Unai Emery reportedly consulting Arsenal players before making Granit Xhaka decision

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Arsenal manager Unai Emery is ready to bring his players into the decision making process over Granit Xhaka keeping the captaincy, amid fears of a backlash among the squad.

As per the Daily Mail, Emery is worried about the reaction of his players if the Swiss midfielder is stripped of the armband and is ready to consult them over the next step.

The report also outlines that Emery will discuss the decision with the club’s hierarchy, after Xhaka stormed off down the tunnel following boos from his own fans after he was substituted against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

That match was drawn 2-2 after Arsenal blew a two-goal lead, but the Xhaka situation has dominated the headlines since and the Spaniard has a major decision to make.

TBR’s View – Emery’s decision to ask the squad to name their own captain has backfired

The logic behind Unai Emery asking his Arsenal squad to name their captain in the first place was sound. After all, they want a leader who represents them and one they believe in.

Emery’s problem is they elected a player who is not playing well enough – and has shown little in his time at Arsenal to suggest he will ever be good enough – to start every game.

That has increased the frustration among the fans towards Xhaka, feeling that he is further than ever from getting dropped, and Emery’s decision to be democratic has backfired.

Now, he is in a spot where he must either strip the captaincy from the most popular choice among the squad – although the naming of four other captains could soften that blow – or potentially creating a chasm between the coaching and playing staff and the supporters.