Arsenal: Granit Xhaka Has One Remaining Task To Accomplish

Arsenal’s midfield stalwart Granit Xhaka was a wrecking ball against Tottenham, but he still has one major task that he needs to follow through on.

After garnering a red card against Swansea City, despite how questionable it was, Granit Xhaka faced a disgruntled jury that all screeched that he had so much yet to learn with Arsenal. I called that bit of reaction (overreaction, rather) hogwash.

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Still, Xhaka did have to answer for his crimes and while a goal and a solid performance against Ludogorets in the Champions League was a great start, until he could prove to continue doing what he had done against Watford, this jury would still be sitting on their high horses, barking about how the Swiss’s downfalls.

What better way to get them all to shut up then by coming out against Tottenham, putting Wanyama in his pocket and completely dominating the midfield?

Xhaka did everything we could have asked from him and, remarkably, he did it all without obtaining a single foul. So literally, he did everything right. All of his tackles were perfectly timed. All of his interceptions were well-planned. He even came on as Theo Walcott’s enforcer and looked a hero for it.

And just like that, everyone was singing his praises again. The fickleness…

Still though, there is one thing Xhaka has yet to do. He has yet to make these seemingly ‘fluke’ appearances latch on and prove to be his mantra.

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He’s past the first step. He’s proven he is Premier League quality and can compete with anyone. He proved it against Watford and Tottenham. But those matches were weeks apart. We need to see him do it consistently and well, that starts with being on the pitch.

He could have been doing just that with Cazorla out injured, but the suspension got in his way.

A lot of this, therefore, comes down to Wenger. When Cazorla comes back, he gets a starting spot without a second thought. Le Prof has always shown that a healthy Cazorla is a starting Cazorla.

But that second spot needs to go to Xhaka. For as much as we all love Coquelin, he is not the future of this midfield. Xhaka is. With the infinite upside Xhaka has, the sooner you can get him clicking and firing on all cylinders, the sooner the team grows and improves and learns to rely on him.

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That all starts with consistent game time, so long as he’s earned it.