Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

[Marjorie]

The problem with Xhaka is that he's still our second best CM, and we might have bigger problems to fix this summer.

We say that every summer. Until we fix the engine room this team is going nowhere.

 

[squallman]

The problem with Xhaka is that he's still our second best CM, and we might have bigger problems to fix this summer.

This logic is why we're spinning our wheels in the mud. This is the type of thinking that saw us keep the likes of Alex Song, Cech, Giroud, Mertesacker , Arshavin and all the other wastrels far too long because we had "bigger problems" to fix. All the while those jokers cost us points with their mistakes and mediocre performances

Why pay Edu and Arteta millions of pounds every year if they can't multitask ? How many people would last in a job if they told their boss, "Sorry boss can't do Job B, you already gave me one job to do and I don't think I can do both"?

 

[say yes]

This logic is why we're spinning our wheels in the mud. This is the type of thinking that saw us keep the likes of Alex Song, Cech, Giroud, Mertesacker , Arshavin and all the other wastrels far too long because we had "bigger problems" to fix. All the while those jokers cost us points with their mistakes and mediocre performances

Why pay Edu and Arteta millions of pounds every year if they can't multitask ? How many people would last in a job if they told their boss, "Sorry boss can't do Job B, you already gave me one job to do and I don't think I can do both"?

Nothing to do with multitasking. I'm not sure we have the money to upgrade on Xhaka as well as other areas of the team.

 

[GunnerShy]

Sloppy. But he's been overplayed and Leno was as culpable as Xhaka in that goal.

We struggled with the press all game. Regardless we still should have won

 

[Sapient Hawk]

We sent the wrong player to Berlin.

 

[squallman]

Nothing to do with multitasking. I'm not sure we have the money to upgrade on Xhaka as well as other areas of the team.

You say this as if the club hasn't gotten rid of players in the past without buying a replacement. Addition by subtraction. Get rid of the albatross around our neck and promote someone else into his spot.

 

[rich 1990]

Thread title change, Granit Xhaka Burnley's player of the year.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

This is just turning into the Özil thread 2.0

The more reasons to be pissed off with the player, the more impressive the gymnastics in his defence, become. It just gets crazy. That’s where we’re heading.

This thread was always bound to be the Özil thread's heir. Bound to.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Probably the first time he apologised for being making mistakes in 5 years? And why does he say 'That's football' every time he has to talk about his own brainfarts? He used the same words in the interview after NLD where he conceded penalty.

Think translated that means: 'That's Xhaka'. That at least would be the truth...

 

[dashsnow17]

What I'd say about Xhaka is he's a good player who's never recovered from his original mortal sin, which is that he's a 180 degree player in a 360 degree position. I don't mind the violent outbursts or the bad tackles, lots of good players do stuff like that. What I do mind is a midfielder who is stiff, can only use one foot and cannot reliably keep the ball under pressure. That is a mortal sin for a midfielder and it will always lead them to a mistake eventually.

Needs to be upgraded on, although it'll be difficult with our limited budget.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Probably get abused for this now and push for a move in the summer tbh

I hope any abuse is criticism directed solely at his footballing ability and doesn't cross the line. Amen to the latter.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Was watching the highlights again and the goal is 100% on Xhaka. He rushes towards Leno and demands the ball, then takes an unnecessary touch, puts it on his weaker right foot and tries to loft it over Chris Wood and instead just hitting him and ball deflects into the goal. The situation would never have arisen if he would just have left Leno alone. Instead he forces himself into a situation he isn't capable of handling. How that piece of rubbish can be a DM that gets played in the PL is well beyond me. Just unreal. He should be nowhere near our squad and yet he plays game in and game out...

 

[CaseUteinberger]

I hope any abuse is criticism directed solely at his footballing ability and doesn't cross the line. Amen to the latter.

There are idiots that are going to overstep the line. That is as sure as that Xhaka will make mistakes like this again.

Almost suspect Xhaka is posting on the internet now to provoke a negative reaction so he can hide behind it again. That was my first thought when reading his post above. It would be better for him to just shut up now. I'd like that better to be honest.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Yeah by all accounts he was ready to head back to the Bundesliga so we can't really blame him for still being here.

I agree and disagree. This fella is said to have character and to be a leader and alpha male. He should have stood by his alleged principles and left. Even Mustafi had some self respect and awareness and rejected the club's overtures. He could have also left in the summer. He's arrogant and maybe even stupid. He's seen literally every team mate being a baller for five seconds and thought he'd have a go too

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Seems like maybe we should be beating Burnley regardless of one mistake but that's just me.

We should but then just remember when 1-0 to the Arsenal was a meme before memes were even created.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

The problem with Xhaka is that he's still our second best CM, and we might have bigger problems to fix this summer.

I agree with you but that says more about how poor our CM options are, rather than anything good about Xhaka.

I think he'll still be a starting 11 player for us next season with the work that needs to be done on the rest of the squad. I've resigned myself to it.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

It's been more like 12 good months. They guy should be criticised for these errors but you all go so far beyond the reality

It's been 12 months of bang average forgettable performances where he has reduced his mistakes, had the odd patch of decent play and scored a couple of screamers. That's just not my definition of good which I measure by the peak Graham and Wenger standard of midfielder.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

It's been 12 months of bang average forgettable performances where he has reduced his mistakes, had the odd patch of decent play and scored a couple of screamers. That's just not my definition of good which I measure by the peak Graham and Wenger standard of midfielder.

I disagree. He's been very good overall this year.

He's obviously got significant weaknesses, everyone is aware of them. But when he plays well he's a very good player, and he usually plays well. We all know the rest.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

We growing frustrated with these error Granit just cut it out

This guy. His apology means nothing because he's not really taken responsibility for his mistakes in a timely, proper way on the past or even now. He's now trying to be media savvy and win people round but his words grate. It's not football as we knew it. It's you making another totally unnecessary mistake yet again. Just leave in the summer.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I disagree. He's been very good overall this year.

He's obviously got significant weaknesses, everyone is aware of them. But when he plays well he's a very good player, and he usually plays well. We all know the rest.

I disagree too. I can't think of a single match winning standout performance in five years. If not making mistakes and getting sent off is good, then he's been good for long stretches but he's average and the worst Arsenal midfielder I've watched. No disrespect directed at you. I just can't tolerate this player or our new found gutter standards.