Granit Xhaka speaks the truth but in the wrong place and at the wrong time

Granit Xhaka, “If someone is not ready for this game, stay at home. It does’t matter about the age, you can be 30, 35, 10, 18 – if you’re not ready for that or you nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home. Don’t come here. We need people who have balls. You don’t deserve to play in the Champions League or even Europa League. I don’t know why we’re not doing what the coach is asking for us?”

Pundit Gary Neville called Xhaka a “disgrace” by pointing out the Swiss international’s record in an Arsenal shirt.

For me, I have a mixed bag of thoughts on Xhaka’s comments.

One, I think he was absolutely right. The squad lacked the will and the balls to take the next step and failed to show up on Monday at St. James Park.

Two, I think these were comments he should have made in front of his teammates, not in front of a live TV camera.

Three, this proves the Swiss will leave this summer since his public comments will probably not go down well with the club.

Unfortunately, Xhaka’s words came too late. Maybe, this was the fire and passion the manager, the captain, or even Xhaka should have displayed before the match in the locker room with everyone present.

Xhaka’s performance on Monday wasn’t stellar either.  I really expected him to take a senior leadership role on the pitch, especially when the team was struggling to get on a front foot early in the match. This has been one of the teams’s biggest disappointments of this season – the lack of leadership on the pitch. Aaron Ramsdale seems to be the most vocal, and at times I have seen Gabriel Magalhaes express his frustration with teammates, but beyond that it has been crickets on the pitch.

So, at the end of the day, I think Xhaka hit the nail on the head with his comments, but unfortunately, it was in the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Gunner1953