if he was to move and play his preferred position he would be back to how he was when he was man of the match in the FA cup final.
when last has been used in the wing of recent..pls don’t cover up for his stupidity
Xhaka will be become good and an big part of our team in the near future. We knew what we were getting in terms of his tackling and red cards but he does also show aggression, and can lay off a ball for a quick counter and has a solid let bang..he needs to improve on his pace with the ball (dribbling and quicker passes), making passes with is right foot and maybe position (for better tackles) he can learn that from Monreal..
I think he could be a Xabi Alonso type of player for us but i think it would take another manager who has cultured that type of player to bring it out of him to the fullest.
Xhaka= Diamond in the rough