Arsenal: The Granit Xhaka “experiment” ended last year

Many fans still refer to Arsenal’s “ongoing” Granit Xhaka experiment, but let’s get real, that ended last year. This is the byproduct of that experiment.

No matter how much criticism I karate chop away like annoying little gnat clouds, I will admit that when Granit Xhaka first arrived at Arsenal, it was an experiment. He was not what we wanted and his propensity for fouls, poor tackles and losing possession in precarious situations was… dubious.

But the experiment persisted because, like it or not, his strength and presence on the ball, as well as his peerless passing ability, made him well worth the stress of development. The fact that his defending improved as well (though it’s still not his focal point) was just an added benefit.

That’s why I find it strange that fans are still referring to Xhaka’s continued stay as an “experiment,” as if we still aren’t sure what he will turn in to.

The experiment is over. It ended with tremendous success. This is a guy who, in a few years, ironed out his major issues. He stopped his red card accumulation, drastically slowed the yellow cards, his tackling improved, he got up to speed (figuratively speaking) with the Premier League and his presence over the ball is just as vital as we thought it would be.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

He isn’t a finished product by any means, because who ever is, but he’s a known commodity. We know what we are going to get out of him, what we can expect out of him, and we know when he is underperforming, as he was for the first bits of this season.

But last year, seeing him as such a vital piece of the puzzle, seeing him ranking high up on the most important players of the season lists, was the final proof that he has arrived. He is here. He is an irregular midfielder, but that doesn’t make him any less valuable.

And now that he is captain, the feather can be put in the cap of this experiment. He has reached the pinnacle of his career here at the Emirates and the only way to go now is towards trophies under his reign.

You can never be sure what the future holds, but Xhaka is a part of our immediate future. And whether you like it or not, he has earned that spot, and is going to fight for it every step of the way.