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#3 Won’t Be Replaced
Over the years, the incompetence of the club’s recruitment has come to light. Not only have notable players been allowed to leave, but they have also not been adequately replaced. Robin van Persie was replaced by Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski, a decision that saw the Gunners decline in conversion rates. More recently, Alexis Sanchez’s devastating displays from the left have not been reciprocated by any winger in recent seasons.
Arsenal would be foolish not to learn from past mistakes, as it’s those mistakes that have led to them not playing Champions League football for five years. Granit Xhaka may not be a world-class midfielder, but for a club of Arsenal’s current standing, he may be the best they can get and I personally don’t trust Edu & co. to fill his void with anything better. As it stands, Arsenal’s midfield options going into the new season are Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny…
#2 Most Consistent Performer
Last season, Arsenal finished 8th for the second consecutive campaign. Throughout that season, many of the club’s big-hitters failed to deliver, leaving Mikel Arteta scratching his head. However, one player that didn’t let his manager down was Granit Xhaka. Despite the marquee signing of Thomas Partey, the Swiss international was still Arsenal’s best midfielder last season.
In the midst of a capsizing ship, the 28-year-old maintained a composed 90.2% pass accuracy, equating to 2188 passes. Regardless of how others were performing around him, Xhaka’s level never dropped for a second and that’s why he was the first name on the team sheet each week.
#1 Durability
Nicknamed as Arsenal’s Iron Man, there’s no player around more durable than Granit Xhaka. Since arriving at the Emirates in 2016, the 28-year-old has only missed 19 games through injury. For context, Kieran Tierney has missed 29 games in the last two seasons alone. It’s one thing to have a squad of players, it’s another to have them readily available to play once or twice a week at full speed.
Xhaka’s constant availability has provided consistency and stability for Mikel Arteta as he continues to lay the foundations for his philosophy at the club. With the squad’s midfield options already limited, if any injury crisis were to hit the squad, expect Xhaka’s presence to be missed even more.
