Arsenal and Granit Xhaka: I told you so

Arsenal fans have been up Granit Xhaka’s arse and around the corner for his struggles, but here he did exactly what I expected him to do. So, ha.

Arsenal fans probably won’t ever appreciate Granit Xhaka. Just like Olivier Giroud. A player with very specific facilities that help the team so much, but that lack in glitz and glamour. Even as he improves, fans deny it, and say he’s only getting worse.

To start the season, he was pretty bad. Against Manchester City and Chelsea, Xhaka was truly exposed. So badly that Unai Emery had no choice but to yank him off early in the game in favor of Lucas Torreira.

But against West Ham, things changed, he started to settle post-World Cup and with Torreira at his side, he was free to be his best possible player. Even without Torreira, Xhaka was quite solid against West Ham and, more recently, against Cardiff City.

Yet, people are still hating, and they are hating for the same, stupid reasons that they are always hating. Because when he makes one mistake, they eat it up like vultures. And there is nothing he can do to change that fate. But I want to do what no one else seems capable of doing and give him some damn credit. Again.

I haven’t gloated much recently. But I’m going to now. Prior to the Cardiff City match, I told everyone that Xhaka was going to solidify his place in the starting XI as a crucial piece of the machine. 

Granit Xhaka had one of his best performances in the red and white, bar one pass. I dare you to say that that one pass was responsible for the goal though. I’m sorry (no I’m not), but if a team has time to recover after a mistake, you can’t pin the entire goal on the mistake.

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Aside from the mistake, Xhaka did more of what he has done so well as he’s grown at the club. And then some. He led the team in aerial’s won. He touched the ball more times than anyone else by 40 touches. And I’ve had people say that isn’t a judge of a quality performance, but if you touch the ball more than anyone else, it means you’re giving your team mates an outlet and controlling the tempo of the game. Exactly what Xhaka is supposed to do.

And, while touching the ball so many times, Xhaka was able to flex his muscle more and more. He created three chances, second most on the team. He won the ball back three times, second on the team. He sent in more crosses than anyone else, completed more long balls, etc. It was just an impressive Xhaka-esque performance that proves why everyone else is right about Xhaka and you’re wrong.

And don’t tell me “well he didn’t do it in the big games.” West Ham and Cardiff took the fight to Arsenal just as much as the other two. It’s the style of this club now. Xhaka is just learning it better and he is learning it quick.

Oh, and don’t worry. When Xhaka tallies his double-digit assists for the year, I’ll be here writing another article title: “Arsenal and Granit Xhaka: I told you so 2.0.”