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Granit Xhaka divides opinion. The £35 million man arrived in the English capital from Borussia Mönchengladbach two seasons ago as a solution to Arsenal's defensive midfield problems but has failed to convince the supporters and pundits alike that he is the man for the job.
Many consider him as the face of Arsenal's more chaotic approach. Yet, the man, considered by pundits as a headless chicken wandering around, might be the answer to many problems that have engulfed Arsenal. Despite the summer acquisitions of Lucas Torreira and Mattéo Guendouzi, here are five reasons why Granit Xhaka should retain his place in Unai Emery's starting XI.
#5 Unlocks Aaron Ramsey's offensive output
Alexis Sanchez, departing for Manchester United in the January transfer window, affected Arsenal in more ways than expected. He was one of the very few players at the club who could win games on his own. Now that he has left, Aaron Ramsey is the only one at the club, who can remotely replicate the same.
The Welshman, at his rampaging best, contributes to the offense like no other central midfielder in the league. 11 goals and 12 assists last season are numbers some strikers are jealous of. The late runs the 27-year-old makes into the box offer an extra outlet in the penalty box with only Alexandre Lacazette outscoring him last campaign.
However, the inclusion of Ramsey in the starting XI poses certain risks as well. The attack-minded midfielder often leaves his position in the middle of the park in search of a goal and leaves the midfield exposed to counter attacks. This can be nullified by having an extra body in the midfield, along with Torreira or Guendouzi, in the form of Xhaka who can offer defensive discipline and orchestrate the attacks from the base of the midfield.
#4 Adds extra defensive cover
Playing a 4-3-3 with two solid defensive midfielders shores up and adds an extra layer of protection to the defense that is susceptible and prone to counter attacks. Furthermore, it lets the attackers focus more on inflicting damage in the final third of the pitch.
The inclusion of the Swiss midfielder lets Emery utilise both Lacazette and Aubameyang, two strikers with bundles of pace. Moreover, with Torreira or Guendouzi next to him, it gives Xhaka more space and time to supply ammunition from the deep with his long balls.
#3 Dictates the play from the midfield
With Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere plying their trades elsewhere, Unai Emery is short of midfielders who can orchestrate the play and set the tempo from deep. The Swiss maestro is someone who can quicken the pace of the game with his penetrative and probing passes and long balls.
Xhaka offers control and poise. His telepathic understanding with Mesut Ozil is vital in the smooth transition from defense to attack not to forget the goal threat he carries from distance.
Unai Emery's preferred style of playing out from the back needs a midfielder capable of transitioning the play in a smooth and effective manner and Xhaka is the midfielder capable of doing the same.
#2 A big game player
Despite being derided by the fans and pundits for the better part of the past two seasons, Xhaka does well in big games. Towards the end of the last season, he put up an impressive performance at the base of the midfield. Against AC Milan at the San Siro in the Europa League round of 8, he nullified the threat of Lucas Biglia and Hakan Calhanoglu, which culminated in a memorable win against a strong opposition on the rise.
In his first season at the club, Xhaka was a major contributor to Arsenal's FA Cup success. His displays against Manchester City and Chelsea in the Semi-final and Final of the showpiece event showed his knack of putting in a shift in the biggest games of the season.
#1 Leadership
The role of the captain has been a joke for several years at Arsenal. During the final years of Arsene Wenger’s tenure, captaincy was used as a bargaining chip to convince star players like Robin van Persie to stay at the club. After the Dutchman left, the skipper appointed to lead the club often got benched due to lack of form or injuries. Vermaelen, Arteta, and Mertesacker were appointed captains in spite of the fact that they lost their starting berths to other players.
Unai Emery’s tenure did far too little to address the issue. Laurent Koscielny has been appointed the captain with four players acting as his deputies. With Koscielny and Petr Cech most likely to leave the club next summer and Ramsey yet to commit his future to the Emirates, Xhaka and Ozil are the only two of the appointed leaders with long-term contracts.
With Ozil being Ozil, Xhaka is the most likely candidate to captain the side. He is vocal. Never one to shy away from a fight, his aggressive nature rubs off on the team. Having him in the team ensures aggression and consistency.
Look at the way he gives advice to young Reiss Nelson after congratulating the youngster for his goal and making him aware of his earlier mistake.
