Xhaka should leave Arsenal now fans are on his back - Noble

The Gunners captain may have irreparably damaged his relationship with the fans at the Emirates, says Noble, but he would be appreciated elsewhere

Posted Saturday, November 02, 2019 by Goal.com

Granit Xhaka may be past the point of no return at Arsenal, according to Mark Noble, and the best option could be for the under-fire Gunners skipper to leave the club.

The Switzerland international reacted angrily to booing from home fans in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, and manager Unai Emery has said he won’t be in the squad to face Wolves on Saturday.

West Ham captain Mark Noble understood Xhaka’s response, which came after Xhaka had apparently faced abuse towards his family from some supporters – but he feels the damage done to the relationship between Xhaka and the club’s fanbase may be irreparable.

“Granit has taken a lot of flak for his reaction,” Noble told the Standard. “But I did have some sympathy for him.

“I know what it’s like when things are not going as well as you would like because, if you’re a manager or a captain, fans tend to aim more criticism at you.

“It’s a tough one and a fine line because you’re trying your best, but if you’re booed by your fans it is inevitable that your confidence will take a hit. I’ve had it myself, but the bottom line is that everything changes with results.

“Obviously, Granit has made mistakes and sometimes his discipline may not be the best, but the way I’ve always seen it is that the fans pay their hard-earned money, they go to the games and they have a right to express their opinion.”

The Xhaka incident has been one which manager Unai Emery could certainly have done without, as pressure continues to mount on the Gunners boss.

Arsenal are four points off the top four, and questions are being raised as to whether he is the right man to lead the club forward. Such a flashpoint with the club captain was hardly indicative of a harmonious club.

“In all honesty, the best solution might be to tell his agent, ‘Look, they don’t like me here, so maybe it’s best if I go and play somewhere else,’” Noble added.

“There would be a lot of takers for him because he is a quality player and it does seem, from the outside, that his fellow players love him, both as a professional and a person. If I was him I would say, ‘I’ve had a great time here, but it’s not worked out recently and it’s time for a new challenge’.

“I remember Slaven Bilic telling me, ‘Once the box is open, it never closes’. The chances are that, if he makes one bad pass in the next match in which he plays, they’ll be on him again.”