Granit Xhaka has revealed how differences put aside Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso as coaches.
The Switzerland midfielder has played under both managers over the past 12 months for Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen.
Xhaka spent three-and-a-half seasons with Arteta at the Gunners and the FA Cup with the Spaniard at the helm.
He left north London this summer for Leverkusen, whose head coach is former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Alonso.
The German outfit have been in sensational form this season and sit top of the Bundesliga unbeaten and with 13 wins from 16 matches.
Xhaka has only been at the club for five months and has already detailed the difference between his current and former coaches.
In the midst of his studies for the UEFA A license, he told the PFA: “Mikel, for example, has his philosophy and that’s it. . .
“Even to play always with a back four and never change to a back five for example, or never change like a 4-4-2 with two proper strikers. So you had this 4-3-3, with one six and two eights.
“Xabi is a little different. I think Xabi can play as a four-man defense, but he can also play as a five-man defense, you know? What he needs is two number 6s, not to run or be in the maximum game of time. position.
“But I think if you’re a coach, you want your own philosophy, your own tactics, your own ideas. Of course, you can replace one or two, but you can’t replace that many things, you know?”
Xhaka was a key figure for Arsenal last season as they came narrowly close to winning the Premier League title.
The 31-year-old defensive midfielder could win the silver medal this time around if Leverkusen maintain their impressive form.
This season he will play all 16 Bundesliga matches, plus additional appearances in the DFB-Pokal and Europa League.
As it turns out, Xhaka is learning a lot from his recent coaches, and that wisdom can increase his chances of having good luck in controlling in the future.
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