{"id":971,"date":"2019-10-30T11:09:11","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T11:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uncensoredarsenal.com\/?p=971"},"modified":"2019-10-30T11:09:11","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T11:09:11","slug":"xhaka-ozil-and-liverpool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uncensoredarsenal.com\/index.php\/xhaka-ozil-and-liverpool\/","title":{"rendered":"Xhaka, Ozil and Liverpool"},"content":{"rendered":"

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So the fallout from the Palace game continues into this week. Strangely enough, the result and the quality of football has been almost out of the narrative, which just may be how the club hierarchy like it. Xhaka left holding the can might be inconvenient to them but is also a welcome distraction.<\/p>\n

The League Cup isn\u2019t the most important of trophies, and so the next game offers the club an opportunity to get Xhaka out of the firing line. But of course the need for scapegoats continues and it\u2019s been indicated by our Head coach and Mesut Ozil will be involved. He might even start. Not just that, he could also be captain.<\/p>\n

For or against Xhaka<\/strong><\/p>\n

A lot has been spoken on captaincy and what it means in the wake of Xhaka\u2019s outburst towards the ironic cheers and outright boos of the crowd. I can understand the people who think this is not a great way to behave. But I don\u2019t get how someone cannot at least understand why Xhaka did what he did nor stand by him. It was obviously a combination of factors over time which led us here.<\/p>\n

However, it is the most sanctimonious takeaways that annoy me. The \u2018fans\u2019 become unimpeachable beacons of morality and righteousness. These same fans will share messages about the importance of mental health, but will ask Xhaka to \u2018man up\u2019 when he doesn\u2019t take his humiliation lying down.<\/p>\n

However, all the amateur pontificating on leadership doesn\u2019t change the fact that apparently Xhaka retains the support of the team to remain as captain. If nothing else, it is a show of unity by the team, setting an example for the fans and especially to the coach and upper management.<\/p>\n

There has been no official statement on Xhaka yet. He\u2019s changed his social media profile picture to one in his Swiss team shirt, whose federation has made a statement to say Xhaka\u2019s standing with them remains unchanged. I would love to see a rapprochement sometime in the future between Xhaka and the Arsenal fans, but I really think it\u2019s more likely he leaves, especially if Emery continues to be the coach. Emery\u2019s contributions to this situation are clear. The way we play, the way he made a farce of the captaincy decision and the way he hooked Xhaka off in the 60th minute and made him a target.<\/p>\n

Ring rusty Ozil<\/strong><\/p>\n

I wonder if Ozil is to be made a target against Liverpool. At this point in Emery\u2019s tenure, we\u2019re at the stage where politicking seems to be given more consideration than it deserves. Putting a ring rusty Mesut Ozil in against Liverpool seems calculated.<\/p>\n

Football wise, we now know how Emery plays.<\/p>\n