Arsenal: Granit Xhaka can’t handle heat of high press

Arsenal’s first match under Unai Emery was a baptism of fire. And no player felt the heat of Manchester City’s high press more than midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Signing Granit Xhaka two seasons back was a smart and exciting move for Arsenal. His range of passing and shots from distance mesmerized the fans into believing the club had found its long-awaited midfield anchor.

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And at a fair transfer fee as well, considering the Paul Pogba deal of the same summer window rang in at a £50 million higher price.

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Unfortunately, Xhaka’s arrival coincided with a modern tactical shift in the Premier League: the energetic high press. It began with Liverpool when Jurgen Klopp took over. And again as Pep Guardiola took the reins at City, the Gunners’ opponents on Sunday afternoon. And Arsenal are attempting it now under Unai Emery, as the manager has taken great pains to detail in throughout the summer. 

It’s a defensive tactic that exposes Xhaka‘s two main flaws in possession: he’s slow on the ball and indecisive under pressure. Gunners fans, myself included, want so badly to see the best of Xhaka. We’ve gotten glimpses of his sweeping, cross-pitch passes, of his tempo-setting, game-dictating distribution, of his long-range strikes, of his tough-tackling physicality. When he carves out the space and time to control the match, frequently firing passes over the top to willing runners, it can be lethal.

But he’s not a quick pass-and-move player. Or a fleeted-footed one-on-one dribbler. And until he develops these parts of his game, he’ll be easy prey for energetic counter-pressing. It was evidenced time and time again versus City at the weekend.

The greater mobility of Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva was evident as they charged down their opposite midfield number. Xhaka was not able to wriggle clear of their clutches, as his partner Matteo Guendouzi did on several occasions or as his predecessor, Santi Cazorla, was so wonderfully adept at, and neither did he have the speed of thought and technique to pass the ball away before the pressure came. 

It is an issue that has been present ever since he arrived in north London two years ago. And, with it coinciding with the tactical evolution of the league, it has not been a happy marriage of styles. Arsenal have struggled greatly to move through the pitch because of Xhaka’s inability to evade high-pressing opposition.

He needs to improve his agility, his speed of thought and decision-making, and his dribbling. Until that time comes, I’d personally rather see someone else commanding the midfield.