Martin Keown says Granit Xhaka MUST 'learn to tackle'
Martin Keown says Granit Xhaka MUST ‘learn to tackle’ after clumsy red card in the Carabao Cup semi-final clash at Liverpool… before revealing his concern over Arsene Wenger’s comments about the midfielder
- Martin Keown says Xhaka must ‘learn to tackle’ after picking up his fifth red card
- The captain was sent off in the 25th minute of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final
- Keown said that his recent red cards were ‘ridiculous’ and that he needs to ‘learn’
Martin Keown says Granit Xhaka must ‘learn to tackle’ after picking up his fifth red card in just over five years during Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool on Thursday night.
Xhaka issued an apology to the Arsenal faithful for his early red card in the Carabao Cup semi-final, but Keown said Xhaka was guilty of letting his side down.
Keown said that Xhaka’s recent red cards were ‘ridiculous’ and that Arsenal were going to be in ‘trouble’ if their captain didn’t make a change.
Martin Keown says Granit Xhaka must ‘learn to tackle’ after picking up his fifth red card
Xhaka was sent off after 25 minutes of the Anfield clash after he produced a high challenge on Liverpool’s Diogo Jota as the last man.
It was the 29-year-old’s second sending off of the season and his fifth in five-and-a-half years.
Thankfully for Xhaka, his Arsenal team-mates laboured to a 0-0 draw to keep their chances of reaching the Carabao Cup final alive, but the Gunners midfielder felt compelled to apologise to the fans for his moment of madness.
Speaking to TalkSPORT Xhaka’s tackling, Keown said: ‘They can’t afford to let him go. But the one worrying things he did says, the player, was that he is not going to change.
‘Well he is going to have to change. He is going to learn he can’t just give up his place on the team.
Xhaka has received five red cards in just over five years during Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool
Keown (above) said that Xhaka’s recent red cards were ‘ridiculous’ and that Arsenal were going to be in ‘trouble’ if their captain didn’t make a change
‘These sendings off have been ridiculous. He doesn’t seem to be learning. When Wenger first signed him by the way, he paid £35m for him, he said I can’t believe the player can’t tackle.
‘He cannot tackle. I can’t imagine my career without being able to tackle. It’s a basic thing he needs to learn.
‘The decisions, when to go to ground and when not to. Xhaka does need to learn. The fact he is actually holding his hand up saying no I’m not going to change, it’s more worrying than what’s gone on before.
‘Every time he goes, they lose. He’s a senior player in there. Xhaka has to learn! When I hear people saying “sorry, I won’t change”… we’re all in trouble here.
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