Arsenal Vs West Ham: 5 things we learned – Gabriel Martinelli, superstar

2. Goodbye Granit

Granit Xhaka’s return to the Arsenal team was handled very well. After being stripped of the captaincy and missing from the squad for a month, it seemed as though his north London career might be nearing an end. But first Unai Emery and Freddie Ljungberg reinstated him in the starting XI and the supporters were willing to welcome him back into the fold. On this occasion, we saw why that was a mistake.

Irrespective of the personal arguments surrouding Xhaka, there are basic footballing ones that prove he should not be anywhere near the team. Horribly dependent on his left foot, too slow to move the ball, painfully unathletic to cut off counter-attacks, and now, a new trend: hiding in central midfield.

Xhaka pretends to show for the ball. He comes short and ‘asks’ for the ball. He also knows there is a defender on his back and he will never actually receive the ball. He is playing scared, and Matteo Guendouzi, in a ten-minute cameo, illustrated this, immediately demanding the ball at every opportunity. Quite simply, Xhaka is not good enough. And if you think he is, you do not know football.