Granit Xhaka says he wouldn’t be the player Arsenal wanted if he gave up the physicality that has earned him three bookings and one red card since moving to London.
The Switzerland international signed for the Gunners with a ‘hard man’ reputation having earned five dismissals since 2013 and with the third most fouls (73) in last season’s Bundesliga to his name; a trend he’s continued at the Emirates.
Unrepentant about his apparent disciplinary ‘problems’ Xhaka told Bild Sport, “Yellow cards and red cards are part of what Granit Xhaka is. I’d no longer be the same player without my rigorousness, and certainly not the player Arsenal wanted.”
Despite a low-key ticking off from manager Arsene Wenger who has suggested that Xhaka should learn from recent indiscretions, the player obviously still holds the boss in high regard.
“He’s a quiet character, doesn’t talk to his players a lot, but he’s a gentleman like Hitzfeld,” he added.
“More than 20 years at one club. That speaks volumes. He’s a top coach and the absolute boss at the club, you feel that every day.”
Xhaka also touched on the quality of the Premier League and teammate Mesut Ozil with whom he’s building an on-pitch relationship.
“Arsenal is two notches bigger than Borussia Moenchengladbach, the opportunities at the training ground are enormous and we work even more intensively than in the Bundesliga, the pace is higher the game more physical.
“Before every training session we work in the gym, every week tests are made to see how fit you are, how tired you are, how you sleep. Sessions are shorter but more intense and every day is full on.”
He added: “Mesut has a quality that I personally have never experienced before.
“He has an absolute magic left foot, is fast – even if it does not look like that sometimes and he is one of the best in the world.”
Wenger should play him tonight. Perfect game for him to find some good form with a view to getting a solid starting place in the league games.
I’m on board with that, not least because it would be a chance to try Ramsey on the #10 – what game would be better?
I donno, is he not one more yellow away from a suspension? if so, then we should probably not play him, because we can’t really afford to lose him considering he is our only other ball playing deep lying midfielder.
I could be wrong though.
He is two yellows away from a suspension, and that assumes that yellows don’t get wiped when you get a red card suspension.
I’m hoping to see Iwobi in the 10, personally.
Would like to see Xhaka Coq and Ramsey as a 3 with Ozil rested. Get Elneny on at half time for one of them to keep everyone it for the weekend.
Ox and Iwobi either side, hopefully Lucas up top.
Cards are a crucial part of my game too. Poker just wouldn’t be the game I love without them.
A bunch of people sitting in a circle trying not to show emotion. Sounds like a fun party.
Like Christmas lunch at the in-laws.
We call that a dinner in Finland.
To be fair, he’s should have had 4 yellows and no reds but one fuck-wit official decided he wanted to send an Arsenal player off.
It’s odd that no one ever talks about Ozil’s pace. He’s a seriously fast chap.
Like a few of our players, he’s quick once he’s moving but not over the first few yards.
In Ozils case though, he’s rarely standing still, so that’s less of a problem…
I’d love to see us try out a 4-3-3 with a midfield 3 of Jeff – Xhaka – Elneny for the game today. With the midfield options we have, it’s baffling we haven’t considered a 4-3-3.
I like Xhaka so far and could love him, but he really needs to STFU about this stuff in public. All statements like this are going to do is make him a lightning rod for foul calls by the likes of Mike Dean. It’s also possible to play tough and effectively but “clean”, and perhaps more than any other position the deep midfielders need to balance that just because of the sheer number of challenges they have to make over the course of 90′. Arteta when he was at his best balanced it well, for example. Rather than burnishing the… Read more »
Arteta is the best example of a balanced DM you can come up with? The Arteta love-in on this site never ceases to amaze me. A good player & a good pro but no more than that & never a DM
Arteta was superb in his first 2 seasons with us…easily one of the best DM in the league then. It’s a shame he lost his legs during his last few years with us, but let’s not act like he was shit throughout. He made Song and Ramsey look great that period.
He had one really good season when he wasn’t a DM. After that…..he wasn’t shit as such……..he was just trying to do a job he couldn’t do & the team suffered badly as a result. Coq’s emergence showed what a nonsense it was to play him there.
“Yellow cards and red cards are part of what Granit Xhaka is. I’d no longer be the same player without my rigorousness, and certainly not the player Arsenal wanted.”
Not very perceptive this guy. Has he ever wondered why does it seem that Elneny and Coq are often preferred ,as starters, instead of him?
Anyone see the yellow card given this past weekend by the same referee who sent Xhaka off? It was literally the same foul, maybe worse, and he issued a yellow. Think it was John Moss in the West Ham match, but my memory is scrambled right now. I can only speculate that Xhaka’s reputation played a part in getting a red (vs. yellow), and that comments like “red cards are part of my game” aren’t helping him reverse that reputation. I get what he’s saying, but would prefer him to say “I play hard and am very physical but always… Read more »
The yellow card for the other match reads like an admission of guilt to me. I’d wager he saw the replay and realized how poor of a call it was.
Possibly … or perhaps the dressing down he got from PGMOL, along with the two-week demotion to the Championship, had the desired effect and he’s learned from his mistake.
“I like to kick people”
Maybe not the most tactically astute admission. Might have been better served by something like ‘playing a deeper role tends to put midfielders in situations that might lead to a booking’.
It was also part of Patrick Viera’s game.
I don’t see why the gaffer does not play Coquelin and Granit. They need to continue to work together to establish a relationship on the pitch until Santi returns.
Elneny is a bit part player IMO. He’s diligent enough but doesn’t being anything extra to the plate.
Coquelin has mobility to harass the opponents, Granit sits deeper and plays out passes, they could be perfectly matched but need time to get use to each other’s movement.
There are definitely things he could improve on his game. Classic wenger signing, outright quality in certain areas and areas which can be coached on which will make a world class talent. Whenever he signs a 23yr old, especially one so expensive you know world class is the aim. Love all the positive stuff he has done, even the red card because that was to take one for the team. I feel that wenger is just taking him out of the opposition Analytics team spotlight. Imagine Mourinho with a dick dastardly look over a keyboard and monitor. They will target… Read more »
CORRECTION, should read ‘Monreal’s lack of acceleration over the first yard on the turn’
There are definitely things he could improve on his game. Classic wenger signing, outright quality in certain areas and areas which can be coached on which will make a world class talent. Whenever he signs a 23yr old, especially one so expensive you know world class is the aim. Love all the positive stuff he has done, even the red card because that was to take one for the team. I feel that wenger is just taking him out of the opposition Analytics team spotlight. Imagine Mourinho with a dick dastardly look over a keyboard and monitor. They will target… Read more »
Yellow card and red cards – he’s got that “in his locker”. Seems strange. Like Diaby saying he has injuries “in his locker”.