Granit Xhaka publicly refused to wear the captain’s armband during today’s Premier League encounter between Arsenal and Brentford.
The Gunners beat the Bees 2-1 this afternoon to keep our hopes of finishing in the top-four very much alive, but it wouldn’t be us if we couldn’t endure some form of controversy along the way.
It wasn’t enough that we had to be denied what I believed to be a clear penalty in the opening half, but even when we were winning by the 2-0 scoreline, there appears to have been some sort of issue.
Alexandre Lacazette was replaced by Eddie Nketiah, with the latter tasked with passing on the captain’s armband to the next leader in the side, but Xhaka hands-down refused to take it, leaving the young forward confused before deciding on Kieran Tierney.
Piers Morgan was quick to react to the actions of Xhaka, but instead of taking aim at the player, he focused on the lack of leadership within the squad in our recent history.
Xhaka refusing to take the armband perfectly sums up Arsenal’s biggest problem: since Vieira left, we’ve never had a proper captain/leader.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 19, 2022
For me, Xhaka’s actions are a symbol of disrespect. The Swiss midfielder donned the armband at the start of the season in the absence of both Laca and Auba, so he must have some new issue with either Arsenal or the fans, and his unnecessary actions today will need some sort of explanation.
He has been linked with a move to Roma in recent windows, and it could be that he is in want of a move, but if this is about that then he should not have signed a new deal with us last summer.
What explanation would be acceptable for his decision? Could it be Arteta who has told Xhaka that he isn’t a part of his leadership group any longer?
Patrick
Arteta said after the game, that Tierney was the next in line, so Xhaka did the right thing.
do I detect a changing of opinions about our Swiss miss AdPat???
due to the amount of clueless responses below, methinks you were simply trying to encourage a full-scale Blinders defense of our former bird-flipping captain…sneaky Pat
The big question is WHY IS ARTETA EVEN GIVING HIM THE ARMBAND. Im afraid his judgement of players has to be questioned again and why he relies on an awful influence of Xhaka.
You should be worried about your judgement of players.Arteta’s is fine and taking us forward
Artetas judgement on Xhaka is wrong. FULL STOP. I am not worried at all about my judgement.
As the title says, HE HAS TO GO!!!!
I too am not worried about YOUR judgement, as it is fortunately for our team and club, COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT!
I’d only be worried if those in charge agreed with you but again fortunately they do not.
And those in charge includes Kroenke, who will frustrate you and your foolish ilk this summer when he extends MA s contract, IMO.
Arsenal fans are the most confused fans in football history…..We curse at Xhaka everyday and we all celebrated him being stripped of the captaincy….And now we are mad at him for refusing the band? Are we not a crazy lot?????? What do Arsenal fans want?????
Good question
I understand “Arteta” happiness is the key play in this current partner of football it give good spirit when u are happy, with Xhaka action it show he is not happy so we need to take him away. Arteta u a good coach, this is the main reason some coaches fail. You have seen everything take ur decision. Thanaks.
Arsenal fans like you who hurting the team have shown a lot of disrespect to Xhaka all these years like you do now
that makes perfect sense…so my desire to hold Arsenal to a higher standard and not his years of underwhelming performances, rash behaviour and lack of production are what’s hurting our team…once again you show why you’re but a zit on the arse of the social media landscape
If people can not see the disrespect Xhaka showed today to Arsenal football club, as he has before in different actions, then they are blind. He should never have been given the armband in the first place and those of us who could see his true colours, saw what disrespect he has. Sooner gone the better.
what did people actually think Reggie, that the manager was going to come out and say that he told Eddie to give the armband to Granit, but he refused to accept it…of course, he was going to offer up a far more palatable response…it’s not like their respective names rhyme or sound anything alike…I don’t even really blame MA for concocting a completely different narrative, as it was a cringe-worthy moment in time
Whatever Xhakas reasons, they were wrong TRVL and disrespectful to the armband and the club.
of course, as you’re well-aware of my thoughts on this particular individual
Perhaps he refused it because of the armband curse?
If Xhaka have started the game with the Armband everywhere would have been lockdown with all kind of vile comments and now he refuse the Armband we are still trying to victimized him for it.
Mean while Arteta said Eddie got the message wrong that Tinerry is the next in line for captaincy.
So case close
He lied,eddie is not a kid.
What’s your prove he lied?
Why make an issue out of everything??
What if he feels it’s too overwhelming?
What if he considers himself not good enough?
What if it’s too heavy a burden?
Have you considered any of these?
Lay off Xhaka in God’s name.
Jesus!!
Gey good talking points.
I honestly can’t blame Xhaka for refusing to take the captain’s armband because majority of us don’t really want him at the club.
spurs tearing City a new one it’s 1-3 currently.
VAR to the rescue, ruled out, it’s still 1-2.
Arteta has just said that the band was meant for KT and we are here moaning instead of marveling at the news that KT is to be our captain should incase Laca leaves in the summer.. There has been a meeeting and there is somewhat of a new order.. Who else notice the increasing role of Ode..
The bloke can’t win. Damned if he took it, damned that he didn’t.
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t is right. To be fair if there was no article we might read complaints about the site not doing their job 🙂 If we had drawn or lost the fans would have made a big thing about not taking responsibility. End of Arsenal career Ozil and Aubameyang had a hundred articles a week written about them. Now they have gone we may now face an avalanche of Xhaka articles especially if we falter in the top 4 race you know “Who we gonna call” Granite busters 🙂
He was a 10 for 10 today, working his butt off and all Morgan has to say (he earned a living with that) is that he is a TRAITOR. After all the vile he has taken, for A) being a Captain, B) Removed as Captain D) voted out as VC, D) for signing a new contract after Arteta asked him to stay) obviously he should have pulled a LACA, so he can go for free, to preserve some value? I wonder why he still gives all he has?
Agree with you and Tactical Gunner above
You would think we lost today. As we didn’t there has to be a post to moan at
If he was not the intended recipient – he just did what he had to do. And btw why would he take and wear it, if everyone plus Piers are only pissing on him anyway? Fact first – but that does not matter to the “faithful”
Ffs sell him he’s a disgrace, gave better out on loan……
For f’s sake Eddie made a mistake, he was supposed to give the armband to Tesco not Xhaka as had been agreed. Do you not read the comments or just jump to conclusions all the time?
Haters are emotionally unstable – and therefore lack of judgement – have another 10 Beers
He should have taken it and passed it to K.T.
Dunno why that xhaka is captain anyway or 2nd captain, he’s disgraced our club,our fans ,time to go and I won’t wave him off ,cash in for him to Roma soon as summer window opens he’s a disgrace……..
So I take it you’d want any Arsenal player telling.his fans to F**k Off should be sold straight away ?
You are a disgrace of a fan… He is an arsenal player not your staff or slave man. Get a life. What has he done wrong. Even if he refuses the captain band, then it’s within his rights to do so. We slay him for being a captain and spat on him every game he plays but by far he is our best midfielder for two seasons now. He worked hard back to the team after falling out with the fan two seasons ago and now you want him to take back what caused him pains in the past. If he is your brother or son, would you advice him to do so. Since viera left, who has wore the captain band that has not had issues with the club. Why are we quick to turn our back at players, look at what we did to kocienny, Gallas, bellerin, fabregas, van persie, and lots of others that had wore the captain band. We as fans sometimes I think we are the problem of the club as well. Disgraceful sense of entitlement. If I were him I would have thrown the arm band away.
for a couple of Idiot Fans who want Arteta to leave for who, Henry? Arteta, according to the Bloggers here has 11 uncapable players for the EPL and he manages to fight for 4th place, check Henry’ record and the wonna be takeover Owner –
So many “fans”just love to jump on the negativity bandwagon without knowing the facts and just coming to incorrect conclusions. The armband was supposed to have been given to Tierney not Xhaka as confirmed by Arteta, that’s why Xhaka refused it.
remember when you were scoffing at those commenting on recruitment rumours…how the tables have turned
Even this blogger he wants bring conflicts among us Gunnar. stop criticism our players. they need our support up to the end of the season.
@Declan, they would rather believe the word of a grassing runt than the manager.
maybe you should slow your roll a bit HD or you’re likely to discover that you’ve just placed your foot firmly within your mouth…super funny comment though
So you don’t believe he’s a grassing runt then ?
This article shows why Arsenal have some of the worst fans in global sport. Who else makes such a pass time of abusing and attacking the players of the club they supposedly “support.” The only thing anyone needs to read about this is Arteta’s words which are that Tierney was vice captain and Nketiah must have missed the message, so Xhaka told him, and that’s it. You really don’t need enemies when the worst of the anti-Arsenal comments come from “supporters” like this. A graduate of the self-hating AFTV academy, I suppose… 😳
I agree. The team has played well and won the game. However, some numpties are focusing on what is a side issue. Some of the comments on here are really silly.
Whilst many of us recognise Xhaka’s limitations, far too much is being made of this particular instance.
Some of the ninnies even have the gall to insult those who do not buy into their particular warped view of the world.
Xhaka did not refuse the Armband he just did the right thing.
This what happened
The ball when out for a throw in on the Gunners’ left touchline where Kieran Tierney went over to prepare to take it. The stoppage in play then prompted Mikel Arteta to make his second change of the day which was to have Nketiah replace Lacazette.
As the Frenchman trudged off the pitch, he began shouting towards Tierney to try and get him to come and take the armband, but amid the standing ovation Lacazette was receiving from the Emirates for his display, the Scottish international could not hear him.
As a result Lacazette gave the armband to Nketiah to give to Tierney, but with the play about to resume, the England under-21 forward was told to go and stand in the centre forward position by Arteta.
Not knowing what to do with the armband Nketiah then tried to give it to Xhaka, but the Swiss international could see that play was about to resume and instructed his young teammate to hold on to it until the next stoppage in play. This was presumably because he did not want to be seen taking over the captaincy after Lacazette’s departure given his own troubled history with the role.Play resumed and Nketiah began running around with the armband on until the next stoppage in play – an Arsenal throw in the attacking right hand side of the pitch – upon which he ran back to Tierney who donned the attire signifying his role as skipper for the remainder of the day.
After the game Arteta confirmed that it was Tierney who was next in line to skipper the side, which is perhaps an intriguing insight into who will be adopting the role on a permanent basis next season when Lacazette departs the club.
Xhaka’s commitment or leadership skills do not need to questioned, nor is this an unofficial confirmation of his impending move to Roma. It is simply a moment of confusion that got blown way, way out of hand.
In the week where Storm Eunice battered the UK, this veritable hurricane in a teacup was blown almost laughably out proportion.
With this Someone will still read and start insulting and calling names.
Speaking as a Gooner who is, and has been ever since he first came , desperate to see him leave our club, I nevertheless reject this foolish OPINION of Xhaka “supposedly dispecting our club by a wilful refusal to accept the armband” as UNFAIR and UNTRUE nonsense.
YES, HE DID NOT ACCEPT IT, BUT THAT WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT HE WAS NOT CAPTAIN WHEN LACA LEFT THE FIELD AND THAT TIERNEY WAS(and will be permanently this summer!!) WHEN LACAZETTE AND HOPEFULLY XHAKA HAVE BOTH LEFT FOR GOOD)
a