Granit Xhaka used to be known as a nailed-on yellow card in most games but this season his foul stats appear to have undergone a revolution – until you realise it was actually last season that was the outlier.

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (R) speaks to Arsenal's Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on February 15, 2023. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (R) speaks to Arsenal’s Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on February 15, 2023. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)

If I told you that, this season, Granit Xhaka has been fouled almost twice as much as he fouls, you’d wonder if I’d hit my head.

But it’s true.

The midfielder, who was known for his stupid bookings has revolutionised his game and his foul stats is just one area that is reflected.

This season, Xhaka has been booked just three times from 17 fouls (5.6 fouls per card) compared to the 10 he picked up last season (29 fouls, 2.9 bookings per card).

He has been fouled 31 times compared to just the 19 he received last season.

But, as you can see from the table below, he is being booked at roughly the same rate as the rest of his Arsenal career – apart from last season when he was booked almost twice as much

Granit Xhaka foul and card stats

season fouls for fouls against yellow red fouls per card
16/17 37 19 5 2 5.29
17/18 57 42 10 0 5.70
18/19 45 52 10 0 4.50
19/20 56 32 10 0 5.60
20/21 39 37 7 1 4.88
21/22 29 19 10 1 2.64
22/23 17 31 3 0 5.67

[source]

It’s worth noting that there is barely any difference in games stats between this season and 21/22 (25.9 full 90s vs 24.5 so far this season).