Arsenal: When Granit Xhaka gets forward, everyone wins

Arsenal may have sucked in the first half, but one key change at half changed the game by changing Granit Xhaka. Take a hint! Let the man get forward!

Arsenal‘s win over Newcastle may well have been the story of two halves, but that second half could well have gotten ugly for the Magpies, as the Gunners could have scored a handful. And through it all, there was one man driving the tank, and that man was Granit Xhaka.

Terrible in the first half like all the rest, Xhaka came alive in the second half because of one far too obvious reason – Lucas Torreira. It’s the pairing we have seen work in the past, it’s the pairing we should see working in the future.

How my wonderful co-expert here at Pain in the Arsenal hasn’t given the man of the match of Granit Xhaka in the post-Newcastle player ratings is beyond me. Xhaka was the man behind both goals. He curled home a beauty for the first and, for the second, it was his run and his cross that led to the goal.

This is the key to unlock the best possible Granit Xhaka that Arsene Wenger could never find. It’s kind of ironic, really. Xhaka is such a Wenger player, he’s a specialist and a brilliant passer, but he does need to play deeper to be best utilized.

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Wenger consistently gave that to him, but he neglected one key ingredient – a partner that would allow him to be his best. Partners have come and gone next to Xhaka and all have left the Swiss international doing far too many things.

Xhaka may need to play deeper for his control and passing, but when you let him get forward, you see the true beauty of what he can do. When he has the freedom to go where he pleases, the entire team seems to loosen up a bit.

Xhaka knew that Torreira was behind him and from the moment that second half whistle blew, he was gallivanting about the pitch, picking out passes, spraying the ball, and doing so with a look of determination. He knows his strengths and he knows when he is being permitted to utilize them. This was one of those times.

This is a partnership that can rock the damn world, if only they are given more time together. Torreira and Xhaka may have finally solved the long-time problem of how to arrange this midfield.