Arsenal: Granit Xhaka proving the unexpected… again

Granit Xhaka has many talents, but they all stem from one general mold. Which is why it’s surprising to see how Arsenal have found added success in his abilities.

Arsenal‘s win over Bournemouth saw the best of a lot of players. Bukayo Saka and Matteo Guendouzi were the obvious headliners, but underneath that razzle-dazzle of youth, there were some other guys who stamped themselves on this match. Namely, Granit Xhaka.

I still don’t know what to call the position that Granit Xhaka played at the Vitality Stadium. I think it was a central midfield left-centerback-back. Or something like that. But it played to all of Xhaka’s strengths—dominant left foot, excellent presence on the ball, pinpoint passing—and, oddly enough, to some of his perceived weaknesses too—defending deep, tracking runners.

Unsurprisingly, he thrived. Operating out of a little pocket of space between Sokratis and Bukayo Saka, Xhaka played a versatile, hybrid position that involved a lot of defending, a lot of time on the ball, and an authoritative presence that always changes the face of a game.

It’s not that rare that Xhaka does something he isn’t supposed to be able to do. Just when you think he can’t defend, he has a tremendous defensive day. Just when you think he can only pass backwards (about as erroneous as it gets) he springs countless attacks.

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But you wouldn’t be alone in not attributing ‘versatility’ to Granit Xhaka’s arsenal of talents. He does a lot of specific things well. He passes, he controls the ball, he establishes presence.

Against Bournemouth though, in his left central midfield hot pocket role, he did all those things, coupled with tremendous defending, run tracking, attack spring-boarding, dips and dupes (not sure what that is, but he did it), even a little dribbling.

All these things Xhaka did, all things that he isn’t supposed to be able to do.

Again though, shouldn’t we have seen this coming? Last time he had to play centerback against Chelsea, he was tremendous. This isn’t out of the ordinary for him to be able to rise to the occasion. That’s what supreme midfielders do.

It’s at the point where I don’t even get surprised anymore when Xhaka goes above and beyond.

Next thing you know he’ll be winning footraces against Raheem Sterling. You just wait and see. He’s done everything else, this is the last thing on his dwindling check list.