Arsenal: Granit Xhaka shouldn’t be a part of the ‘four years’

Granit Xhaka has said that Arsenal are ‘four years’ away from competing at Liverpool’s standard. He may be right, but he also should not be a part of that four-year process.

Arsenal want to win the Premier League title. They have made that quite clear. Raul Sanllehi has said it. Unai Emery has said it. Josh Kroenke has even said it. But to win the Premier League title, they sure have a long way to go.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — The Big Unai Emery Debate

Last Saturday, the Gunners discovered just how far behind the best in the league they really are. Bar Manchester City, Liverpool are the team to beat in the Premier League, and in their 3-1 win over their north London visitors, there was a gaping chasm between the two teams.

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This week, midfielder Granit Xhaka was asked about the performance of his players, and what it may mean for their eventual title chances. The Swiss international spoke eloquently about the progress that Liverpool have made under Jurgen Klopp and how that is what Arsenal are trying to emulate under Unai Emery:

"“We know they [Liverpool’s players and Klopp] have been working together for three or four years. We had new staff last year, we are improving our way and we need some time as well. With Liverpool, the first Premier League season with Klopp was not the best. You can see how they’ve improved and how it can work if you are together more than three or four years. They are a good example of where we can be in three or four years but we want to make a good season this year and be back in the top four.”"

Now Xhaka is spot on in his assessment of where Liverpool and Arsenal in respect to one another. It will take years for Emery to ever get close to the Merseysiders’ standard, if he ever does at all. But he misses a crucial point out, one that I am sure he would not like to admit himself: he should not be a part of this four-year process.

Xhaka is not what I would call a ‘title-winning midfielder’. He has ability, yes, and he has a set of skills that are useful, especially when he is given time on the ball to dictate matches with his excellent range of passing, but he is not of the standard to build a title-winning midfield.

Contrast his level to that of the Manchester City and Liverpool central midfielders. Let’s play a quick game of ‘Would you rather?’ Would you build your team around Xhaka or Rodri? Xhaka or Fabinho? Xhaka or Kevin de Bruyne? Xhaka or Georginio Wijnaldum? I think you get the picture.

Arsenal are four years away from challenging the likes of Liverpool at the sharp end of the Premier League. But they are four years away because of players like Xhaka, who, at some point in that process, need to be improved upon.