Granit Xhaka has always received mixed reviews when it has come to the Arsenal fanbase to whether he is actually a good signing or not. Opinions have been divided and let us find out why.
Granit was bought in the squad to provide it with some much-needed stability and break up the opponent’s attacks however several incidents on the pitch have put him in the limelight and not for the right reasons.
The most famous one of them being the one when he threw off the Arsenal shirt and showed the fans where they could go. Yes seems a bit of an overreaction when they are the ones because of which you are at the club.
Xhaka possess a great passion for the game and on his days can be a pain for any opposition with some great belters from distance but Xhaka plays in what is traditionally called the Deep pivot and drops back to form a better link between the defence and midfield.
A deep pivot can also act as a quarterback who can see the huge pitch ahead of him and orchestrate the plays from the back to help his team launch into attacks more quickly.
What this also means is that he receives the ball in the most dangerous possessions more frequently than any other member of the team which explains why he has been directly involved in so many tackles and instances that have led to a chance or attack for the opposition.
His life has certainly not been made easier by the inconsistent performance of the Arsenal defence since the past few years and he is the one who has to cover and slot behind alongside the defenders when anybody from the backline is caught out of position.
This part of the deep pivot has become increasingly more important with the modern-day full-backs not leaving a single chance to get ahead and contribute in the attack.
Which is why all of the managers have had a huge dependency on him whether with respect to their game plans or the dressing room.
Rob Holding even went on to say in an interview. “I love Granit in the changing room. He is a great leader and just another positive person to have in the changing room. He puts accountability on ourselves which is important as a leader.” These lines will certainly tell you that he has immense respect in the dressing room and people do look up to him.
While the viewers may have mixed feelings about him some of the criticism he may have received is fair while a lot of it seems harsh having to bear the brunt of many defensive frailties with the backline not always being their best.
Under Mikel, he certainly seems to have found that relationship with the club and fans again which is a great sign and I sincerely hope that he gets the recognition he deserves especially after being a pivotal part of this team for some time now.
