Dropping Xhaka gives Wenger chance to end culture of impunity

WHEN Arsene Wenger picks his team to face Everton tomorrow, he will choose between forgiveness and punishment for Granit Xhaka, whose statuesque indifference to Tom Cleverley smashing in the winner for Watford last Saturday symbolised Arsenal’s accountability deficit.

In a previous age, Xhaka would have been dropped for standing and watching (and playing with his nose) while Cleverley stood in the Arsenal penalty box a few yards away, waiting for a rebound he zealously dispatched.

Replays of Xhaka’s obliviousness to this danger were the latest social media rash to cause itching among Arsenal fans, along with an inconclusive clip of Alexis Sanchez possibly avoiding a handshake with Wenger on the training ground.

Tomorrow’s collision comes with the Gunners in the news again for displaying insufficient passion, and Watford’s Troy Deeney playing the role of tormentor-in-chief.

Arsenal, said Deeney, lack cojones – an allegation rejected by Jack Wilshere, who lacks playing time, more than a combative edge.

Arsenal will consider it irritating that a Watford player has again set the tone of the discussion around their appetite for battle.

Balls to that, they will be thinking. Yet nobody outside the club was accusing Deeney of inaccuracy.

In old money, Xhaka (right) has forfeited his right to start at Everton. If a player can be so dopey, or negligent, at a point where Arsenal might have taken home a point, he has no case for retaining his place.

This might sound simplistic. In this age of player power, managers are forever skirting the volcano of dressing-room reaction. Singling players out goes down badly.

And sometimes there is more for a manager to gain from standing by someone who has made an ‘honest’ error.

Wenger, however, does not have this luxury, because the last 10 years of his Arsenal reign have been characterised by excessive loyalty to players who have mostly abused that privilege.

For every Olivier Giroud, who seems to accept his supporting role with good grace, and always applies himself when coming on, there are half a dozen who live without fear of punishment.

Wenger will drop you for playing badly, eventually, but rarely does he penalise players who fail to take personal responsibility for events.

Over the years this has bred a culture of impunity, to which Wenger will only add if he invites Xhaka to start against Everton.

About the only defence of Xhaka’s dereliction of duty against Watford has been that ‘holding midfielder’ is not really his bag.

The same is true of Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey, yet Wenger has continued to pressgang passers into screening roles. He seems to have no time for the theory that a top team cannot thrive without an N’Golo Kante, Fernandinho or Victor Wanyama.

But this is no excuse for Xhaka, whose danger radar shut down at a vital moment.

All he had to do was hurry back into Arsenal’s penalty box to fill the space in front of Cleverley and make sure he was not granted all the time he had to look up and blast Watford’s winner.

This is Wenger’s chance to reverse his no-blame culture and hold someone accountable.

The tougher players in his squad would probably welcome a policy change.

Arsenal will face an Everton team desperate to get their season going and with manager Ronald Koeman fighting to retain the faith of his board – some are of the view that the Dutchman’s only protection from the sack is the £21m it would cost to let him go.

Koeman might find some comfort from recent history.

Going into the corresponding fixture last season, Everton were on a miserable run of one win in 11 games. A 2-1 victory over Arsenal changed the mood.

“Arsenal at home last season was kind of a turning point,” said defender Ashley Williams.

“It wasn’t a pretty game at all and we didn’t play well, but all that mattered was that we won.”

Arsenal can expect more of the same tomorrow, with Koeman declaring: “We need to play more direct. We don’t have the confidence to play a different way, we don’t have this quality at the moment.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)

Everton v Arsenal, Live, Sky Sports, tomorrow 1.30