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Arsenal manager Unai Emery has urged supporters to back midfielder Granit Xhaka after they cheered when he was substituted in the Gunners’ 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Emirates Stadium crowd were audibly pleased at the Switzerland international’s departure when Joe Willock replaced him in the 72nd minute.
Emery defended him after the match:
Goal @goal
Granit Xhaka is under fire again, and his manager says he’s got his back. https://t.co/jdepRGIkT3
Per the Daily Mail‘s Matt Barlow, the Spaniard said Arsenal need their supporters “helping each player” and praised Xhaka’s performances against Watford and Eintracht Frankfurt in his last two games.
Emery explained his decision to take Xhaka off was to freshen things up after he played the full UEFA Europa League game against Frankfurt on Thursday. He continued:
“Xhaka is a very important player for us. He has a big commitment here, he is improving. I am not asking people to support him, but I assure you he is going to achieve his best things if the supporters help him.
“We are professional, Xhaka is an experienced player, he knows sometimes we can receive criticism and we need to be mature and continue working.
“For me he is a very important player, and I am going to support him. I am going to decide when he plays and when not, but he is important for us because his commitment and behaviour is great, and he is a good player.”
Arsenal were 2-1 down after an hour when Wesley Moraes put the visitors ahead for the second time, a minute after Nicolas Pepe had cancelled out John McGinn’s first-half opener with a penalty.
The Gunners were also reduced to 10 men when Ainsley Maitland-Niles was sent off shortly before half-time.
Xhaka and Dani Ceballos were withdrawn in the 72nd minute for Willock and Lucas Torreira, and the Gunners won thanks to goals from Calum Chambers and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Football.London’s James Benge took issue with Xhaka’s poor discipline:
James Benge @jamesbenge
There’s Xhaka getting a stupid yellow in the first half coming back to bite him and Arsenal. He can’t do anything to stop Grealish going past him. https://t.co/GVfVz9VBPG
The booking was the midfielder’s third of the season in five Premier League games. He’s received 40 yellow cards in total for Arsenal, having played 140 matches, and received two straight red cards.
Bleacher Report’s Tom Kinslow observed his lack of pace and mobility:
Tom Kinslow @TomKinslow
Erosion happens faster than Granit Xhaka trying to pivot in the Arsenal midfield. #ARSAVL
Those limitations make it difficult for him to offer protection to the back four, and his poor decision-making hinders the team further.
He showed as much in the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on September 1, when he gave away a penalty with a reckless challenge on Heung-Min Son.
It was a sight Arsenal fans have seen frequently, per sports writer Robert Lusetich:
Robert Lusetich @RobertLusetich
@GaryLineker Since his Premier League debut in August 2016, no player has conceded more penalties in the competition than the five by #Xhaka
What I don’t get is Arsene saw him as something special and now Emery has the same fairytale in his head.
Despite the issues in his game, Xhaka can be an asset on the ball when his strong distribution and technique can come into play.
His form has made him a liability for the Gunners, though, so it’s difficult to justify his continued place in the team at the moment.
While it’s understandable fans might be frustrated if Emery keeps selecting him, getting on his back isn’t likely to have a positive impact on his confidence or performances.
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