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Arsene Wenger Cannot Ignore Granit Xhaka and Must Make Him an Arsenal Starter
- Updated: November 25, 2016
Arsene Wenger is not a manager who is content to waste the club’s money.
It’s often been said that he treats Arsenal’s finances as if they were his own, carefully ensuring the club’s budgets remain in check. It’s therefore particularly curious he has spent £35 million on a player he seems reluctant to use. Granit Xhaka is the third most expensive player in Arsenal’s history, but as yet he has struggled to nail down a regular place at the Emirates Stadium.
That has to change. Arsenal’s dysfunctional midfield display against Paris Saint-Germain shows how badly Xhaka is needed. The forthcoming Premier League tie with Bournemouth is the ideal time to reintroduce the Switzerland international to the fold.
Quite why Wenger hasn’t been playing Xhaka thus far is anyone’s guess. When Arsenal had both Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin available, it made a measure of sense to stick with an established partnership—especially with a new centre-back pairing bedding in behind them. However, with Cazorla now out, Xhaka’s absence becomes more difficult to explain.
The last time the Swiss midfielder was picked was for the north London derby on Nov. 6. He performed well in that game, helping Arsenal to dominate the midfield battle. However, he was then left out for the subsequent matches against Manchester United and PSG without any kind of public explanation on Wenger’s part.
In both games, Arsenal’s midfield looked unbalanced. At Old Trafford, Coquelin was partnered by Mohamed Elneny. Although both players are combative and tidy on the ball, neither has anything close to Cazorla’s creativity in their locker. Arsenal’s passing was somewhat predictable, and United were able to nullify their attacking threat with relative ease. Asked about his midfield selection after the game, Wenger told Football365:
I knew it would be a bit more of a physical battle so I chose players who have experience and fight. That’s why my selection was because of that.
However, Xhaka is no shrinking violet. One of his most important qualities is his physicality and willingness to go shoulder to shoulder with the opposition.
After Arsenal’s poor performance against Jose Mourinho’s men, it was reasonable to expect that Xhaka might find his way back into the team for the PSG fixture. Instead, Wenger …
