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Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal U-turn is a serious redemption story
By Adam Schultz
Granit Xhaka was, for all money, out the Emirates door and public enemy number one back in 2019, but now he is one of the team’s most important players.
The Swiss midfielder’s Arsenal career has mainly been up and down, but this season, he has shown exactly why he is one of the club’s most revered players.
He was essentially on the scrap heap after that 2019 incident against Crystal Palace, but through hard work and determination, he has become the leader we all knew he could be. He just needed to stop getting in his own way.
Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal U-turn is a serious redemption story
Granit Xhaka deserves so much credit for how he’s turned it around at Arsenal, since that Crystal Palace game. He’s been one of our most important players under Mikel Arteta & he’s crucial to the way we want to play. He’s essentially a captain without the armband! #afc
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) September 16, 2020
At the worst possible moments, rash challenges and red cards led many Arsenal fans to wash their hands of the midfielder. Now, though, the tune is vastly different.
Handed the captain’s armband against Brentford, Xhaka was phenomenal. He led by example and continued his fine form that has perpetuated throughout 2022.
Mikel Arteta spoke to arsenal.com after the game about Xhaka and how he has become a vastly different player from a year ago.
"“His consistency, and how he goes about every day.”“What he’s learnt in different moments of his career, whether here or with the national team. Also his willingness always to stay humble, to look forward and try to get better and when you do that, normally good things happen.”"
Most fans thought they would never see the day when the 29-year-old would wear the captain’s armband again, but on Sunday, he skippered the side in Martin Odegaard’s absence.
Arteta was happy with his choice of giving him the captain’s armband against Brentford as, in his mind, he deserved it.
"“Absolutely, and he was demanding it as well, Arteta said.“I think he feels now that love and respect both ways. You see our supporters, the way they were singing to him as well, emotionally that makes him try to give even more. I’m really pleased for him because in my opinion he really deserves it.”"
https://twitter.com/_Grimanditweets/status/1571494209017757696?s=20&t=FkXRqlyaOVUfXKfJr1SNYg
It is a redemption story for the ages, and it shows the player’s character and the person he is to come back from a situation that didn’t seem like it would have a happy ending.
Now, he is undoubtedly one of the keys to Mikel Arteta’s side, which would have been unfathomable just over a year ago.