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Granit Xhaka: 2019/20 Performances

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BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares

Xhaka haters in shambles right now tryna ignore these stats. At this point if you want to sell Xhaka then it’s just personal hate and you’re not judging for football reason.

Listen guys I use to be a Xhaka hater too but the constant L’s were too much for me to handle so now I’m on the right side of history. It’s never too late to join.
 
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MikelHadADream

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
Xavi played in the middle. He had Busquets behind him in a midfield three, with Iniesta in front. With a new Busquets type signing (preferably one focussed on more physical attributes), Xhaka can be our Xavi.

Xhaka is a Busquets type player, not Xavi. He is the deepest player in the midfield. Xavi could receive the ball at any angle, and on the half turn, Xhaka cannot.

Can't believe people think Xhaka can fulfil the role Xavi had at Barca ffs
 

Jury

A-M's drunk uncle
Xhaka haters in shambles right now tryna ignore these stats. At this point if you want to sell Xhaka then it’s just personal hate and you’re not judging for football reason.

Listen guys I use to be a Xhaka hater too but the constant L’s were too much for me to handle so now I’m on the right side of history. It’s never too late to join.
Lol look at all tbe games we’ve lost with him though... ALL of them. And the part he played in some of them. He’s a shambles. Forget results because there are lots of other factors in a result – let’s just look at his individual performances, win lose or draw. Average to poor. Does he offer something when he’s not dragging players down around our box or giving **** passes? Sometimes. But if that’s what defines a player then he’s rubbish. Like Özil, he’s not the problem, but he’s part of it. We’ve had him sent off before and were losing at the time, only to look twice the team with ten men and get a draw. Does that stat matter? You were right the first time.
 
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Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
I'm a card-carrying member of the replace Xhaka brigade because I think his recklessness is not worth what he brings to the table, but what would you guys think about the possibility of him sitting deep with Thomas Partey and another CM by his side in a 4-3-3 next season? Like this:

--------Xhaka--------

--Partey-----CM-----

This seems pretty intriguing to me if the right person (a creative 8 - my pipedream is Aouar) can be found to play in that left-sided midfielder role, seems pretty balanced. Partey makes up for a lot of Xhaka's shortcomings.
 

Football Manager

Copy & Paste Merchant
I'm a card-carrying member of the replace Xhaka brigade because I think his recklessness is not worth what he brings to the table, but what would you guys think about the possibility of him sitting deep with Thomas Partey and another CM by his side in a 4-3-3 next season? Like this:

--------Xhaka--------

--Partey-----CM-----

This seems pretty intriguing to me if the right person (a creative 8 - my pipedream is Aouar) can be found to play in that left-sided midfielder role, seems pretty balanced. Partey makes up for a lot of Xhaka's shortcomings.
——————Aouar—————
——————————————
———Xhaka————————
—————————Partey——

AM that focus on dribbling, open up space, making killer through passes, playing combination play.

DLP that focus on long/short passing, distributing the ball to space, dictating tempo. (or if you don’t like Xhaka, replace with Tonali. Or Cuisance which I don’t think we can get)

DM with a defensive first mindset, that focus on defending, ball winning, tackling, interception, stopping opponent play at all cost, and make simple pass to the DLP to distribute the ball.
 
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Leo_ense_

AnthonyG Survivor
Xhaka haters in shambles right now tryna ignore these stats. At this point if you want to sell Xhaka then it’s just personal hate and you’re not judging for football reason.

Listen guys I use to be a Xhaka hater too but the constant L’s were too much for me to handle so now I’m on the right side of history. It’s never too late to join.

Always knew you were a stand up guy dawg. We will convince @Jury with time
 

Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
——————Aouar—————
——————————————
———Xhaka————————
—————————Partey——

AM that focus on dribbling, open up space, making killer through passes, playing combination play.

DLP that focus on long/short passing, distributing the ball to space, dictating tempo (or if you don’t like Xhaka, replace with Tonali)

DM that focus on defending, ball winning, tackling

I think we'd be underutilizing Partey if we looked at him simply as a destroying defensive midfielder. He has the attributes required for it, but he's more than that - he can take the ball and push forward and advance the ball with passes. Much more of a two-way midfielder.

Tonali would be a much better option than Xhaka but that's also a pipedream so I'm not even entertaining the possibility of bringing him in. I'm throwing out the idea of using Xhaka as a deep midfielder because I think he could form a two-man midfield with Partey (taking on the left-sided role) when the creative 8 pushes forward in attack, and sit deep in a compact midfield when we're defending to hide his lack of quickness.

So, in attack:

---Partey----Xhaka----

---------Aouar----------

In defense:

--------Xhaka--------

--Partey-----Aouar-----
 

Football Manager

Copy & Paste Merchant
I think we'd be underutilizing Partey if we looked at him simply as a destroying defensive midfielder. He has the attributes required for it, but he's more than that - he can take the ball and push forward and advance the ball with passes. Much more of a two-way midfielder.

Tonali would be a much better option than Xhaka but that's also a pipedream so I'm not even entertaining the possibility of bringing him in. I'm throwing out the idea of using Xhaka as a deep midfielder because I think he could form a two-man midfield with Partey (taking on the left-sided role) when the creative 8 pushes forward in attack, and sit deep in a compact midfield when we're defending to hide his lack of quickness.

So, in attack:

---Partey----Xhaka----

---------Aouar----------

In defense:

--------Xhaka--------

--Partey-----Aouar-----
But you have to take into consideration that defensively Xhaka is not capable being at the furthest back. Just like xavi, pirlo...defensive first mindset is not in their game, they are not the destroyer. So you need a deeper destroyer besides him.

And his main strength is his long passing, which fits perfectly into that DLP role. Using (or judging) Xhaka in the DM destroyer role is exposing his weaknesses and minimising his strength.
 

Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
But you have to take into consideration that defensively Xhaka is not capable being at the furthest back. Just like xavi, pirlo...defensive first mindset is not in their game, they are not the destroyer. So you need a deeper destroyer besides him.

And his main strength is his long passing, which fits perfectly into that DLP role. Using (or judging) Xhaka in the DM destroyer role is exposing his weaknesses and minimising his strength.

But I'm not using him in the DM destroyer role. Read again. I'm simply positioning him deep. I don't have a player particularly assigned to the DM destroyer role in that scheme, just a compact midfield with Xhaka sitting deeper. That way I can utilize Partey's destroying skills and not have him stand too far back in attack.
 

Football Manager

Copy & Paste Merchant
But I'm not using him in the DM destroyer role. Read again. I'm simply positioning him deep. I don't have a player particularly assigned to the DM destroyer role in that scheme, just a compact midfield with Xhaka sitting deeper. That way I can utilize Partey's destroying skills and not have him stand too far back in attack.
Then we will need an inverted full back to occupy Partey’s CM position whenever Partey runs up in attack. Otherwise, in opponent’s counter attacking, we will only have xhaka being left at the back outnumbered. And not only being outnumbered, defending is not xhaka’s strength. (Xhaka can support defending but it is not his strength). His hater will blame him again (instead of blaming the one who should help in defending or blaming the wrong system)
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
Always knew you were a stand up guy dawg. We will convince @Jury with time

I just don't have an agenda, I judge players based on performance and if I don't rate you and you prove me wrong it's still good for us.

:lol: Not on this one lad! This is a one-way ticket. @BigPoppaPump has form for doubting himself tbf. He just needs a bit of encouragement sometimes. I’m guilty of not giving in the support that he sometimes needs .

This post reminded me of when @Trilly was celebrating getting 25k likes, didn't he like book a holiday for it?
 

Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
Then we will need an inverted full back to occupy Partey’s CM position whenever Partey runs up in attack.

Well that's not really a far-fetched idea with Arteta at the helm. I think AMN might rise up to that challenge if he buys into it and keeps being given opportunity.

I'm in favor of Xhaka being replaced, but if he's not going to be replaced, we have to utilize his strengths. With that system we keep Xhaka in the deepest position in transition play. He can get the ball and spray it forward more quickly. If you have Partey (or a destroying DM without passing skills) there, you won't get that opportunity.

Something along these lines - when we're in attack:

----------------------Leno----------------------
----------------Saliba-------Aké-----------------
-----------AMN-----------------Xhaka---------
----------------Partey---------------------------
----------------------------Aouar-----Tierney
----Pépé----------Martinelli--------Aubameyang

(Or Auba at CF and Saka at LW)
 

Manberg

Predator
Xhaka is a Busquets type player, not Xavi. He is the deepest player in the midfield. Xavi could receive the ball at any angle, and on the half turn, Xhaka cannot.

Can't believe people think Xhaka can fulfil the role Xavi had at Barca ffs

Xhaka has ball playing ability, like Xavi. He dictates tempo, switches play from left flank to right or vice versa, finds players in space etc. He does all this from deep within the midfield. But there ought to be a ball winning midfielder next to him.
 

Oxeki

Match Day Thread Merchant
Trusted ⭐

Country: Nigeria

Player:Saliba
But you have to take into consideration that defensively Xhaka is not capable being at the furthest back. Just like xavi, pirlo...defensive first mindset is not in their game, they are not the destroyer. So you need a deeper destroyer besides him.

And his main strength is his long passing, which fits perfectly into that DLP role. Using (or judging) Xhaka in the DM destroyer role is exposing his weaknesses and minimising his strength.
Xhaka is not a Xavi or pirlo type midfielder. Those guys are playmakers. I haven't seen anything in Xhaka's game to suggest he's a playmaker. He helps us progress play. That's about all he does
 

Football Manager

Copy & Paste Merchant
Xhaka is not a Xavi or pirlo type midfielder. Those guys are playmakers. I haven't seen anything in Xhaka's game to suggest he's a playmaker. He helps us progress play. That's about all he does
Of course he makes play with his passing, just less capable.
 

RunTheTrap

Kai Havertz Offense League
Xhaka haters in shambles right now tryna ignore these stats. At this point if you want to sell Xhaka then it’s just personal hate and you’re not judging for football reason.

Listen guys I use to be a Xhaka hater too but the constant L’s were too much for me to handle so now I’m on the right side of history. It’s never too late to join.
Context is needed though. It's like me saying we've never been in the top 4 since We signed Xhaka. A lot of Xhaka fanboys get real quiet when they read that Or how about when we went 20 games unbeaten with Mustafi? Or how about when Man City broke their 100 point season with their best player in KdB being out for the majority of the season? You can't make these assumptions from such sample size. Yes we lost games without Xhaka but those games were against Chelsea and City. Teams we would most likely lose to anyway. How about when Xhaka played for 120 minutes at Olympiakos at home?

I'm just saying if you want to be a top 4 team, Xhaka gets benched. Do not mind him as a squad player. I'm not gonna praise him for being better than a kid or a 5ft 3 midfielder. He's our most senior midfielder so of course he'll look good.
 
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