Infoexpert24 reports that Xhaka was spotted telling Turner to play short as Arsenal came under pressure in the second half of their Europa League clash with Bodo/Glimt last night but the American stopper went long.
The Swiss professional could be seen turning to the 28-year-old gesturing with his hands pushing downwards as if to indicate that he should keep calm and continue playing on the floor.
The style of play Arsenal have developed this season has been based on dominating play with front-footed positioning and short passes. This is not Turner’s strength based on the evidence so far.
Turner once again got a start in the Europa League in place of Aaron Ramsdale and kept another clean sheet in the victory.
There are mitigating factors. Turner cannot be match sharp, he is getting used to a new club and the game last night was on an artificial pitch.
Arsenal did not play well as a team and it would be understandable if the man who felt that the most was the stand-in goalkeeper.
But as the report says, Turner will need to improve on that if he is to battle with Ramsdale, or forced to come into the side for Premier League games.
Turner should improve his distribution as it goes along, allowing Arsenal to get greater control of these types of games when they are under the cosh.
Arsenal’s remarkable start to the season has many interesting subplots, but perhaps none are as intriguing as the resurgence of Granit Xhaka.
The Swiss midfielder’s chequered history with Gunners fans has been well-documented, but it’s impossible to not be impressed at how Xhaka has gone from a maligned figure on the brink of an exit to one of Mikel Arteta’s leading lieutenants in recent months.
Xhaka’s remarkable turnaround was capped in the summer when Arteta handed the 30-year-old a prominent leadership role at the club – despite the fact that he was stripped of the club captaincy by the Spaniard’s predecessor, Unai Emery.
Arteta, however, promptly earmarked Xhaka’s leadership qualities after his return to the club, initially as head coach, back in December 2019 – and he was determined to utilize them.
