Gabriel Magalhães: O Monstro

[2Smokeyy]

He always had his critics on here despite being our talisman. So there’s that. Then when he abused the armband, a few more joined the crew. Then when we started looking twice the team without him, even less people gave a toss about him. It’s not as much about ‘fair’ in his case as how a cookie crumbles. It doesn’t always have to be ‘unfair’. His initial criticism was imo, but the rest is life..

I agree the initial criticism was very harsh but even some were quick to join on the Auba out brigade before they even knew what really occurred, even to this day it’s quite harsh to make a proper judgement as nothing is concrete.

I was expecting a player like Auba that had arguably single handedly won us the FA Cup and got us 20+ goals a season in an underachieving side to have a bit more credit and not get bankrupt so quickly.

Why should players loyalty be questioned if fans/club can turn on them in the blink of an eye?

 

[2Smokeyy]

My police shift is over now anyway. As you were 👁

You clearly just want Xhaka in cuffs and you’ll do it at any costs.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

Nonsense, Xhaka and Gabriel are not equivalent cases. He made a mistake, Xhaka has had a 20 year career worth of brain farts in 5 years. If Gabriel singlehandedly destroys our team for 5 years straight I’ll be the first one on him. Xhaka is average give me a stat of one thing he does on the pitch well? What is he good at ?

 

[2Smokeyy]

By your logic of criticising Gabriel, the Auba abuse is fair...as technically the ones going after Auba, are on your side...as they are judging all players equally, regardless of what they have done in the past

That’s my point though, Auba has been treated in that way already and even though I wasn’t a fan, I accept it. Therefore, I expect consistency with every single one of those that start for us week in week out.

The Xhaka out mob flooding this thread right now just proves my point.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

That’s my point though, Auba has been treated in that way already and even though I wasn’t a fan, I accept it. Therefore, I expect consistency with every single one of those that start for us week in week out.

The Xhaka out mob flooding this thread right now just proves my point.

Apples to Apples. Nobody commended him and a lot of people criticized Gabriel. The fact that one person is a serial offender makes a huge difference, if someone gets caught for a crime over and over again the law punished him much differently than one or two poor performances. Simply not comparing two similar cases

 

[Jury]

I agree the initial criticism was very harsh but even some were quick to join on the Auba out brigade before they even knew what really occurred, even to this day it’s quite harsh to make a proper judgement as nothing is concrete.

I was expecting a player like Auba that had arguably single handedly won us the FA Cup and got us 20+ goals a season in an underachieving side to have a bit more credit and not get bankrupt so quickly.

Why should players loyalty be questioned if fans/club can turn on them in the blink of an eye?

Is it as bad as you’re making out or is it just a case of him being yesterdays news in light of our apparent turnaround in form and hope for the future… most probably without him? As a big fan of his, I can’t lie, I’m moving to the side that would look beyond him now for the greater good, but then I’ve been an advocate of Laca over Auba for some time now for the greater good. It’s clear we need a proper no.9 and we can’t waste Martinelli. It seems a sad end if it goes that way, but as fans, we won’t give a toss. He served an amazing purpose, made bank and he’ll toddle off in his Lambo.

To be honest here, can you imagine Mikel doing this to a completely innocent captan and much loved Auba in full view of his teammates? That could have disastrous dressing room consequences. Doesn’t seem plausible at all imo.

 

[Jury]

You clearly just want Xhaka in cuffs and you’ll do it at any costs.

I’m long over Xhaka tbh. As one of his first detractors on AM, I’d have to be by now I’ve made about two posts in his thread n 6 months. We all know what we get with him now. We’re all 98% in agreement on him. The only debate now regarding Xhaka is whether posters are being consistent in other threads with their criticism of other players… . If that’s not a damning indictment , then I don’t know what is

 

[Farzad Stoned]

By the way Auba was rightly dropped our attack was turgid and he was not scoring or creating. Nobody took joy in it, he has been poor by his standards for 18 months before he got the drop. He was poor last year as well and Arteta stuck with him maybe too long if anything. I am not a big fan of pulling the armband or trashing the guy in the media but for 18 months he really hasn’t earned his place in the side. So it is bizarre that Auba is brought up as if the club and fans were unfair to him in some way, unfair to Xhaka; but for some reason we like Gabriel? Auba and Xhaka have 3 times the match experience at least of Gabriel. One guy has been bad for 5 years another 18 months; both deserved criticism and both deserve a spot on the bench, one sending off isn’t the same thing especially when Gabby has been great otherwise.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Who was dropping their stocks on Gabriel? If that’s referring to me, I’ve never said I was ready to do that. Like I said earlier, I’m a massive fan of Gabriel and I was even holding back any criticism for any single player after that performance but certain individuals on here pushed my buttons.

All I really asked for was consistency but I can also respect and understand that I’ll never get that with Xhaka especially as the relationship between some fans is irreparable.

Some posters were saying Gabriel is no longer a top CB or even suggested White was the superior defender. All because Gabby lost his head. Not necessarily you bro.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Is it as bad as you’re making out or is it just a case of him being yesterdays news in light of our apparent turnaround in form and hope for the future… most probably without him? As a big fan of his, I can’t lie, I’m moving to the side that would look beyond him now for the greater good, but then I’ve been an advocate of Laca over Auba for some time now for the greater good. It’s clear we need a proper no.9 and we can’t waste Martinelli. It seems a sad end if it goes that way, but as fans, we won’t give a toss. He served an amazing purpose, made bank and he’ll toddle off in his Lambo.

To be honest here, can you imagine Mikel doing this to a completely innocent captan and much loved Auba in full view of his teammates? That could have disastrous dressing room consequences. Doesn’t seem plausible at all imo.

Mikel doing that? That wouldn’t surprise me, at all but in all seriousness, of course there was reasoning behind him getting dropped/stripped off the captaincy and I understand that however the knives were sharpened long before that as lot of fans were on standby to jump on the Auba out brigade before the news even broke. To this day the situation is full unclear as Auba has remained professional and hasn’t shared his side of the story. He could have easily gone down the Özil route and done sly indirects on social media or through his agent.

Anyways, I agree that it’s a very sad way for him to end his Arsenal career especially as we didn’t make use of when he was at the top of his game and getting 20+ goals in the PL but hopefully he can secure a decent move away from here.

 

[2Smokeyy]

I’m long over Xhaka tbh. As one of his first detractors on AM, I’d have to be by now I’ve made about two posts in his thread n 6 months. We all know what we get with him now. We’re all 98% in agreement on him. The only debate now regarding Xhaka is whether posters are being consistent in other threads with their criticism of other players… . If that’s not a damning indictment , then I don’t know what is

That point is nothing new, I even made it last season but maybe you didn’t come across it as it was hidden between all of those negative posts in the Xhaka thread.

Regardless of what 98% of the people think, even the biggest Xhaka hater can’t dispute that’s he’s currently our best midfielder as Thomas Partey has been underperforming (excluding the game yesterday).

 

[Farzad Stoned]

That point is nothing new, I even made it last season but maybe you didn’t come across it as it was hidden between all of those negative posts in the Xhaka thread.

Regardless of what 98% of the people think, even the biggest Xhaka hater can’t dispute that’s he’s currently our best midfielder as Thomas Partey has been underperforming (excluding the game yesterday).

I dispute it, I’ll take Partey slumping over peak Xhaka any day. Partey was quite good last three or four matches. Who has more tackles? Partey does. who has more red cards and pens? Xhaka does. Xhaka is not good at anything, tell me what he is good at

 

[Riou]

Xhaka has been good recently, but he hasn't been better than Partey, even with Thomas being very up and down.

Partey has had numerous excellent games this season...City, Sp**s, Leicester, Villa, West Ham.

Xhaka was also quality v Sp**s, West Ham and City...but has also had a lot of poor games this season...he hid in the first game v Brentford, put us in the **** in the first game against City with a stupid red, then missed a big chunk of games with injury.

Even when he came back, he gave the ball away v Southampton a ton in the first half of that game...and was just as bad as Thomas in the defeat against Everton.

Partey has had poor games too, but has had more great ones than Xhaka.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

Ps Ødegaard has been great as well you think Xhaka has been better than Ode? So far that is two, as for Sambi we have no idea if he is better hasn’t been given 250 or so matches like one guy has and failed miserably to grow as a player after 200 some odd matches

 

[2Smokeyy]

By the way Auba was rightly dropped our attack was turgid and he was not scoring or creating. Nobody took joy in it, he has been poor by his standards for 18 months before he got the drop. He was poor last year as well and Arteta stuck with him maybe too long if anything. I am not a big fan of pulling the armband or trashing the guy in the media but for 18 months he really hasn’t earned his place in the side. So it is bizarre that Auba is brought up as if the club and fans were unfair to him in some way, unfair to Xhaka; but for some reason we like Gabriel? Auba and Xhaka have 3 times the match experience at least of Gabriel. One guy has been bad for 5 years another 18 months; both deserved criticism and both deserve a spot on the bench, one sending off isn’t the same thing especially when Gabby has been great otherwise.

Please go back and read my post regarding why I mentioned Auba in this debate. It was regarding leeway that we give players and personally I feel he has earned that.

So Auba is to blame for the team creating once chance per game? I’m not having that. Collectively the team was poor last season and even for Auba’s standards a so called “poor season” for his standard he still scored 15 goals in all competitions, that’s the sort of numbers that Lacazette and Giroud were getting. He got hooked and he still has the same amount as goal as Harry Kane in the PL this season.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

Please go back a read my post regarding why I mentioned Auba in this debate. It was regarding leeway that we give players and personally I feel he has earned that.

So Auba is to blame for the team creating once chance per game? I’m not having that. Collectively the team was poor last season and even for Auba’s standards a so called “poor season” for his standard he still scored 15 goals in all competitions, that’s the sort of numbers that Lacazette and Giroud were getting. He got hooked and he still has the same amount as goal as Harry Kane in the PL this season.

So what you know Kane has been awful, they stuck with him that is Conte rating or not rating options behind him. It isn’t just dumb luck our attack improved when he went to bench, he earned the benching for an 18 month drop in form, man doesn’t pay 400k for a month for the way he played last 18 months and if your honest with yourself you know that. I defended the guy up until quite recently. And if anything the fans have been pretty kind to him.

Let me ask you a question do you think Gabby has been good this season? If so then this game gets criticism he was foolish, I’ll say it now, unlike many I didn’t blame the refs. But doesn’t he get more leeway than a serial offender like Xhaka who is pushing 30 and goes off reservation 3-4 times a year for 5 years? What is unfair in this disparate treatment it is logic based.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

Sic 400k a week

 

[2Smokeyy]

Xhaka has been good recently, but he hasn't been better than Partey, even with Thomas being very up and down.

Partey has had numerous excellent games this season...City, Sp**s, Leicester, Villa, West Ham.

Xhaka was also quality v Sp**s, West Ham and City...but has also had a lot of poor games this season...he hid in the first game v Brentford, put us in the **** in the first game against City with a stupid red, then missed a big chunk of games with injury.

Even when he came back, he gave the ball away v Southampton a ton in the first half of that game...and was just as bad as Thomas in the defeat against Everton.

Partey has had poor games too, but has had more great ones than Xhaka.

This sort of assessment to judge players is slightly unfair as it’s not a true reflection of how poor those games were.

You seem to have forgotten that United game when Partey was playing like BTEC Amartey? That was an absolute disasterclass. Brighton at the Amex? He was getting toss around by Pascal Groß and Lallana. 4-0 loss at Anfield? He looked like the inexperienced kid alongside Lokonga.

Partey has been poor to his standards this season, I knew this one game that he played well would get people like you acting like this. I even predicted it a few weeks back

 

[Riou]

This sort of assessment to judge players is slightly unfair as it’s not a true reflection of how poor those games were.

You seem to have forgotten that United game when Partey was playing like BTEC Amartey? That was an absolute disasterclass. Brighton at the Amex? He was getting toss around by Pascal Groß and Lallana. 4-0 loss at Anfield? He looked like the inexperienced kid alongside Lokonga.

Partey has been poor to his standards this season, I knew this one game that he played well would get people like you acting like this. I even predicted it a few weeks back

Xhaka would have got battered in all those away games, it's no coincidence our away form went down the toilet when we signed him...the only thing that saved him from a mauling v Pool or Brighton, was injury.

I am happy with both this season, overall they have been a decent pair for us...they seem to get the best out of eachother, though I feel Partey does do more for Xhaka...if Granit can play well without Partey this month (especially the Sp**s game) then I will hold my hands up.

Partey has had some very good games this season, the City game was his best but it hasn't been a one off...we wouldn't be in the position to challenge for Champions League football if he was as bad as people make out.

 

[2Smokeyy]

So what you know Kane has been awful, they stuck with him that is Conte rating or not rating options behind him. It isn’t just dumb luck our attack improved when he went to bench, he earned the benching for an 18 month drop in form, man doesn’t pay 400k for a month for the way he played last 18 months and if your honest with yourself you know that. I defended the guy up until quite recently. And if anything the fans have been pretty kind to him.

Let me ask you a question do you think Gabby has been good this season? If so then this game gets criticism he was foolish, I’ll say it now, unlike many I didn’t blame the refs. But doesn’t he get more leeway than a serial offender like Xhaka who is pushing 30 and goes off reservation 3-4 times a year for 5 years? What is unfair in this disparate treatment it is logic based.

So you really think that our lack of creativity was mainly down to Auba? I’ll give you that Lacazette being in the team now has balanced out our play and he has done really well. I still don’t think Auba is main reason why we’ve failed to created chances, it’s was obviously a systematic issue as we’ve created chances in the past with Auba scoring 20+ goals in the PL, this isn’t Space Jam whereby he miraculously loses his ability overnight.

In terms of Martinelli, he wasn’t even in Arteta’s plans initially and very few on here were making a fuss about him starting games for us but now everyone seems to be on the bandwagon. Interesting

Anyways, I don’t want to repeat myself multiple times but I’ve already said I won’t be criticising players based on that game yesterday including that Martinelli miss as that’s the best I’ve seen us play in a while and we were cheated.