Arsenal: Leftback Granit Xhaka an option or an emergency?

Arsenal have now used Granit Xhaka at leftback… twice. Granted, it is in an emergency situation, but is it becoming an option for Unai Emery?

In all of my infinite defenses of Granit Xhaka, had anyone ever asked me if he should play leftback, I’d have cackled and, after catching my breath, said definitively – “absolutely not, are you batty?” And yet Arsenal have now used Granit Xhaka as a left back twice in the past week.

They reverted him to leftback against Leicester City, and they used him there from the opening whistle against Sporting CP.

Both instances had two things in common – 1. fans were shocked, confused, and left scratching their heads at the decision and 2. fans were shocked, confused and left scratching their heads at how competent he was at doing the job.

Xhaka is not a defender. Everyone knows that by now. Even me. Yet, in the absence of Monreal, Kolasinac and Maitland-Niles, Unai Emery opted for Xhaka to be the fill-in left back, allowing the likes of Elneny and Guendouzi, who are better suited for defensive roles, to play their traditional midfield positions.

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Which is why I want to ask the question of if Emery is starting to see this as an actual option, or if it is only because of the emergency currently brewing at left back.

The only reason why this is even a discussion question is because of how well he has done with the role. We lose all of his marshaling from the center of the pitch, we lose his exquisite passing and we lose the speed down the left hand side, as Xhaka is far from agile, but in the end, the defense held tough and, in his first ever start as a defender, he was able to keep a clean sheet. That’s no small feat.

That said, I hope that Emery does not see this as an option and, going one step further, I have to believe that he doesn’t see this as an option. Why he opted for Xhaka is pretty clear – because it was the Europa League, where Guendouzi and Elneny always play midfield. It wouldn’t have been fair to drop them back into the role when this has been their time to play their usual positions.

Other than that, I don’t think that Granit Xhaka the leftback goes much further. Barring more injuries in the future, I doubt we’ll be seeing him in that role again. At least not as a starter.