Arsene Wenger knows more about football than we do. That much is clear.
However, even when it’s come from the mouth of one of the greatest managers in English football history, Wenger’s latest comment on Granit Xhaka sounds a little odd.
Here are five questions we imagine every Arsenal fan on the planet might feel like asking upon hearing this…
“Shouldn’t a defensive midfielder be able to tackle?”
In the same way they assume a striker knows how to shoot, most supporters tend to believe a holding midfield player know how to tackle.
“Didn’t he cost £34million?”
Supporters DEFINITELY tend to believe a holding midfield player who cost £34million knows how to tackle.
“Didn’t we pay that £34m precisely so that we would have someone playing in midfield with the ability to win the ball back from the opposition?”
*sigh*
“Shouldn’t a coach be able to teach a footballer how to make a tackle without being sent off?”
Seems a fair shout. If a player is struggling with a particular skill that is an important part of his role, you might think his coach would spend some time showing him how to do it properly.
“Are we simply destined to never again have a footballer play in midfield who can ACTUALLY make a tackle?”
He eventually does that in signing Xhaka… and then admits that he can’t tackle.
Only at Arsenal. Right, chaps?
