"He gave you that bit of positional sense" - Jamie Redknapp names summer transfer Arsenal are regretting after 1-0 Aston Villa loss
Jamie Redknapp believes Arsenal are regretting the sale of Granit Xhaka in the summer. He claimed that the Gunners are missing his quality in the midfield and replacing him with Kai Havertz has not worked out.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Redknapp pointed out that Arsenal are seven points below where they were last season and believes it is down to Xhaka. The pundit added that the performances have not been fluid since the departure of the Swiss international. He said, via the Daily Mirror:
"I think if you were to assess Arsenal right now this season the facts are there, they are seven points down on where they were last year and seven goals less. The performances haven't been quite as fluid. There was so much to enjoy."
"The back four hasn't changed in midfield with Havertz. Is he an upgrade on Xhaka? Right now I would say no. I think right now certainly (they miss Xhaka), he had that quality, he gave you that bit of positional sense. He'd get it onto his left foot, he'd create balls into Jesus. He just gives you that bit of guile, something they're not possessing."
Arsenal lost 1-0 at Aston Villa on Saturday, December 9, after John McGinn scored the lone goal of the match in the seventh minute. The defeat saw the Gunners slip to second in the table after Liverpool got a win at Crystal Palace.
Arsenal are missing Granit Xhaka, claims Kieran Gibbs
Jamie Redknapp was not the first pundit to talk about the absence of Granit Xhaka at Arsenal this season. Kieran Gibbs also highlighted the same after the Gunners lost to Newcastle United last month.
Gibbs claimed that Xhaka had his best season for the Gunners last year and was appreciated more by the fans. Speaking on ESPN, the former left-back said:
"I think the absence of Xhaka actually. He probably had his best season last season, let's be honest, after a long spell at the club. I don't think he was underrated last season. I just think he was appreciated more for what he was doing. He calmed down his antics with his fouls and stuff. He just cleaned up a lot of his game. I felt he was a really good link."
Xhaka was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer after he decided it was time for a change. He was linked with a move to AS Roma in 2022 but it was blocked by Mikel Arteta.