Arsenal: Granit Xhaka Has Passed That Final Test
Arsenal’s comprehensive defeat of Chelsea was slightly marred by Francis Coquelin’s injury, but it allowed Granit Xhaka to pass his final test.
Arsenal‘s truly glorious win over Chelsea was ripe with highlights and positive takeaways. Ozil, Alexis, Walcott and Iwobi looked totally seamless in the attack. Their combination play was exactly what we’ve always hoped it would be and it came off for three first half goals.
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Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi, aside from one lapse in communication, were absolutely brilliant. They denied Chelsea from any real opportunities, closed down quickly, didn’t allow any lanes to open up and snuffed everything out before it could build up.
Kieran Gibbs showed yet again that to count him out is a fool’s endeavor. He is ready for another chance.
Elsewhere, Hector Bellerin showcased his speed with another breakaway-saving tackle on Pedro that was just as marvelous as any goal we scored on the day.
The only marring aspect of the match was seeing Francis Coquelin jar the same knee that pestered him last season. He tried to carry on but in the end, had to be subbed off in the 30th minute. That meant that the man that we’ve all been wanting to start, Granit Xhaka, had a full hour to play with.
(Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)
While obviously Coquelin’s injury is an unfortunate twist in the win and we wish him a speedy recovery, it did allow the Swiss to pass that final illusive test. Can he carry on and do exactly what Coquelin does without any setbacks?
The answer was clearly yes. Chelsea may have been flustered, but there was a reason they got to that point. They could not get anything started, whether that be in the midfield or nearer the goal box.
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That was Coquelin’s job. Disrupt the build up play. Stifle Fabregas. Hover around the ball when the passes are being dinked around.
When Xhaka came on, that exact same task was achieved. Xhaka finished the match with a tie for the team lead in tackles. By all means, keep saying he isn’t a defensive midfielder, but his intelligence and anticipation on and off the ball is remarkable.
Factor in the passing that we yet again saw today. Suddenly, you have a midfielder who can do what Coquelin does, as well as what he can’t do. Xhaka pushes play forward and stops play advancing the other way. He completed 94% of his passes, both of his long balls and never once looked a liability.
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Again, we never wish for injuries. But the depth that Wenger has accumulated allows us to see the silver lining in any injury. And that silver lining is Granit Xhaka.