Arsenal: Granit Xhaka Saying All The Right Things

Granit Xhaka has built up the quality of his Arsenal teammates, admitting to nerves when he first joined. Such comments set him up for a terrific first year.

Granit Xhaka has made a flying start to his Arsenal career. He has come in, looked every part the £35 million that Arsene Wenger shelled out to secure his services, and although he still has a long way to go be considered a good signing, it has certainly been a positive start.

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Xhaka has looked especially composed on the ball. His close control has been wonderful, his intelligence and awareness has shone through in his performances thus far. Much of this is due to his and his teammates’ footballing understanding, something that Xhaka has commended in recent comments when asked about life at the Emirates:

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"“I have to admit that in the first few days there was an undeniable nervousness. You can see the players are world class just by the way they pass the ball. Ozil, Sanchez and Cazorla for example, are huge personalities. Even though the club has spent more money on me, there’s still a great deal I can learn from them, in every respect. Things like their work ethic and ambition are impressive. You can’t afford to rest on your laurels at all or you’ll instantly be on the bench.”"

These are exciting comments from Xhaka to hear. He is clearly an admirer of the talents of many players in the squad and is willing to publicly state such. While it must be said that, as a new signing, he isn’t exactly going to come out publicly slate his new teammates, he is showing his leadership qualities with such positive comments.

The relationship between Cazorla, Xhaka and Ozil will be integral to the succcess of Arsenal this coming season. The midfield trio is the most important aspect of the team, especially in Arsene Wenger’s 4-2-3-1 system where the central three are expected to create, defend and score, a demanding task for many normal players.

Therefore, the understanding between Xhaka, Cazorla and Ozil is extremely imporant. Knowing when to push on and sit back, drift wide and cover a full-back or press high up the pitch is an inegral part of the team.

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Xhaka’s comments suggest that he understands the importance of this relationship and set him up for an excellent first season with the Gunners.