Arsenal: Granit Xhaka Can Take Over If He Wants To

Arsenal was visibly despondent in their consecutive losses, and the need for a true leader has been highlighted. Is Granit Xhaka still the prime candidate?

Arsenal has just had their titles hopes dashed upon the rocks unceremoniously and the blame game has been played by just about every outlet in existence. However the assessment that really hit home was Sol Campbell’s, which I covered earlier today.

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Campbell said that the Gunners have no leaders. No one that will step up and really take control or, at the very least, say something.

This is something Arsenal has lacked for quite some time, but it is something that seemed to be on the mend with the acquisitions of such guys as Alexis Sanchez, Shkodran Mustafi, Granit Xhaka and even Petr Cech.

Yet three of those four guys were on display against Chelsea when our title charge essentially came to an end. So where were they when it started going back? Alexis was incredibly off his game, Cech convinced everyone he was a double agent and Mustafi was vocal, but it was hard to see how much of his vocalizing was constructive and not just directed at the official.

Meaning that a whole new batch of signings has been completed and we still don’t have a true leader.

Except… there is Granit Xhaka.

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Now, Xhaka has been in some hot water for his impetuous tackles (the fact that  it is plural is the problem) that have led to two red cards and two penalties conceded. But this team, this rudderless team without a captain, is primed for the picking and if Xhaka wanted to, he could take over.

I think of Patrick Vieira and his leadership style. God forbid I compare the playing styles of Xhaka and Vieira again, but there is still plenty of reason to think that Xhaka can have the same mental abilities as Vieira, who has taken his leadership abilities so far as to become the head coach of MLS side NYCFC, where he transformed the club.

Xhaka was the leader at Borussia Monchengladbach and with some consistency, I don’t see why he can’t grow into a similar role at Arsenal, especially seeing as how no one else is really stepping up.

Both Xhaka and Mustafi seemed to have the leadership gene, but Mustafi hasn’t been able to accomplish what we would hope a leader could in these past two outings, so in typical fashion, I want to move onto the next candidate, which is the Swiss midfielder.

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It’s all a matter of desire. How much does he want it and how much does he want it for this team? This is supposed to be his paradise after all.