Arsenal’s Xhaka refuses to tone down passionate style

Granit Xhaka may have cleaned up his disciplinary record of late but the Arsenal midfielder insists he is still employing a no-nonsense approach when it comes to his game.

The Switzerland international arrived at the Emirates this summer from Borussia Monchengladbach with a reputation for upsetting the referee.

During his time with the German club, he was sent off six times for club and country, collecting 48 yellow cards in the process.

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

However the 24-year-old appears to have learned to control his aggression in England and has now gone eight games without being booked, not that he thinks his game has become compromised.

“There are, of course, phases in the game where the line becomes blurred, but then you need to step up psychologically,” he said.

“I play with a lot of emotion because I’m a passionate guy and I play with that passion.

“I love playing that way. Sometimes you’re late onto the ball, sometimes you’re not. Sometimes you make contact with the guy when you tackle him, sometimes not. It’s a sport where individual duels are vital so I don’t see it as a problem.

“I wouldn’t change myself for anybody. I am who I am, people accept me or they don’t. I have my strengths and my weaknesses which I can try to improve upon, of course. I’m still not the finished product. I’m only 24 so I’ve got plenty of time to keep improving.”