Arsenal legend criticises Granit Xhaka and calls for Torreira inclusion

in , , , , , , ,

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has criticised the recent performances of Swiss star Granit Xhaka. 

The current Arsenal No.8, who cost the north Londoners £38m when he moved to the Emirates in 2016, has started the first two games of the domestic season, entrusted by Unai Emery to shield the back four next to Matteo Guendozi.

However, Arsenal capitulated against Man City in their first game losing 2-0, and retrieved a two-goal deficit against Chelsea only to eventually lose 3-2.

Lucas Torreira, the Uruguayan summer recruit, has started from the bench thus far as he regains match fitness after the World Cup but is now poised to challenge Xhaka for a starting birth in the middle of the park for the Gunners.

And Parlour, who made 466 appearances for the north London side and won the Premier League three times, as well as four FA Cups, feels Xhaka must improve or he will be left out of the match-day XI by Emery sooner rather than later.

“Xhaka does tend to give the ball away a bit too much in this new system of playing from the back,” Parlour told the Sun.

“And he needs to be more mobile if he can. But he has to learn to deal with having the ball in those areas. Compared to Matteo Guendouzi, who impressed in pre-season, he is not as energetic or mobile.

“If he’s not doing his job, Emery has already shown him that he will be taken off — he did it to him against Chelsea at half-time. And with Lucas Torreira, who I think sooner or later will start after being bedded into the side, Xhaka could be left out.”

Arsenal face West Ham at home in the league on Saturday as they continue to search for their first Premier League points under Unai Emery.

The post Arsenal legend criticises Granit Xhaka and calls for Torreira inclusion appeared first on Squawka News.



From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2LkX2BO
Labels: , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)