Granit Xhaka: 2019/20 Performances

[Mrs Bergkamp]

He had a competent game but for me, he doesn't add enough zip. Yes, he's the one who controls the game best but we are too slow anyway. He had decent spurts forward but Bruno at Utd has been more effective in three months than Xhaka has in four years. Our best play has come with a physically and/or technically dominant midfielder and he's neither. We bin all the senior midfielders and start again imo.

 

[Football Manager]

He had a competent game but for me, he doesn't add enough zip. Yes, he's the one who controls the game best but we are too slow anyway. He had decent spurts forward but Bruno at Utd has been more effective in three months than Xhaka has in four years. Our best play has come with a physically and/or technically dominant midfielder and he's neither. We bin all the senior midfielders and start again imo.

Why many here think slowing down play is bad? Many teams that play entertaining football has slow tempo and patience build up. By being patience you would have complete control and possession.

Xhaka of course is not the best and can be replaced. I would love to have Tonali in place of Xhaka. But slowing down play is not a bad thing.

Playing tempo is just a choice.
You could play at a high tempo with boring hoof ball that rush everything and trying luck.
Or you could choose to play at a slow tempo, build up patiently with beautiful passes and entertaining football, like Spain or Barcelona.

 

[Big Poppa]

Why many here think slowing down play is bad? Many teams that play entertaining football has slow tempo and patience build up. By being patience you would have complete control and possession.
Xhaka of course is not the best and can be replaced. I would love to have Tonali in place of Xhaka. But slowing down play is not a bad thing.

It’s easy to confuse reducing risk with avoiding risk. We’re doing the latter.

 

[Football Manager]

It’s easy to confuse reducing risk with avoiding risk. We’re doing the latter.

Progress play patiently with possession. Take slightly more risks in the middle of the pitch, take more risks in the final third, like Barcelona, like Spain.

 

[Big Poppa]

Progress play patiently with possession. Take slightly more risks in the middle of the pitch, take more risks in the final third, like Barcelona, like Spain.

They decelerate to accelerate play. Even in attack. The deceleration is deliberate, to draw the press. The passing is crisp. To every player’s strong foot. Ball out of feet with first touch. Full backs switching play. You’ll see forward players constantly making sharp, precise movements. It’s slow but it’s sharp.

That’s not what we’ve been doing.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Why many here think slowing down play is bad? Many teams that play entertaining football has slow tempo and patience build up. By being patience you would have complete control and possession.
Xhaka of course is not the best and can be replaced. I would love to have Tonali in place of Xhaka. But slowing down play is not a bad thing.

Let me rephrase. Slow play with no purpose or due to a lack of ideas or slow thinking is simply awful. So many times do you hear managers say that the ball needed to be moved quicker. Slow play to run down time is fine but we play slow and allow the opposition to get ten behind the ball which we struggle to break down.

 

[Football Manager]

Let me rephrase. Slow play with no purpose or due to a lack of ideas or slow thinking is simply awful. So many times do you hear managers say that the ball needed to be moved quicker. Slow play to run down time is fine but we play slow and allow the opposition to get ten behind the ball which we struggle to break down.

That’s why slow play has to be executed as Big Poppa says. And Arteta could make that work.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

That’s why slow play has to be executed as Big Poppa says. And Arteta could make that work.

@Big Poppa is correct and as he says, its not what we have been doing. You need technically gifted, quick moving and quick thinking players to execute the Barca/Spain model. We don't have that in Xhaka or any first team midfielder so Arteta will not be able to do anything without new players.

 

[Leo_ense_]

Captain Xhaka

 

[MutableEarth]

They decelerate to accelerate play. Even in attack. The deceleration is deliberate, to draw the press. The passing is crisp. To every player’s strong foot. Ball out of feet with first touch. Full backs switching play. You’ll see forward players constantly making sharp, precise movements. It’s slow but it’s sharp.

That’s not what we’ve been doing.

That, and also - we do not play in Spain.

 

[MutableEarth]

Very solid game, great finish for his goal. Have to say, he's made us a lot more structured in midfield since returning.

 

[Jury]

He was alright. Started well but flattened out. Acceptable. A goal helps a lot.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

He keep improving under mikel and its crazy because he was close to leave in January. I don't want to give him Captain armband again yes he is a leader but it's just add unneeded pressure in him

 

[MikelHadADream]

Very solid again. Not really surprising tbh, defensive midfielders really only come of age at around 27/28.

 

[MD3 Gunner]

Another solid performance from our captain. Honestly with the way he’s playing, a midfield duo of him and Partey should not be legal.

 

[RunTheTrap]

There was a moment in the first half when he received the ball on the turn, got pressed but Norwich were too toothless to endanger us. And it made me think. He hasn't really changed, his luck has improved tremendously though.

Nice goal from the Granit Xavi I must say. I didn't know he had it in him to get into the box like that, I liked that. However, I think that goal kinda gassed him up. Moments later he was doing the same dumb stuff and invited Norwich to almost score. Overall, I'm pleased for his redemption arc. Even a Xhaka hater such as myself become a sucker for a redemption arc. But I hope we all realise if we want to be a serious club again he needs to be benched.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

It was Norwich.

Zero press and we managed endless run behind. Tons of space.

Xhaka always looks good on days like this.

 

[Tourbillion]

Solid enough but still needs upgrading on.

 

[Shalmaneser V]

It was Norwich.

Zero press and we managed endless run behind. Tons of space.

Xhaka always looks good on days like this.

Yeah typical fair-weather performance from Xhaka and the team. When the pressures off, so are the shackles.

 

[Manberg]

This place You guys cant appreciate Xhaka without bringing up some weaknesses in the same sentence. What player doesn’t have weaknesses? Xhaka is a great player and still being under appreciated, even in the little things he does. The agenda is on. Some guy is even comparing him with Bruno Fernandes. They’re nothing alike. Xhaka is more like Xavi.

I have trouble agreeing with @Football Manager because he likes to praise Xhaka while criticising Ramsey. I don’t agree with that because Ramsey is/was world class.