Granit Xhaka has quickly become a critical asset for Sunderland this season, showcasing his skills as both a player and a leader on the pitch. The 33-year-old former Arsenal midfielder is a long-ball specialist. His technical proficiency puts him among the elite in the Premier League and significantly enhances the team’s attacking schemes.
Xhaka’s role extends beyond just being a key player. He serves as Sunderland’s chief set-piece taker. This responsibility aligns perfectly with the team’s culture of tactics. Sunderland tops the league with the most expected goals (xG) from set pieces this season, generating an incredible 48 percent of their scoring chances on set pieces. This one statistic highlights one of Xhaka’s key impacts on the club. He’s already found the back of the net once and has racked up three assists this season.
His impact during the high-leverage moments is too hard to overstate. Xhaka was key, epitomized by his last-gasp winners at Brentford and Aston Villa. He scored in back-to-back games against Everton and Nottingham Forest, the latter being his beautiful game-winning assist. These critical interventions have independently gained Sunderland five points, already proving his worth ten times over.
Regis Le Bris, Sunderland’s head coach, praised Xhaka’s influence on and off the pitch. Luca seems to have inspired the ‘perfect teammate,’ as Santi labeled him “a second coach on the pitch.” Xhaka’s portrayal is an excellent testament to his ability to help lead players around him in-game. He is building on that invaluable experience he gained playing at Bayer Leverkusen with coach Xabi Alonso.
Xhaka has become the reliable bedrock of Le Bris’ midfield quintet. He teams with 20-year-old Noah Sadiki, who ranks third all-time in several important statistical categories for his age group, which is very impressive. This potent combination of Xhaka’s leadership and Sadiki’s vigor ensures a solid balance in their midfield that enhances Sunderland’s game collectively.
Xhaka is confident that his group can turn things around. He reflected on the session, stating, “Yesterday, our training wasn’t our best training.” This admission is a testament to his desire to improve, as well as both the literal and metaphoric high expectations he has for himself and his fellow teammates.
Mikel Arteta recognized this in Xhaka and has helped to develop his leadership through his mentorship. Inspired by Arteta, Xhaka began pursuing coaching badges during his time at Arsenal. Xhaka’s evident initiative demonstrates his clear intention to raise the levels of his tactical understanding. He’s making big moves to secure a future in coaching once he hangs up the boots.
Sunderland retains a difficult, but active, position in the league. To deal with the tough moments ahead, Granit Xhaka’s experience and skills are going to be very important. When he puts those long passes over the top, it makes the whole team’s game plan stronger. Simultaneously, he’s a mentor to younger players such as Sadiki.
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