Granit Xhaka is proving to be a popular addition among Arsenal’s strikers thanks to his vision on the pitch, according to Arsene Wenger.
The Swiss midfielder returned to the Arsenal starting lineup after being left out for draws against Manchester United and Paris St Germain and proved himself to be adept at both ends of the field, winning nine tackles in a 3-1 win over Bournemouth.
Xhaka provided a string of accurate passes for Arsenal’s frontline, including one to Alexis Sanchez on the hour that seemed to take the entire Bournemouth defence out of play though the Chilean couldn’t provide the assist for Mesut Ozil that the move deserved.
Wenger has eased Xhaka into first-team contention since his £34million arrival at the Emirates this summer and was reluctant to get carried away with his praise for the 24-year-old, who is already making an impression on the Gunners strike force.
“He became better as the game went on, in the second half he did very well,” Wenger told Standard Sport.
“We are in November, he arrived in July. It’s normal, adaptation, he is getting better used to the pace of the game, to the positioning on the football pitch. I think his passing through the line has played a big part today.
“Alexis Sanchez and the strikers like to play with guys who play well through the lines; I think the strikers appreciate him.”
Xhaka also covered more ground than any other Arsenal player in the victory and made 14 ball recoveries, including three interceptions.
