It did not take long after Granit Xhaka’s arrival last summer for the jokes to start about how Arsenal would soon take that reputation for whacking in the odd long‑range goal and put a stop to it. An old-fashioned thump hardly fitted in with the Wenger-esque stereotype for walking the ball into the net, for twinkly, over‑elaborate approach play, for fluffy patterns instead of punchy power.
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