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Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

Will Xhaka be here after the summer window?

  • Yes

    Votes: 38 55.1%
  • No

    Votes: 31 44.9%

  • Total voters
    69
  • Poll closed .
Status
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Jury

A-M's drunk uncle
Awful play? He just got ran past.

You guys are so incredibly out to lunch on Xhaka, its honestly mind boggling. Every single manager he plays under, and those he plays against like Mourinho are full of praise for him at all times but the whine squad on here thinks they know better. It would be funny if it wasn't so annoying.

Like, I cannot believe anyone with the first idea about this sport can honestly watch yesterday's game and conclude Xhaka is the problem. It's impossible. You have to be starting from the position that you are going to blame him for whatever happens in order to come to that conclusion.
It was just a lack of awareness and positioning as a result of that, exasperated by his lack of all round pace. I wont cane him for having the athleticism of Harry Redknapp--we know he turns like barge--but he knows that too.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
AM: "Xhaka has been a starter in this team since we signed him in 2016, deserves respect."

(Arsenal haven't qualified for the the Champions League since)

AM: "All the managers at Arsenal love Xhaka."

(All those managers have lost their jobs, some fans are turning on Arteta too)

AM: "Plenty of teams would love to have Xhaka"

(Would the real Hertha Berlin please stand up)

AM: "How can you come out of that match thinking Xhaka is the problem"

(Numerous mental lapses/mistakes since the first season and at nearly 30, they ain't stopping)
 
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Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
Unpopular opinion, but thought he was okay yesterday. Okay means a 6 out of 10. Why should our cm be chasing their right winger into the box?

Our highest passing combo.. Gabriel to Xhaka 34 times. 2nd highest? Xhaka back to Gabriel 23 times.

Xhaka received the ball 88 times, Partey received it 44 times and Ceballos 46 times.

It’s abundantly clear teams allow Xhaka to have the ball knowing that he’s just going to play triangles with our defenders.

We aren’t achieving anything like top 4 until we replace this guy.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
I've already responded mate. Leicester had no joy from pressing Xhaka. People think Xhaka always buckles under the pressure and keeps giving the ball away but that's just not true.

It’s not that he gives it away when pressed it’s that he can’t do anything other than win a foul or pass it backwards when engaged by an opponent. In his role, beating a press is critical to breaking through opposition lines.

I’d donate my left nut to have a player like Kimmich or Thiago playing where Xhaka is.
 

Manberg

Predator
It’s not that he gives it away when pressed it’s that he can’t do anything other than win a foul or pass it backwards when engaged by an opponent. In his role, beating a press is critical to breaking through opposition lines.

I’d donate my left nut to have a player like Kimmich or Thiago playing where Xhaka is.

You say that like it’s a bad thing. Drawing fouls is good. Passing backwards when pressed is good. It means you’ve drawn the press and suddenly there is a space behind that can be exploited by a simple lob over it. There are multiple ways to beat a press. Dribbling past it is not the only way.
 

DanDare

Emoji Merchant and Believer-In-Chief
Trusted ⭐

Player:Saliba
You say that like it’s a bad thing. Drawing fouls is good. Passing backwards when pressed is good. It means you’ve drawn the press and suddenly there is a space behind that can be exploited by a simple lob over it. There are multiple ways to beat a press. Dribbling past it is not the only way.

Have you considered getting a job in the Tory party? They're in need of a good spin doctor currently
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
Others: Xhaka was at fault there. He shouldn't have let Under run like that.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to run like that.

Others: Xhaka rarely tackles and wins the ball without committing foul.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to win balls like that.

Others: Xhaka cannot play the ball forward when he is pressed.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to play the ball forward when he is pressed.

Others: But at least he should be able to carry the ball forward by dribbling?
Xhaka Worshippers: Wtf are you talking about? Why would you expect Xhaka to dribble?

Others: What exactly can we expect from him then?
Xhaka worshippers: You clearly don't understand football. Do you?
 
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Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
You say that like it’s a bad thing. Drawing fouls is good. Passing backwards when pressed is good. It means you’ve drawn the press and suddenly there is a space behind that can be exploited by a simple lob over it. There are multiple ways to beat a press. Dribbling past it is not the only way.

How is a break in play a good thing when you’re trying to attack? Every time you pass backwards for a lob forwards, the opposition can see what’s coming and have recovered their shape. Our creativity and penetration fell off a cliff ever since we replaced Cazorla with Xhaka.
 

Manberg

Predator
Others: Xhaka was at fault there. He shouldn't have let Under run like that.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to run like that.

Others: Xhaka rarely tackles and wins the ball without committing foul.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to win balls like that.

Others: Xhaka cannot play the ball forward when he is pressed.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to play the ball forward when he is pressed.

Others: But at least he should be able to carry the ball forward by dribbling?
Xhaka Worshippers: Wtf are you talking about? Why would you expect Xhaka to dribble?

Others: Then what exactly can we expect from him then?
Xhaka worshippers: You clearly don't understand football. Do you?

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

A* for effort! :trophy:
 

Manberg

Predator
How is a break in play a good thing when you’re trying to attack? Every time you pass backwards for a lob forwards, the opposition can see what’s coming. Our creativity fell off a cliff ever since we replaced Cazorla with Xhaka.

It’s tactical. Takes a tactical understanding of the game. Xhaka gets lauded for his ability to draw fouls, it takes experience and intelligence. You even hear opposition managers shout “DONT FOUL” because of this.
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
Others: Xhaka was at fault there. He shouldn't have let Under run like that.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to run like that.

Others: Xhaka rarely tackles and wins the ball without committing foul.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to win balls like that.

Others: Xhaka cannot play the ball forward when he is pressed.
Xhaka worshippers: You can't expect Xhaka to play the ball forward when he is pressed.

Others: But at least he should be able to carry the ball forward by dribbling?
Xhaka Worshippers: Wtf are you talking about? Why would you expect Xhaka to dribble?

Others: Then what exactly can we expect from him then?
Xhaka worshippers: You clearly don't understand football. Do you?
Exactly. And he is just pointless at this stage but I suppose Arteta's love for him because he is a similar kind of player in the way he played here during his time is getting in the way of his better judgement. While Xhaka has a slightly improved utility in certain situations he is absolutely not needed anymore since we have defense and midfield areas he could've added to well covered.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
Trusted ⭐

Country: USA

Player:Saliba
It’s tactical. Takes a tactical understanding of the game. Xhaka gets lauded for his ability to draw fouls, it takes experience and intelligence. You even see opposition managers shout “DONT FOUL” because if this.

:lol:

When you’re in possession, drawing a foul is an advantage in a defensive phase not an offensive phase.

That works in the opponent’s favour because you kill your own attacking momentum and allow them to regroup.

Tactical :lol:
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
He's not even the best at what he does in our current team, Luiz is better in almost every aspect.
Haha, yeah exactly. I mean we have Luiz, Gabriel and Partey who pretty much make him redundant but we still continue to force feed him into the team and the team is actually structured to play to without any apparent logic to it.
 

Manberg

Predator
:lol:

When you’re in possession, drawing a foul is an advantage in a defensive phase not an offensive phase.

That works in the opponent’s favour because you kill your own attack and allow them to regroup.

Tactical :lol:

He doesn’t draw fouls when the counter is on. He draws fouls in defensive phases.
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
Not really. Xhaka just kills the momentum of our entire game in every phase. He is just ridiculously immobile and can't get his feet sorted which is why he either draws a foul or gets the opposition loads of time to restructure. Its not a deliberate tactical ploy or anything.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
Exactly. And he is just pointless at this stage but I suppose Arteta's love for him because he is a similar kind of player in the way he played here during his time is getting in the way of his better judgement. While Xhaka has a slightly improved utility in certain situations he is absolutely not needed anymore since we have defense and midfield areas he could've added to well covered.
True. Time to move him to EL matches and help lead the youngsters, something which he is supposedly good at.
 
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