Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: 5 things we learned – The inspiring Matteo Guendouzi

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Matteo Guendouzi of Arsenal battles for possession with Ahmed El Mohamady of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 22: Matteo Guendouzi of Arsenal battles for possession with Ahmed El Mohamady of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on September 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /

3. The end of Granit Xhaka?

Unai Emery trusts Granit Xhaka seemingly more than any other player. He is the ‘club captain’, is one of the first names on the teamsheet, and plays a crucial, foundational role in the team. But could his team in the starting XI be coming to an end?

More from Pain in the Arsenal

Xhaka has endured a horrible start to the season. Looking slow and lapse, not only have his defensive shortcomings undermined Arsenal’s midfield impact; his distribution and passing, which he is in the team for, have also been disappointing, not progressing play with forward, quick, tempo-setting passes. And this might have been his worst game of the year, bar the disastrous North London Derby.

Meanwhile, Lucas Torreira’s mobility has been crucial to a modern midfield set-up, while his defensive acumen far outweighs the sleepiness of the Swiss international. And then there is Matteo Guendouzi, who, despite his Xhaka-esque error for the opener, was the inspiration behind Arsenal’s comeback and can do everything that Xhaka can do and more.

So could this finally be the end of Xhaka in the starting XI? Well, I am not so sure. Sadly, Emery trusts Xhaka innately and it will take a lot for him to drop his star midfielder. But the evidence is mounting, and at some point, it will be overwhelming.