Singling out players when in a crisis never really results in anything positive.
Unfortunately, when masses gather for the same reason and things turn sour, a focal point for this negativity is always sought out.
At this moment in time, Arsenal are wallowing in a sea of mediocrity and are in real danger of being unable to rescue a season before even Christmas hits us.
And while there are some players who have received the vitriol more than most, one of these names has worn out his number of chances within the team.
Step forward, Granit Xhaka.
The Swiss midfielder’s sending off against Burnley undoubtedly cost us the game. The match was evenly poised at 0-0 and our team were in the ascendancy. Yet Xhaka’s stupid indiscretion, when he let the red mist descend once too many, handed the initiative straight back to the Clarets, who made us pay.
The reason Xhaka doesn’t deserve another chance is because he has had that second chance before. And a third, fourth etc.
We have to accept that our squad is bereft of any real leadership. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a hell of a player, but the second coming of Tony Adams he isn’t. In our pool of players, Xhaka is the nearest we have to the type that will instil some steel into our team and drag us up off our haunches in the tough times.
But one thing a leader doesn’t do is let anger get in the way of a team’s objectives. He and his teammates would have been heavily briefed about the importance of bucking this losing trend, so for him to lose all common sense and be driven by his baser instinct of anger shows he still hasn’t got what it takes to lead this team.
And for his error? He deserves a spell on the sidelines.
Sky Sports showed some very interesting stats this weekend. These pearls of info showed that since the start of 2017/18, Xhaka has made more fouls, earned more bookings, been dribble past and lost more tackles than any other player. Of course, he has been one of the mainstays in the side during that time, but it still doesn’t make for happy reading.
His tirade at Arsenal fans amid hm being subbed against Crystal Palace was less than a year ago and he should have been on his best behaviour.
Can we honestly say that we know he won’t make these errors again? When he has done countless times before?
Don’t let your head be turned by his brilliant strike against Chelsea.
It is time for an upgrade and for us to cut our ties with a player that looked like he would do so much in our colours, but through his own errors, has never quite lived up to the billing.
In times of crisis, we need those who will fight for the badge – not just fight for the sake of it.