Ricky1985 wrote:
If Xhaka stays and is offered a new contract then I think it would take some terrible form, below his regular level, for him not to start.
Arteta has shown he has the balls to leave out the big boys, but if he's offering Xhaka a new contract, it's on the basis that he will be central to his plans.
It's a tricky one, xhaka offers leadership to the team. And emery while he was here and after he left spoke about how the team needs xhaka. They took the armband of xhaka and gave it to Auba, who's taken us for a ride since he signed the new contract. Xhaka was always likely to move on after.
We knew the changing room was divided before, and the players had voted for xhaka. Xhaka is professional and I would be shocked if giving the armband to a guy who doesnt complete for the ball like ozil and doesn't turn up on time has gone down well with the more professional players like xhaka and potentially Leno. Leno and xhaka have always seemed close and xhaka hinted at the end of the season it wasnt his fault arsenal didnt reach europe. I think he's getting at the point the new captain bearly lifted a finger. And Leno unsurprisingly expressed his desire to leave at the same time.
