Garth Crooks has openly admitted his dislike for Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, but named him in his BBC Team of the Week for his performance this weekend.
The Swiss international has been a revelation this term, proving himself to even his biggest doubters, and he has been integral to our form which has seen us top the table for the past weeks.
Xhaka put in another starring performance in helping us to victory over Brentford this weekend also, with a perfectly weighted cross into the path of Gabriel Jesus to put us 2-0 up before the break, and that display has seen him earn his place in the BBC Team of the Week, despite Crooks making his feelings about the star known.
“I don’t like Granit Xhaka,” Garth admitted in his usual segment for the BBC. “I find him confrontational, overly aggressive and altogether irritating. Nevertheless, on his day he’s a very good player.
“He should have left Arsenal years ago. However, for some reason he has not only stayed at the club, but also occasionally wears the captain’s armband, such is his popularity these days.
“Against Brentford, he looked very impressive and so did Arsenal. I would like to know why Brentford didn’t look up for this game, but the Gunners were so good I rather suspect that even if they had it wouldn’t have changed anything – Arsenal were that good. Most worrying.”
It is difficult to ignore Xhaka’s recent performances, with him flourishing in his new role, and us Arsenal fans know all-too-well how easy can be to dislike the midfielder, as there isn’t many of us who were on his side when he moved to turn on the fans previously.
Times change however, and he could well be on course to become one of the most revered players in our side, continually giving his all in our famous red and white shirt, and really bringing a new level of consistency this season which we haven’t seen before.
While he clearly doesn’t need to be liked, playing for us for years despite turning large sections of the fanbase against him previously, but I do find it a little strange for a pundit to openly claim a dislike for a football player.
Patrick
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I can only imagine, if he had been sold as some fans had wanted and maybe being replaced by Tielemans as fans were suggesting …….
I have never doubted his quality, good to see him given a free role rather than the more limited defensive midfield he was restricted to.
Why you report on a no marks opinion,and an ex spud,who hates Arsenal is anyones guess.Why on earth are you giving the idiot oxygdn? Who cares what he has to say ?Hes already admitted his bias.
Give the man some credit. Yes he’s a Spurs man through and through but he did put four Arsenal players in his team of the week. It must have killed him!
I never liked Crooks anyway but as you say, no one needs to be liked. As for Xhaka, credit where credit is due , he was magnificent yesterday and before ‘someone’ berates me for using the term ‘magnificent’, do I care? No, my opinion, no one else’s.
xhaka is loved at present, by a lot of fans. but i will wager 50 pence, that, as soon as he gets his next red, which he will definately get, then, the arsenal faithful might just turn on him, again.i like what xhaka is doing presently, but there are some days that you wonder what is going oninside this lads noggin.not to be trusted,unfortunately, for me.
Xhaka is confrontational and can be overly aggressive. His aggressiveness is not usually excessive but he loses his head at times. The latter issue has created problems for Arsenal in the past so it is understandable if some fans still do not trust him.
What rubbish?! Silly statements from Crooks. Bitter man. Spuds can’t have him.
I just wonder whether this JA obsession of bringing us all the “thoughts” of generally speaking nonentity so called pundits(there are exceptions but few only)will ever end.
WHAT I MEAN IS, I KNOW IT WON’T!
Crooks never watched Switzerland play with Xhaka captaining them, he plays differently from what he was giving us, until now. I always wanted him to stay.
How many managers have trusted him now? Quite a number. Fu.ck Crooks
We like it when haters don’t like Xhaka; infact, we love it!
Turn them green with envy, skipper! We love you!