Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

[celestis]

Wow , on course for Arsenal poty

 

[Taneruit]

Wow , on course for Arsenal poty

Data point starts from 01.01.2021, not from the beginning of the season. Otherwise Jorginho wouldn't lead the premier league players (mainly because of his importance/performance for Tuchel).

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Wow , on course for Arsenal poty

No wonder we're 9th. Congrats to him though

 

[celestis]

Data point starts from 01.01.2021, not from the beginning of the season. Otherwise Jorginho wouldn't lead the premier league players (mainly because of his importance/performance for Tuchel).

Im only kidding mate.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Well, that's not true either. Looking at the whole build-up he actually ranks very highly in the premier league (~Top 5, so does Rodri). Lots of final third entries, but not among the final passers (tbf even less so this year as we have a reliable 10 again).

Source is provided wyscout.com. The graphics themselves I usually find from twitter stat merchants that pay to get them or articles that also source their stats.

When you say "not among the final passers" is that assist or assist to assist as in the stat above? Just so I understand what this is in reference to.

Is there a stat for into the opposition pen box also? And by 90 min. played?

PS. Cannot reach that wyscout.com site.

 

[Zazu]

If we go by eye test, most of those forward passes to final third have been to Tierney who is running on the wings. If his forward passes had any impact on our attacking play, he would have good number of big chances created, which is very less.

Big chances created is determined by the final pass before a shot at goal though, that's not Xhakas role in the team.

This season he has been sitting extremely deep most games, he shouldn't be playing the final pass before most of our chances.

His numbers for passes into the final third and progressive passes gaining the team yards up the pitch vertically are very good this season. Which is what he should be doing in the role he's playing - not laying it on a plate for Auba.

Criticising him for his lack of pace, rash defensive decision making and high profile errors is completely fair. But anyone saying his passing is poor, or that he only ever goes backwards or sideways with the ball needs to actually watch our games and not read nonsense opinions on twitter.

 

[RacingPhoton]

Big chances created is determined by the final pass before a shot at goal though, that's not Xhakas role in the team.

This season he has been sitting extremely deep most games, he shouldn't be playing the final pass before most of our chances.

His numbers for passes into the final third and progressive passes gaining the team yards up the pitch vertically are very good this season. Which is what he should be doing in the role he's playing - not laying it on a plate for Auba.

Criticising him for his lack of pace, rash defensive decision making and high profile errors is completely fair. But anyone saying his passing is poor, or that he only ever goes backwards or sideways with the ball needs to actually watch our games and not read nonsense opinions on twitter.

I watch the game. I don't think he makes so many vertical passes. Most passes he makes are to Tierney who is running on the flanks. He can pass it to ESR or Øde only if they track back and make it totally easy for him to make the pass. His through balls count is abysmal compared to most midfielders in PL.

Basically he can make a pass forward if there is a player who is right in front of him and there is a clear path. He can't do even that if he is pressed. The moment someone charges towards him, he does an about turn and gives it back to someone else. And even if he does make that pass, he takes that extra fraction of time to get the ball under his control and mentally make that decision. If this is all we expect from a DLP as his fans call him, no wonder the club is at this place.

Passing is not just about numbers. Anyone can just play ping pong with another player in the front and pad up those numbers.

 

[Taneruit]

When you say "not among the final passers" is that assist or assist to assist as in the stat above? Just so I understand what this is in reference to.

Is there a stat for into the opposition pen box also? And by 90 min. played?

PS. Cannot reach that wyscout.com site.

Last 2 passers before goal.

Also yes, but that's dominated by attackers and attacking midfielders. Deeper lying midfielders in general don't stand out there.

Jack Grealish FFS.

Edit: Works for me, maybe link was wrong: Wyscout - Football Professional Videos and Data Platform

 

[The_Playmaker]

If we go by eye test, most of those forward passes to final third have been to Tierney who is running on the wings. If his forward passes had any impact on our attacking play, he would have good number of big chances created, which is very less.

This is the point. His passes are telegraphed and they go to the same place. His preperation for a pass also takes ages. He needs to be in the right place to make the pass or he is passing it backwards. He can't turn, drive, dribble or play disguised passes. He is the second best midfielder we have as look at the other options. Replacing him with a superior player would improve this team so much.

 

[Taneruit]

Percentage refers to how much more likely a team is to score from their passes on the second one.

 

[Taneruit]

Also surprisingly that miscontrols + dispossession stat isn't a joke. He's actually one of the most secure players in the premier league this season, though I didn't believe it at first. 9.7 possession lost in the 90. In comparison Kante has 12.1 for example.

If only the ones he actually loses weren't completely braindead ones. Could save himself a lot of grief.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Sky Germany are reporting that Xhaka fancies a return to the Bundesliga. Hopefully, we continue the midfield rebuild properly if he goes.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Sky Germany are reporting that Xhaka fancies a return to the Bundesliga. Hopefully, we continue the midfield rebuild properly if he goes.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Sky Germany are reporting that Xhaka fancies a return to the Bundesliga. Hopefully, we continue the midfield rebuild properly if he goes.

If he goes I think we will convert to a 433. He’s probably the one cog that is holding us back from doing so imo.

 

[Zazu]

I watch the game. I don't think he makes so many vertical passes. Most passes he makes are to Tierney who is running on the flanks. He can pass it to ESR or Øde only if they track back and make it totally easy for him to make the pass. His through balls count is abysmal compared to most midfielders in PL.

Basically he can make a pass forward if there is a player who is right in front of him and there is a clear path. He can't do even that if he is pressed. The moment someone charges towards him, he does an about turn and gives it back to someone else. And even if he does make that pass, he takes that extra fraction of time to get the ball under his control and mentally make that decision. If this is all we expect from a DLP as his fans call him, no wonder the club is at this place.

Passing is not just about numbers. Anyone can just play ping pong with another player in the front and pad up those numbers.

Progressive passes are vertical passes, and he has more per 90 than any other midfielder in the league other than De Bruyne. 'Stat padding' by playing one twos with centre backs and Tierney won't come into the equation with this metric.

The radar above shows that these vertical passes are consistently gaining the team yards up the pitch as well.

 

[RacingPhoton]

Progressive passes are vertical passes, and he has more per 90 than any other midfielder in the league other than De Bruyne. 'Stat padding' by playing one twos with centre backs and Tierney won't come into the equation with this metric.

The radar above shows that these vertical passes are consistently gaining the team yards up the pitch as well.

When he passes to Tierney, it does count into the metric.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Weekly Post 331

Weekly Post CIES Football Observatory

football-observatory.com

Set to "Premier League" for a surprise.

Spoiler

Also ignore Thiago being there for Liverpool

 

[Big Poppa]

Percentage refers to how much more likely a team is to score from their passes on the second one.

We need you on the club’s negotiating team this summer. Do Kolasinac next abeg

 

[RacingPhoton]

Weekly Post 331

Weekly Post CIES Football Observatory

football-observatory.com

Set to "Premier League" for a surprise.

Spoiler

Also ignore Thiago being there for Liverpool

The kind of stats that StatsDNA pushed out and made us sign this fraud I guess.

 

[Taneruit]

Successful and progressive passing under pressure.

Xhaka leading the league last season. Imagine that's even better this year.

That said and tbf: I think when people are mentioning him not being *press-resistant* they specifically means that he can't dribble/turn to get out of pressure. Which is fair enough.