Arsenal: Granit Xhaka will flourish, but not because of Unai Emery

Arsenal’s midfield is a carousel right now, but the centerpiece that turns the carousel is Granit Xhaka, and Unai Emery won’t change that one way or another.

Arsenal are entering a new era, with new manager Unai Emery set to establish his own pecking order on the pitch. All of Arsene Wenger’s favorites will mean nothing in this new era, because it’s up to Emery to build his own brand in addition to the Arsenal one.

The midfield is where he is going to have the most creativity. With Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey both in problematic contract situations and Santi Cazorla moving on, it’s now become a matter of building around Granit Xhaka.

Which is where it should have ended up being in the first place. Because Xhaka is the kind of player that you build around.

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There have been opinions posited out there that Xhaka, among others, will flourish under Emery. And there is a good chance he will. But let me be clear about something – Xhaka will flourish, but it won’t be because of Emery.

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It will be because of Granit Xhaka.

Xhaka’s second half of the season, if expanded into a full season, would make him one of the better midfielders in the game at what he does – control possession, do not surrender the ball and push play forward. Like it or not, Xhaka is going to make a killing doing those three things.

When you factor in the increased defensive production, his range of passing, his ability to shoot and other developing skills, you add icing to the cake, but the cake itself is what is going to make this midfield substantial.

Because who ever you put on either side of Xhaka, even if you opt for just one midfield partner, is going to have an easier job because Xhaka does the work that isn’t glorious, that few others like to do.

And as he continues to do that, he will continue to flourish more and more, and that isn’t going to be drastically changed by Emery, or by anyone. It’s quite simple really. His trajectory is trending up and up, and in the end so long as no one tries to do anything crazy like make him a right back, it will continue in that direction.

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Emery can, of course, facilitate that trajectory, but in the end, Xhaka is doing this all on his own.