Daily Bits and Bobs

Is Xhaka turning out to be the real deal?

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

The £34million signing of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach earlier this summer caused a fair amount of excitement around north London, with some daring to dream that this could just be their year.

It isn’t exactly standard Wenger behaviour to get the wallet out so early in a transfer window, which meant that the transfer of Xhaka, who impressed for Switzerland in France at the Euros, was met with even more excited disbelief among Gooners.

Xhaka made 108 appearances for Monchengladbach during his time in Germany before heading to the Premier League, and in 2014-15 was named in the Bundesliga team of the year after starting every league game for the ‘Die Borussen’. These exploits thrust the youngster firmly into the limelight and earned Xhaka a spot in an already-packed Arsenal midfield boasting the likes of Cazorla, Ozil, and Aaron Ramsey.

Since his transfer, Xhaka has played in six matches for Arsenal, playing the full 90 minutes only twice but with the team remaining unbeaten during those two games (the 3-1 win over Watford and the 4-0 Cup win over Nottingham Forest) it’s a positive start, and one which looked unlikely when the season started. Xhaka made his debut against Liverpool in the opening match of Arsenal’s 2016/17 campaign. He only played 23 minutes of the match, but in that time received a booking AND picked up his worst match rating in an Arsenal shirt to date.

Away to the champions of England was the next assignment for Xhaka, but the Gunners could only come away with a 0-0 draw at Leicester. Xhaka was just starting to come under a little pressure but proved his potential against Watford as Arsenal claimed their first win of the season. A top performance for the midfielder saw him receive his highest player rating to date as he played an integral part in the team’s victory.

In the three games since, Xhaka has been on top form and scored his first Premier League goal against Hull at the weekend. He has earned lofty praise for his recent performances, with some describing him as “the player Manchester United thought Paul Pogba would be”, especially after his sensational strike against Forest.

Given the level of his recent performances, and with Jack Wilshere enjoying the seaside life down at Bournemouth, Xhaka will never have a better chance to cement himself in the Arsenal midfield. This is one youngster who really does look like the real deal for a Gunners side with plenty of ambition in them this season.

rico

44 thoughts on “Is Xhaka turning out to be the real deal?”

  3. kelsey says:

    Now back to the Basel game I have a question.Basel have a player called Adama Traore and CSK have a player called Lacina Traore,both from The ivory Coast and we had a Armand Traore that is now at Forest but he was born in France.All are french speaking countries so either it is a commom name or they might be related.

    Now as a unit I thought Basel defended a lot better than Chelsea and let’s face more by luck than judgement the Basel keeper kept out at least three goals with sprawling arms and legs like a spider.

    It seems to be Theo Walcott week on many blogs and I will admit he had hadenough chances to improve himself and that we might get rid of what amounts to a huge wage earner for little return, last Summer.
    Some say he has bulked up, others say he is tracking back more, some say he is better on the flanks in attack when in fact it’s Bellerin who is counter attacking more often or not and Theos’ goals have come from a more central position especially his header.

    I still prefer to side with caution.I am delighted that we seemed to have moved up a gear but hearing today that Ramsey will be out for months with Welbeck,is it going to be injuries yet again that could be our downfall,I hope not.

    Regarding this post my only caution with Granit is that he has a terrible disciplinary record but what a left foot 🙂

  5. rico says:

    I just think he’s improved Kelsey, regardless of where he pops up. He and Bellerin seem to have found a good combination and I love the fact that he popped up in the box to head home as last season he’d have been stood around watching….

    Ramsey is back after the international break according to Arsene Wenger.

    Xhaka has only been booked once in an Arsenal shirt, that’s good… lol

  6. potter says:

    Pat Vieira had a poor disciplinary start but turned out o.k. I always thought certain refs Poll , Ellerey had it in for him but today’s little revelation in the telegraph suggests that certain pressures may have been on certain officials , but I will leave that to Untold to decipher.

  10. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Buon giorno Lovelies and Hunkies.

    Top post boss.

    I am amazed this year…..seems we are getting the rub of the green with regards decisions…..which during the past seasons would all have been taken against us. but what I mean is not getting favourable treatment…..for decisions which should be against us. I meant that for once the refs are sticking to the rules. Fair deal I think.

  11. rico says:

    Can’t take any credi for this one Devil… Lol

    Must admit, I’ve been surprised two, both Santi and Coquelin could have seen red in matches, but didn’t…

  12. Marshall says:

    Or Arsene has paid his dues to the FA 🙂 .

    Seriously though it’s good to see the refs have upped their game and deal with the ugly part of the EPL. We’ve been undone a number of times by the referees.

    Hope Ramsey won’t be out for long. Coleman is being such a whiner, he wants an unfit player so he can ruin him for two weeks and return him to Colney for treatment…No Sir!

  13. Obi says:

    If as it is expected and AW is the Arsenal manager for the next 2 years, JW will have a place, JW is probably the biggest benefactor of TW form especially if it continues as I believe it will. Theo being successful will influence AW to be more patient with JW, especially if Santi leaves. On Ramsey, if Ozil has signed as many believe, then Ramsey will be a part time player at Arsenal, for a balanced team Xhaka, Coq or Elneny has to play. For AW to sit Iwobi for Ramsey will be criminal. So why all the fuss about when Ramsey is returning? He will be on the bench coming in at the 65th minute mark.

  14. Bob John says:

    Anyone else watching the Ryder Cup? American spectators really are unbearable gobby slobs! I can ssy without doubt that I would be arrested if I wad there!

  15. rico says:

    Hi Bob, I am. Dreadful lot aren’t they. The brother of one of the Euro players (forgot his name) wasn’t far wrong with his assessment of them… 😉

  18. Obi says:

    Guys from what I heard, ESPN, the reason is that usually such behavior is not tolerated at golfing events, but since the Ryder Cup allows “some” cheering and booing, many who attend the Ryder Cup are not your regular golf fans. This lead one commentor to quip, “so are we going to see fans with their faces painted soon” . So guys get ready for the worse …LOL.

  21. rico says:

    I still can’t forgive the septics for their behaviour a few years back Obi, running all over the greens when the game was still going on… Dreadful and so unsporting….

  23. Obi says:

    Rico, that’s sports life in the USA bro, one of these days you should check out New York Giants away at Philadelphia Eagles, they makes Stokes fans look like aristocrats. Talk about miles removed from civilization.

  24. Micko says:

    Howdy rico, watching Alexis and Santi the other night was well worth the entrance money alone, the telly doesn’t do ’em justice, another good performance from the team but for me those two were awesome.

    What was really disappointing was the atmosphere, the Basel supporters made the night, singing from start to finish, setting off flares and bouncing up and down for a lot of the game, the best we could muster was ‘ stand up if you hate tottenham a couple of times’ I really can’t explain it, it was that bad in the ground.

    Lee, I did have a few pre match sherbets in the Tollington before the game, first time in there ! A case of ‘if you ain’t got an Arsenal ticket you ain’t getting in mate’

  26. Micko says:

    Feo done great, should have bagged a hattrick rico, some players just naturally catch your eye, you can’t help but being drawn to them, he’s more ten a penny lol.

  28. Micko says:

    Was lucky enough to get my hands on a signed copy of Wrighty’s new autobiography as well, not a big reader myself but would imagine the first couple of chapters will be a rivoting read, his rise from Ten-em-Bee to Crystal Palace FC, not really sure how he managed to fill the rest of the book after that if I’m honest, must have winged it !

  33. allezkev says:

    Morning Rico

    Another day, another dollar…

    Morning All…

    I was watching a very interesting documentary last night, about the war in the desert, you know, 8th Army, Afrika Korps, El Alamein, Rommel etc…

    I can just can’t imagine what it must have been like driving a tank in those days…
    Well I can imagine just a little….

    I see that Akpom has picked up a back injury, what is it with Arsenal and training injuries???

  39. allezkev says:

    Mein freund from der East, in der vords of James O’Brien I am discombobulated….

    I don’t know what it means, but I suspect that neither does he… ?

  40. allezkev says:

    Strangely enough Rico I was coming to terms with all the bleedin’ electronics in mein panzer by the end of my shift.
    It’s pouring with rain and is forecasted to do so for much of the day, so mein panzer should be busy today ?

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