Arsenal: Differentiating Granit Xhaka the player and Granit Xhaka the person

Granit Xhaka is ‘devastated’ after his conflict with the Arsenal fan base on Sunday afternoon. It is important to differentiate between Xhaka the player and Xhaka the person.

Granit Xhaka is not the most popular individual among Arsenal circles at present. After a long series of underwhelming performances dating back to the end of last season, the club captain told fans to ‘f*ck off’ while trudging off the pitch after his substitution on Sunday afternoon. He was subsequently booed extensively.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — The Granit Xhaka One

There has been great criticism for Xhaka’s performances thus far. And justifiably so. He has been a major weakness of the team, a shortcoming that needed to be replaced many months — years, quite frankly — ago. But cheering his substitution, booing his departure, and abusing him and his family on social media strays over the line. There is a big difference between criticism and abuse.

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And, understandably, it is said to have now affected the mental state of Xhaka. The Swiss international is not travelling with the Arsenal squad for Wednesday night’s match against Liverpool, while, in his pre-match press conference, head coach Unai Emery was rather frank about his captain’s present feelings:

"“It’s not easy for him and for the team. He is now devastated, sad. We spoke yesterday and Sunday night and this morning. He trained normally with the group but he is devastated. He is sad about that situation. His commitment is great every time. He wants to help. His behaviour was perfect in training, with the group and club. Really he knows he was wrong. He feels inside, very deep. It’s normal as a human. Every player needs the supporters’ support.”"

Xhaka the player may be worthy of critique and questioning, but Xhaka the person needs support.

There is a stark difference between a footballer’s product and their personality. For Xhaka, his product, his impact on the team and performances between the white lines, have been underwhelming, to say the least. He is holding the Arsenal team back, and then some.

But it is crucial to differentiate between Xhaka the player, the man who plays the game, and Xhaka the person, a human being, with the very same feelings, emotions and reactions as you and me, someone who feels the stresses and pressures of real-life like any normal person, an individual who is currently struggling with the weight of abuse from millions of fans. Arsenal will offer Xhaka counselling as he looks to emotionally respond. This is the extent of the stress, revilement and vitriol he has received.

While it is acceptable, I believe, to criticise Xhaka for his performances, to question his role in the team and to call for Emery to make changes as a result, a line is very much crossed when that criticism is aimed directly at Xhaka, in replies to him on social media, by cheering his substitution and booing his exit. At that point, one is challenging not just Xhaka the player, but Xhaka the person, and that is too far.

Footballers are human beings with human emotions. They are rarely thought of as such because of the high-profile nature of their job. But they struggle with the usual rigours of life like anybody else. And Xhaka is no different. As fans, then, it is important to recognise the distinction between player and person.