Granit Xhaka on learning from Arsenal’s mistakes last season at Leverkusen
Granit Xhaka was a fan favourite for Arsenal in the last few years he spent at the club and seeing him leave for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer was a hard one for a lot of fans but once a gunner, always a gunner. Arsenal fans will be happy to see him and his new team doing so well this season in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen currently sit top of the table 10 points clear of Bayern Munich, and look to be in prime position to take the title this season if all things go to plan.
Xhaka himself has had a great season in Germany and has recently spoke to The Athletic about how his experience with Arsenal last season and coming so close to taking away The Premier League title has taught him to keep a level head and continue to push every game and try help his new teammates do the same, because as we all know, with football anything can happen and nothing is set in stone.
With Leverkusen being in somewhat of the same position as we were last season, Xhaka can draw on experience and hopefully educate his teammates on how to go about this fight to what could be Leverkusen’s first ever title in the Bundesliga, and said this “We should be proud of our position but nothing is won yet — I am speaking from my own experience of last season”.
“We had a similar points advantage over the team in second and we did not win the league, so I know this experience and I have shared it with the dressing room”.
“10 points is a lot when you have 10 games left, but there are still 30 points left to take so it is not over.”
Xhaka saying that he has warned his Leverkusen teammates of the possible outcome and to not take their feet of the pedal until the very last game, also saying this “Yes, and they know — they are asking me day by day because I have been in this situation before,” Xhaka said. “I was asked how it was, what happened to us, but you cannot explain with words, you have to feel it.
“That is why you must stay humble and work each day, like we have done all season and then see where we are after 34 games.”
Leverkusen and the experienced Xhaka will next face off against Qarabag in the Europa league before they get set to face off against Wolfsburg in the League and will be hoping to keep up this incredible form going forward as they try do the unthinkable, and win the League title for the first time in their history. With such a dominant force of Bayern Munich following behind they will need to treat every game like a final from here forward.
Arsenal fans will be hoping to see our ex 31-year-old midfielder lift the title this season as we and Leverkusen both fight for that league title, with both having learnt from last season’s disappointment.
Daisy Mae
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It is said a cow never knows the real reason for it’s tail until loosing it, Xhaka was a good old stalwart.
A true warrior, and I’m pleased for him at Bayer Leverkusen.
PERSONALLY, THOUGH I DO NOT WANT BAYERN TO KEEP WINNING THEIR COUNTRYS TITLE , I COULD NOT CARE LESS IF XHAKA WINS IT WITH LEVERKUSEN, OR NOT!
He is our ex player now, so why would I CARE what he does! I dont!!
Do me a favour Jon!!
Your never ending criticism of Ozil, for example, proves otherwise!!!
Could it be that Xhaka proving your long held view that he was a waste of space is being proved wrong and you won’t admit it?
Is it to early to ask you if you’ve changed your mind regarding Havertz?
KEN Think about WHAT I actually said!
You have known me on JA for some years now and we have spoken several times.
Do you honestly think – after all I have said across the years about me wanting success for the club far and away more than I care about any individual, esp when he be an EX player, no matter whom, that what I said in my post was not true?
IF YOU REALLY DO, THEN ACROSS ALL THE YEARS YOU STILL DONT KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT ME.
Ex- players, whether Ozil, Xhaka or such as Henry and Bergkamp are not my concern.
I WISH NO ONE ANY HARM, BUT NEITHER DO I care, once they leave Arsenal. I support th club first, last and always and I ALSO SUPPORT ALL THOSE WHO ARE EFFECTIVE AND SWEAT BLOOD FOR THE CAUSE WHILST HERE
Either you accept that truth or you dont
Either way, I only care that you dont ,in effect, call me a liar.
I have lots of faults but I am wedded for whole life to total self honesty. Nuff said now!
On Havertz, yes it IS too early.
I will wait until at least end of this season and probably longer too, unless he starts scoring loads of goals, many assists and regularly changes games for the better . He plainly has talent, I never said otherwise.
But as value for money, including that huge wage, the jury is still out and likely to remain out for some time yet.
Jon, I didn’t call you a liar, just contested the fact that you don’t care about ex players and then bring them up, especially Ozil, at every opportunity.
Now, in case you think I’m having a go at you personally regarding Havertz, I’m not.
But, being my observent self, why wasn’t he given the same length of time when he arrived at the club to prove himself as he is now getting?
There is a rumour going round, that our interest in Mudryk may not be just paper talk.
Here’s my question to you – would you give him the same time you are now saying Havertz needs to prove himself, or would you be down on him, as so many were, before he’s even kicked a ball for us?
The source is fairly knowledgeable I should add and the player seems keen.
For Ken
Re: Mudryk.
I hope the source is wrong and we are not interested in him.
Re: Outgoings.
I would like to see a fair few gone including Tierney and Partey despite their huge talent because of their injury record and wages occupied. ESR is on the border and maybe needs a full 1 year loan in PL before being re-integrated.
Re: Incomings.
Would like to see very few. Maybe a top striker.
Re: Promotions.
This is the most important for me as a supporter and I feel Norton-Cuffy and Walters need to promoted to the Ist team squad. Nwaneri and Marquinhos are real talents from what little I saw of them. They may need a loan spell either in the Championship or a promoted PL team.
IGL, forget about his form at chelsea, a club in TOTAL disarray and ask yourself why MA was willing to pay a reported £75 million (?) for him before chelsea got their hands on him?
He may not be what we want at the moment, but in the long run, he could be, especially as we have concerns about both Martinelli and Saka for the Brentford game… it could be even more serious down the line.
I’m not as connected as you are with our younger players I have to admit, so I won’t comment on your suggestions but agree that the likes of Saka, ESR etc prove the point about Hales End.
Would YOU give Mudryk time and support if he was to sign, or would you not?
For Ken
Re: Mudryk.
Difficult question to answer.
It depends if he is blocking the path of a promising Hale End product and what else exactly happens in the transfer window.