Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

[Macho]

Partey is lucky to have a beast like Xhaka alongside him.
Partey had an absolute mare against Utd(xhaka would get slaughtered for months for such a performance) and gave away the ball like multiple times against Wolves too(Xhaka not allowed to do that even once)
Don't get me wrong, I love Partey but man people scapegoating Xhaka has been ridiculous, almost pushed out off the club ffs....

I don't disagree with any of this to be honest. However, I won't shy away from my opinion that Partey and Xhaka is a good partnership and a lot of it is to do with Partey himself.

First reason, Partey has made Elneny look like a player.
Second reason, Xhaka (sadly) has had many incompatible partners alongside him all these years and he is now he is suddenly playing his best football. Xhaka was always a limited player who needed help.

It was a relief Xhaka stepped up when Partey had an off night for sure. Also agree that Xhaka has been made a scapegoat at times, I've even got stick recently from the Xhaka Out mob/@Jury followers for suggesting he's not as bad as some say. None of my points take away from that.

 

[Riou]

You could bring Saliba in to compete with Holding, costs nothing, and Bissouma to compete with Xhaka, costs about 30m. Very reasonable outlay. Then you can spend more money on a forward.

Always believed the only way we could afford Bissouma, is if Brighton get relegated, which looks very unlikely to happen now...would love him here though.

 

[dashsnow17]

Always believed the only way we could afford Bissouma, is if Brighton get relegated, which looks very unlikely to happen now...would love him here though.

You know by the summer he'll have 2 years left on his contract, it's not that much. Transfermarkt says his value is 11m, they always underestimate, so I don't see why 30m isn't reasonable. If Brighton asked for 40m you'd be raising an eyebrow.

If the club put out messages to the player now that they want him then by the summer there'd probably be an understanding from Brighton that he can go. I bet a club like Liverpool would get him for 30m, why can't we. It's not like he's Grealish.

 

[Riou]

You know by the summer he'll have 2 years left on his contract, it's not that much. Transfermarkt says his value is 11m, they always underestimate, so I don't see why 30m isn't reasonable. If Brighton asked for 40m you'd be raising an eyebrow.

If the club put out messages to the player now that they want him then by the summer there'd probably be an understanding from Brighton that he can go. I bet a club like Liverpool would get him for 30m, why can't we. It's not like he's Grealish.

Just don't trust us to buy from another Premiership side that don't want to sell, certainly since Dein left...we don't really have the balls for it.

I think Brighton will put a big price on him as he's so important to them, he is their Partey...maybe if we get Champions League next year, but just think it's a signing we won't make.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Spending 30/40m (a huge chunk of our summer budget) on a player like Bissouma, that does all his best work behind the ball, when we only have ESR (a 20y/o) kid that can play ahead of the ball in midfield is a bit reckless imo. We need to sort that position out with a top quality player. Look at the players the rest of the top 6 have in that position...

I'm a big fan of Bissouma, but he's a luxury at this stage in my opinion.

 

[Macho]

Spending 30/40m (a huge chunk of our summer budget) on a player like Bissouma, that does all his best work behind the ball, when we only have ESR (a 20y/o) kid that can play ahead of the ball in midfield is a bit reckless imo. We need to sort that position out with a top quality player. Look at the players the rest of the top 6 have in that position...

I'm a big fan of Bissouma, but he's a luxury at this stage in my opinion.

Bissouma is an all rounder not a behind the ball player. I'm just saying what I would do personally, a cheaper alternative from another league is welcome, but then you have to worry about adaptation and the club's track record isn't good.

We all know what's going to happen next time Xhaka has one of his games, it's going to be another complete meltdown. Plus this team goes to hell whenever Partey isn't in it - it's not realistic long term.

If the funds are there, I would like an upgrade - compare many team's midfield to ours and it isn't good enough.

 

[dashsnow17]

Spending 30/40m (a huge chunk of our summer budget) on a player like Bissouma, that does all his best work behind the ball, when we only have ESR (a 20y/o) kid that can play ahead of the ball in midfield is a bit reckless imo. We need to sort that position out with a top quality player. Look at the players the rest of the top 6 have in that position...

I'm a big fan of Bissouma, but he's a luxury at this stage in my opinion.

I get you, and right now Partey & Xhaka look good and durable, but one swallow doesn't make a summer. We've been complaining about the midfield for ages, not just the CAM but the CM position too. I'm fine with the likes of Ceballos and Douzi as back-ups but they're likely going to leave. We can't play Partey and Xhaka for 90 mins every game all season, we need some quality in depth, no? If we can find a player as good as Bissouma for half the price then obviously do that.

I agree we need competition for ESR obviously. Let's see what happens with Ødegaard and then reassess in the summer.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Bissouma is an all rounder not a behind the ball player. I'm just saying what I would do personally, a cheaper alternative from another league is welcome, but then you have to worry about adaptation and the club's track record isn't good.

We all know what's going to happen next time Xhaka has one of his games, it's going to be another complete meltdown. Plus this team goes to hell whenever Partey isn't in it - it's not realistic long term.

If the funds are there, I would like an upgrade - compare many team's midfield to ours and it isn't good enough.

From what I've seen he does his best work behind the ball, he isn't really a number 8,
Quite similar to Partey in fact. If you want a 443 number 8 type player, you go for a Renato Sanches/Soumare/Wijnaldum type player that receive the ball higher up the pitch on the half turn.

The plan should be Partey and Xhaka together long term. Both have very good injury records (despite Parteys recent problems) so you should expect 50 odd games from the pair of them.

If there arefunds, I'd like an upgrade on every player we have, but we have to be selective. To me this season it's been obvious we've lacked quality in the final third, so let's go out and sign the best possible player in that area before we focus on other positions.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Put Xhaka next to Elneny or Ceballos consistently and then tell me what quality of player he is.

Playing next to Partey masks a lot of Xhaka's deficiencies, and that's good. He's played well recently in that partnership. Credit to him.

He's not a top 4 standard CM in himself though and that is very unlikely to change. That's the problem. We should be upgrading on him the first chance we get, though that's unlikely to happen this summer, admittedly.

It's not ideal and you can't fix the whole midfield in one window so extend Elneny this summer. He seems fine and happy as a 4th choice / Europa League level and upgrade on Xhaka to give Partey an equal to play alongside in our starting eleven. Then bring in a Ceballos replacement. 2 CM's ( One a starter and another rotation) in the summer shouldn't be beyond us.

 

[Macho]

I think as it stands we are always a Partey away from mediocrity. Xhaka should be an option but not one of the main starters, we have had X amount of years of that so I don't know how much of that I need to see personally.

I am up for an upgrade or the selling of Xhaka but that's just me. However, a midfielder in his late twenties there is a chance he's turned a corner but I personally don't buy it.

We are always one injury from all his deficiencies laid bare.

 

[MikelHadADream]

I get you, and right now Partey & Xhaka look good and durable, but one swallow doesn't make a summer. We've been complaining about the midfield for ages, not just the CAM but the CM position too. I'm fine with the likes of Ceballos and Douzi as back-ups but they're likely going to leave. We can't play Partey and Xhaka for 90 mins every game all season, we need some quality in depth, no? If we can find a player as good as Bissouma for half the price then obviously do that.

I agree we need competition for ESR obviously. Let's see what happens with Ødegaard and then reassess in the summer.

Depth is all well and good, but it's pointless having depth in one position and then being completely short in another. Xhaka and Partey have been really good together, I'm not sure how fans can complain about that pairing tbh. I'm a big believer in completing the first 11 before signing players for depth. I'd say CF, AM, CB and RB are all areas we should look to improve before worryong about who our back up CMs are.

Besides, both have very good injury records, so we should expect 40/50 odd games from the pair of them. Look at the amount of games Henderson and Wijnaldum have played for Liverpool over the last few years for example.

But yeah it's a bit too early to definitely say what players we should be going for in the summer.

 

[celestis]

Lol this is why Xhaka is Xhaka, he tricks everybody including the manager into thinking he’s turned a corner then he has a meltdown.

One pattern I’ve noticed is Partey raises the game of whoever he plays with (Elneny). I don’t know what the club will do with Xhaka now, I just wish they signed Partey earlier because that partnership looks legit.

I know personally I’d add Bissouma to the mix, so the midfield isn’t completely shot whenever Partey can’t play. I’d make Partey and Bissouma my first choice pairing and keep Xhaka as an option.

At the same time, selling a player whilst they have some value would be a nice change from the club.

Bissouma would be a smart buy

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

I think as it stands we are always a Partey away from mediocrity. Xhaka should be an option but not one of the main starters, we have had X amount of years of that so I don't know how much of that I need to see personally.

I am up for an upgrade or the selling of Xhaka but that's just me. However, a midfielder in his late twenties there is a chance he's turned a corner but I personally don't buy it.

We are always one injury from all his deficiencies laid bare.

Great post.

It's not just an injury to Partey either. We've seen enough evidence over the past 4.5 years that we're only ever a moment away from Xhaka self destructing or going totally off the boil for an extended duration.

A good month shouldn't blind us to what we've seen his whole career here. There's no reason to think he's suddenly transformed into a Top 4 midfielder.

 

[Macho]

Bissouma would be a smart buy

Yeah I mean, I'm kinda talking him up like he's the answer to everything - he's not.

24, league ready, offers what we need, he should be an obvious signing but he's almost an wishlist signing because of how tough the transfer market is for us.

Hopefully we get something of that mould done - doesn't have to be him. I'm expecting a clear out this summer anyways.

 

[Macho]

Great post.

It's not just an injury to Partey either. We've seen enough evidence over the past 4.5 years that we're only ever a moment away from Xhaka self destructing or going totally off the boil for an extended duration.

A good month shouldn't blind us to what we've seen his whole career here. There's no reason to think he's suddenly transformed into a Top 4 midfielder.

These players are kind of the worst in a way.

If he was straight up dogshit he would never play cause managers aren't dumb, but he always shows just enough quality to get persistence. You end up never kicking on.

In any case as you know I don't hate Xhaka, but yeah upgrade if possible.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Great post.

It's not just an injury to Partey either. We've seen enough evidence over the past 4.5 years that we're only ever a moment away from Xhaka self destructing or going totally off the boil for an extended duration.

A good month shouldn't blind us to what we've seen his whole career here. There's no reason to think he's suddenly transformed into a Top 4 midfielder.

He's improved a lot in that period, as players in his position and of his style do. I don't think in this case its wise judging him on past mistakes. He's a much different player at 28 than he was at 24.

We've gone through the growing pains with him, why throw all of that away now he is starting to put in good performances on a consistent basis? Makes no sense to me.

And to say he's only been good for a month is a bit disingenuous, he's been very solid ever since Arteta has come in. In fact the even under Emery, when he was playing next to Ramsey, he played well.

 

[Kysus]

Pirlo was always surrounded by topclass players that masked his deficiencies(Gattuso, Marchisio, Vidal, Pogba etc)
What's your point? Football is a teamsport. A good passer needs good runners, good runners need defensive players with good positional play.
People always expected Xhaka to be good at everything which is ridiculous, a player like that does not exist.
Xhaka and Partey works because they are both top-class players who complement each other(covering their weaknesses and increasing their strengths).

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Pirlo was always surrounded by topclass players that masked his deficiencies(Gattuso, Marchisio, Vidal, Pogba etc)
What's your point? Football is a teamsport. A good passer needs good runners, good runners need defensive players with good positional play.
People always expected Xhaka to be good at everything which is ridiculous, a player like that does not exist.
Xhaka and Partey works because they are both top-class players who complement each other(covering their weaknesses and increasing their strengths).

The difference is Pirlo was absolutely elite at the stuff he was good at. Having players around him to mask his physical limitations made sense. Xhaka is no-where near the level of talent that Pirlo was, to warrant that.

You build a team around Pirlo, you don't around Granit Xhaka.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Center back and defensive midfield take years of experience to master. A lot of it is down to reading the game, anticipation and decision making. The list of players that played their best football in their late 20s/30s in those positions is endless: Marcos Senna, Xabi Alonso, Thiago Motta, Fernandinho to name a few. I think we're now seeing that similar development with Xhaka.

And yes, before people mention it, Xhaka is a defensive midfielder (or a number 6).

 

[novar]

Xhaka is not having his deficiencies masked by Partey at all, he's quite simply outperforming him

Recent two games he was nowhere near Partey to be "covered", he had to babysit Cedric the whole time. One of those games Partey admitted he was ****, on the other he sent a nice ball to Saka and that was enough to cover a match where his passing became sloppy once again and we got eventually pinned back by a mediocre Wolves team until the red happened.

Give the lad credit, based on recent performances it'd be a no brainer to pick him over Partey if we had to choose.