3 ways Arsenal can fill their Granit Xhaka-shaped hole

https://twitter.com/afcsphere/status/1658362030523314176

2. Reintegrate Emile Smith Rowe

Another player who could fill the role is Emile Smith Rowe. Smith Rowe, along with Saka, was the player who lifted Arsenal and Arteta when they were at their lowest. His attacking qualities are clear and ESR is an incredibly fluid player who is at his best when combining with the players around him.

He did play this role in pre-season and was both impressive and worrying. His offensive contributions were very positive but he didn’t seem to have the defensive awareness to cut out the danger when needed.

In this sense, he is similar to Havertz but Smith Rowe is a more dynamic player. Given the right guidance, he will hopefully improve defensively and offer something in every phase of the game. Arteta has been a long admirer of the England U21 international, but that admiration has been nowhere to be seen as of late. Perhaps the boss is figuring out how to get ESR back into the starting XI. With a little ironing out, the Xhaka role could be perfect for the Hale End graduate.

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