Arsene Wenger has suggested that the reason Granit Xhaka isn’t getting more game time is because he’s not quite fit enough.

When on the pitch, the midfielder is one of our most creative options and many are a little confused as to why he’s not starting more often.

The Switzerland international has made 14 appearances in all competitions since joining Arsenal at the beginning of the summer. However, only four of these have been starts and one of these was in the EFL Cup.

When speaking about the injured Santi Cazorla, who is out for a few more weeks with an Achilles problem he picked up against Ludogorets, Wenger was understandably asked about Xhaka. And although the boss sang his praises, he did seem to be heavily implying that the reason Xhaka isn’t getting many starts is because he’s not quite fit enough.

“I’m very happy with Granit’s commitment,” he said during his pre-Bournemouth presser.

“I think he’s developing well. He hasn’t maybe started enough since the start of the season but he is adapting to a different league, a different way of playing. Overall I’m happy because every day he’s focused on working hard and I’m confident he’ll get his number of games.

“In November you see the first signs of players who need a little breather, especially in areas where you fight and run a lot. I try to combine both to give players fresh legs and also get around the fact that Santi’s not there.”

Xhaka was one of our best players during our 1-1 draw against Spurs at the Emirates, so it’s unusual that he was started against them but not in our next game against Manchester United. If he’s not fully fit, however, this makes a lot of sense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckm9pm6jtJw