Is there any way back for Xhaka at Arsenal?

It's been a tumultuous few days for Arsenal. Their 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace wasn't the headline story after the weekend, nor was the decision to disallow Sokratis' late goal, which would have earned the Gunners all three points from their London derby. Rather, Granit Xhaka's reaction to being subbed off hogged the limelight on the afternoon and the aftermath continues to rumble on. 

"He is now devastated – devastated and sad," Gunners boss Unai Emery said on Tueday in the build up to Arsenal's Carabao Cup clash with Premier League rivals Liverpool, a game in which the Swiss midfielder took no part in. Xhaka, of course, was jeered by, and swore at, the Emirates crowd as he left the pitch, before throwing his shirt to the ground and storming down the tunnel. 

In a campaign where a majority of Arsenal fans want Emery gone, Xhaka is another scapegoat for supporters' ire, with his captaincy cast into doubt. With January looming, it would be no shock to see the 27-year-old shown the exit in a move that would be beneficial for both club and player. 

Arsenal fans, of course, are far from satisfied at the performances of the team this season. The north London side has lost just twice in the league, one of which was at title favourites Liverpool back in August, but in turn; they've won just twice in the last eight. Now four points off the top four, any early-season optimism has begun to dissipate. The Gunners may seem on course to progress to the next round of the Europa League, and yet that hasn't done enough to quell discontent among the fan base. 

And that in itself boiled over as Arsenal sacrified a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Palace particularly as Xhaka's number went up on the hour mark. It was a sorry sight for a player who had been excellent for Gladbach prior to his 2016 arrival. His ill-discipline was cause for concern, and yet it was this bite that Arsenal craved in the middle of the park. Of course, as Arsenal's form has tailed off, so has Xhaka's, with a WhoScored rating of 6.65 this season his worst. 

But does he really deserve the barrage of abuse thrust his way from the stands and on social media? Absolutely not. While professional footballers are held in high esteem, they are only human after all and it isn't a shock to see that Arsenal will offer counselling to the player. And it's not as though Xhaka's underperformance is an isolated incident within the squad either. Indeed, only two Gunners players have earned a WhoScored rating in excess of 7.00 in the Premier League this season. 

What's more, it isn't as though Xhaka's stats have nosedived tremendously. His 61.9 passes per game is second of all Arsenal players. He is picking out a teammate with 86.5% of those passes, that the highest success rate at the club. His 18 tackles is more than any other player for the club, while 47 Premier League key passes is more than any Gunners ace during Emery's reign at the Emirates helm. 

However, for Xhaka's strengths, his faults render him the target of frustrated Arsenal supporters, who directed their anger more towards the player once he was announced as captain. 2.4 fouls per game is second only to Andre Gomes (2.6) in the Premier League this season and for an Arsenal side that boasts statistically calculated WhoScored weaknesses of 'avoiding fouling in dangerous areas' and 'defending set pieces', a penchant for denying opponents and landing himself in hot water in the process hasn't helped his cause, but then handing him the armband forced the player into the heated spotlight. 

With the pressure now thrust on Xhaka's shoulders, poor performances or mistakes are scrutinised heavily, yet Emery can't simply drop his captain, which leaves the boss stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Switzerland international could be the worst player on the pitch, but the Arsenal boss will continue with Xhaka, at least up until his withdrawal against Palace, which doesn't aid the under fire midfielder and is at a detriment to the team. Lucas Torreira has made just two league starts this season and summer arrival Dani Ceballos, six. Compare that to Xhaka, who has started nine of 10 top-flight matches, and the problems perhaps lay at Emery's feet, not his captain's. 

The Spaniard may have had the patience of supporters in first season, but that has worn thin in his second campaign at the Emirates and in their push to demonise a player on the pitch, Xhaka has become the scapegoat. However, Xhaka isn't the innocent party in all of this and it's clear his performances have dipped. For example his two tackles per game is his second lowest in an Arsenal league season while 2.4 fouls per game is his highest. 0.4 interceptions per game is also his lowest, which suggests a lack of composure in the middle of the park and it's resulting in a series of rash performances from the former Gladbach man. 

Xhaka is never going to be the world's best central midfielder, but he is a better player than his form this term show. "He's a lovely guy, he's a bit devastated because he has got a good family, a good heart and he loves the club," goalkeeper and teammate Emiliano Martinez said of Xhaka in the wake of Arsenal's entertaining 5-5 draw with Liverpool on Wednesday night, with the 27-year-old adamant that the players still back their captain. 

It's a positive in what has been a tough week for the player who'll hope to play some part in the upcoming meeting with Wolves. However, if Xhaka is to get back in supporters' good books, there's no denying that his performance levels need to improve. In what is his lowest rated Premier League season to date, it's down to Xhaka to up the ante from a personal perspective and help Arsenal in their push for a top four finish. With the transfer window close, though, time is of the essence for the player to turn the fans' opinion around and it's very possible that his time in England will be ending sooner rather than later.