Arsenal fans have been debating who is really to blame for the freak goal that they conceded on Saturday.
The Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw away to Burnley.
Chris Wood equalised for the Clarets in the first half, after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring for Arsenal early on, but the New Zealand international didn’t know too much about it.
Xhaka inexplicably tried to play a lofted ball to David Luiz in his own box, but miscued the pass and it bounced off Wood before trickling over the line.
Quite a lot of Arsenal fans – and pundits – have blamed the Switzerland international, but there is also an argument to be made that goalkeeper Bernd Leno invited the situation by passing to Xhaka in the first place.
And Tony Cascarino, speaking on talkSPORT, is in the latter camp, blaming the £22 million German stopper to some extent.
He said: “Some of the best players I’ve played with wouldn’t have wanted a ball in that position. Why would you want the ball in that position? But Leno, also has to make the decision of going ‘I’m not giving you the ball there. That’s way too dangerous, way too high risk’.”
Xhaka has been getting more of the blame than Leno – and he deserves it, if we’re honest.
Yes, it was a poor decision by the former Bayer Leverkusen keeper, but it was Xhaka’s decision to take a touch under pressure which was more detrimental for Arsenal than anything else.
Besides, if his right foot had’ve been better then the ball would’ve sailed over Wood’s head and landed at Luiz’s feet.
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