Xhaka Can Make the Difference for Arsenal in Next Season's Title Pursuit

Arsenal fans were beaming with excitement when pictures of Granit Xhaka in the new shirt started doing the rounds on social media on Saturday. With the season not even over for a week, the Gunners look to be getting their business done early, particularly with Euro 2016 looming. Depending on which outlet you believe, Arsenal are rumoured to be parting ways with €35m to secure the Switzerland international’s services. 

To most, he’s the ideal midfielder Arsenal have required to provide not only the drive from deep, but the ball retention qualities needed to help overawe opponents. The Gunners averaged the most possession in the Premier League this season (56.9%), with Arsene Wenger demanding his players keep hold of the ball to probe the opposition. 

However, a lack of outfield investment last summer left supporters wondering what could have been having ultimately finished second to title winners Leicester by 10 points. The arrival of Petr Cech was somewhat essential given the erratic performances of Wojciech Szczesny, but Wenger only looked to rectify the issue in January with the capture of Mohamed Elneny. However, the lack of spending in the summer ultimately cost Arsenal their shot at the title. 

Injuries to Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin dented the club’s best chance of their first Premier League title since 2004. The capture of Xhaka not only swells the midfield options available to Wenger, but injects the necessary quality required to ensure Arsenal are in the running for the title in a summer of vast change among their Premier League rivals.

With Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all entering the new campaign with a new manager at the helm, continuity is crucial, even if some sections of the Arsenal support would be happy to see Wenger depart the Emirates for good. Yet in Xhaka, Wenger has at his disposal the ideal midfielder capable of adhering to the manager’s possession-based demands. 

Only Xabi Alonso (90.1) averaged more passes per game than Xhaka (82.7) in the Bundesliga this season. Xhaka has played more accurate passes (5511) than other player in the last three seasons in Germany’s top tier, reinforcing his statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘passing’. This quality would allow for the Gunners to exert their dominance over the opposition, safe in the knowledge they have a player of Xhaka’s ability pulling the strings in the middle of the park. Not only that, but Xhaka averaged more accurate long balls than any other outfielder in the Bundesliga this season (7.4), which suggests the midfielder can also offer Arsenal a different dimension in attack.

He’s also extremely tough player to shake off the ball when in possession as well. As noted, his ball retention qualities are of an extremely high standard, as is his dribbling ability. While he won’t drive the team forward akin to Cazorla, that Xhaka boasts the best dribble success rate (83.3%) of the 162 players to attempt 50 or more dribbles in the last two Bundesliga seasons speaks volumes. 

Opponents may try to force the Swiss off the ball to see him sacrifice possession, but Xhaka is more than capable of shrugging players off in order to keep hold of the ball. However, the concern now is that Wenger has signed Xhaka primarily as a holding midfielder. For Borussia Monchengladbach, Xhaka is often the deeper lying midfielder to break up play and allow Mahmoud Dahoud to break forward and support the attack. 

Of course, it’s a role that Xhaka is capable of performing, with the youngster averaging 2.4 tackles and 2.7 interceptions per game for Gladbach in the Bundesliga this season. Deploying him in the holding role would also allow Wenger to partner him alongside Wilshere, Cazorla or Ramsey in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, yet in doing so, Xhaka’s commendable offensive ability would be limited. 

With the potential to command the midfield, having him merely shield the defence would be a real waste of his talents. When factoring in his ill-discipline - Xhaka was one of four players to receive three red cards in Europe’s top five leagues this season - this is indeed a risky approach for any manager. Inexperience will have played a part in his hotheaded approach to matches, with the six league games he did not start this season due to him being suspended, though at 23 years of age, this weakness to Xhaka's game can be coached out of him. 

It may take time for that to show, however, with Xhaka’s recklessness occurring in a league slower than the Premier League. The speed of English football is enough to hinder any player, no matter their ability, and limit their impact in their debut season. Given Xhaka and Arsenal’s style of play, however, chances are the midfielder will be more a help than a hindrance for the Gunners, regardless of this weakness to his game. 

While Arsenal may slightly overpay to secure Xhaka’s services, he is a player who will improve Arsenal and add the required quality in depth to help improve their chances of landing Premier League glory.

How big an impact can Granit Xhaka make for Arsenal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below