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Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

Will Xhaka be here after the summer window?

  • Yes

    Votes: 38 55.1%
  • No

    Votes: 31 44.9%

  • Total voters
    69
  • Poll closed .
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Manberg

Predator
But he is neither intelligent nor does he read the game. He is doing it purely because of his inability.

Nonsense. For the record, Xhaka is able to dribble past the press I’ve seen it in previous seasons but he’s been doing it less lately because passing out of danger is both more effective and more reliable.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
This is my problem.

Someone came on here saying, “look at the stats, Xhaka is trash.”

Then when you question some of their accuracy suddenly the goalposts are moved and now the argument is if you can’t see it with your own eyes then you’re wrong, stats are useless.

That argument is flawed though because we’ve had four managers in his time here and he’s been one of the first names on the team sheet with apparently little desire to replace him or drop him.

Are we seeing things they’re not?
Because stats can be useful and misleading at the same time. Which stat tells the truth is what we are debating about.
David Luiz is the first name on teamsheet when he is fit? What does that say? He is a terrific player?
And seriously, who did we buy to compete with him? The biggest problem with him was he had just the right amount of mediocrity for us to always think that "Midfield is bad, but we have other more problematic areas"
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
Nonsense. For the record, Xhaka is able to dribble past the press I’ve seen it in previous seasons but he’s been doing it less lately because passing out of danger is both more effective and more reliable.
No. Because people he found that he looks comical when he does that, loses the ball and people make jokes about him on Twitter.
 

Manberg

Predator
No. Because people he found that he looks comical when he does that, loses the ball and people make jokes about him on Twitter.

I don’t know how to say this in a polite manner, but if you think dribbling when under pressure is a superior option to passing out of or around pressure then it only speaks volumes of your lack of tactical nous.
 

Rex Stone

Long live the fighters
Trusted ⭐

Country: Wales
Because stats can be useful and misleading at the same time. Which stat tells the truth is what we are debating about.
David Luiz is the first name on teamsheet when he is fit? What does that say? He is a terrific player?
And seriously, who did we buy to compete with him? The biggest problem with him was he had just the right amount of mediocrity for us to always think that "Midfield is bad, but we have other more problematic areas"

So any stat, regardless of its relevance is immediately discarded if it doesn’t say he’s sh*t? That’s sailing way passed biased opinion.

Also all of this is just speculation. None of us know the whole picture behind the scenes so you’re filling in the gaps with what suits your argument.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
I don’t know how to say this in a polite manner, but if you think dribbling when under pressure is a superior option to passing out of or around pressure then it only speaks volumes of your lack of tactical nous.
Good players who know to dribble under pressure can dribble. Mediocre dross who aren't capable of doing it shouldn't do it. Even a kid who wears football jersey should know it. Funny that Xhaka fans don't know it. Maybe Xhaka fans don't even know the rules of football.
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
So going off numbers rather than cherry picking statistics is now Trumpian gaslighting?

That's what you're doing, mate. I invited you guys to do a full analysis of Xhaka's contribution, showed examples of what more elite midfielders look like. Pointed out that elite midfielders are either having a stronger defensive contribution, having a more incisiveness in their passing, or both. The response I got was: all I need to is passing %, and one stat about passes made under pressure that in isolation means very little and which you've cherry-picked in the very definition of cherry-picking.

Seriously. I see term like press resistant being used randomly here. I like Ceballos but to call him press resistant because he did one brilliant turn and dribbled past the opposition midfielder is silly. 9 out of 10 times Ceballos tries to do exactly what Xhaka does which is try and make a first time pass when pressed. There is no "press resistant" player who can beat the press every time.

Well of course not. But then no one's saying that, are they? Being resistant to the press is a continuum, of course, like any quality, but it's of course a real quality/attribute, and an important one, or else people that coach or play football wouldn't talk so much about it both across various languages. We can all agree which players are press resistant: Thiago, Kroos, Kovacic, Rodri, etc. I thought we could all agree that Xhaka is not a press resistant player, but apparently we can't. I certainly thought it was self-evident to say that Ceballos is more press-resistant than Xhaka, but apparently not.

This is where your lack of tactical understanding comes in.

Bufff...I don't think it's such a good idea to be condescending when you are saying things that show a clear lack of football understanding like, "Xhaka is press resistant", "passing % is all I need to know," or in general, overrating the hell out of certain Arsenal players and showing little knowledge of their place in european football.

For the record, Xhaka is able to dribble past the press I’ve seen it in previous seasons but he’s been doing it less lately because passing out of danger is both more effective and more reliable.

Or like this. You're simply projecting qualities on to him that aren't there. Yes, Xhaka has dribbled a few times in his career out of a bit of pressure. Yes, Coquelin has made some nice long balls in his career. Is Xhaka press resistant or is dribbling out of the press or good close control under pressure a feature of his game? Absolutely not. Is good range of passing a feature of Coquelin's game? Equally, absolutely not.

A midfield of Xhaka, Partey and Aouar would be the best midfield in the premier league, if it gets done.

C'mon lads, this is the kind of stuff that makes us look idiotic as Arsenal fans! Let's watch more football and be aware of the sport more. Not only is this obviously a false statement (in no world is Xhaka, Partey, and Aouar better than Rodri, Gündogan/Bernardo/Foden, and De Bruyne, FFS), it just looks silly, much like saying Xhaka is one of the best DLPs in the world. You seem to be losing the plot a little bit in your fervent love for this player...
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
So any stat, regardless of its relevance is immediately discarded if it doesn’t say he’s sh*t? That’s sailing way passed biased opinion.

Also all of this is just speculation. None of us know the whole picture behind the scenes so you’re filling in the gaps with what suits your argument.
No one immediately discarded anything. We give you a reason and some deeper stats along with it. If that reason goes against your agenda and you find it hard to overcome your biased opinions, I can't help you.
Ha ha. Anyone who has some common sense can figure out what's happening. Why do you think we are going hard for Partey now? :lol:
 

AbouCuéllar

Author of A-M essays 📚
Why do you think we are going hard for Partey now?

To compliment the best DLP in the world, of course. Ceballos we just publicly made a show of talking about how important he was to us and signing on loan from the biggest club in the world so we can make him a squad player. :D Which makes sense if you think about it, because if we get Aouar and Partey along with the best DLP in the world we have the best midfield in the world, don't you know, so how is Ceballos gonna get into that!?

Let's not live in parallel realities lads...
 

Manberg

Predator
Good players who know to dribble under pressure can dribble. Mediocre dross who aren't capable of doing it shouldn't do it. Even a kid who wears football jersey should know it. Funny that Xhaka fans don't know it. Maybe Xhaka fans don't even know the rules of football.
And @AbouCuéllar;

I’ll give a go at spoon feeding you the information, here’s proof that Xhaka can dribble when he wants to:

4:20, 4:45, 5:04, 5:20, 6:59

0:43, 0:50, 1:13, 1:20, 1:30, 1:36, 1:50,

Those are simply the first 2 videos that came up when searching youtube for “Granit Xhaka”.

But like I said, passing out of danger is nearly always the preferred option.
The outstanding pass out of pressure at 1:26 in this recent game for Switzerland against Germany, for example.

But like I said, nothing wrong at all with passing backwards either.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
To compliment the best DLP in the world, of course. Ceballos we just publicly made a show of talking about how important he was to us and signing on loan from the biggest club in the world so we can make him a squad player. :D Which makes sense if you think about it, because if we get Aouar and Partey along with the best DLP in the world we have the best midfield in the world, don't you know, so how is Ceballos gonna get into that!?

Let's not live in parallel realities lads...
Hearing that Ceballos plans to terminate contract if we sign Partey.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
And @AbouCuéllar;

I’ll give a go at spoon feeding you the information, here’s proof that Xhaka can dribble when he wants to:

4:20, 4:45, 5:04, 5:20, 6:59

0:43, 0:50, 1:13, 1:20, 1:30, 1:36, 1:50,

Those are simply the first 2 videos that came up when searching youtube for “Granit Xhaka”.

But like I said, passing out of danger is nearly always the preferred option.
The outstanding pass out of pressure at 1:26 in this recent game for Switzerland against Germany, for example.

But like I said, nothing wrong at all with passing backwards either.
Only people who lack football knowledge base their opinions on compilation videos. We watch matches and come up with opinions.
 

Manberg

Predator
Only people who lack football knowledge base their opinions on compilation videos. We watch matches and come up with opinions.

Clearly you don’t, if you never noticed Xhaka attempting a dribble. Or rather, you have your agenda glasses on and are oblivious to any positive contribution Xhaka makes.
 

Rex Stone

Long live the fighters
Trusted ⭐

Country: Wales
Ha ha. Anyone who has some common sense can figure out what's happening. Why do you think we are going hard for Partey now? :lol:

Bruh if you genuinely look forward to Xhaka sitting on the bench all year I’ve got some bad news for you.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
Clearly you don’t, if you never noticed Xhaka attempting a dribble. Or rather, you have your agenda glasses on and are oblivious to any positive contribution Xhaka makes.
One doesn't have to wear glasses to see that he is a clown. All you need is some football knowledge.
 

RacingPhoton

Established Member
Bruh if you genuinely look forward to Xhaka sitting on the bench all year I’ve got some bad news for you.
If we do not sign a midfielder, it's definitely not going to happen. If we do sign a good one, the transition would happen slowly. But if don't improve our midfield, we will not get into top 4.
 

Godwin1

Very well-known
The stats actually indicate that he's seeing less of the ball under Arteta, he's passing the ball forward less and carrying it forward less. He's also taking less risky passes more often. I'm fairly certain he see's Xhaka as upgradable but bigger issues persist with the team.
 

Rex Stone

Long live the fighters
Trusted ⭐

Country: Wales
If we do not sign a midfielder, it's definitely not going to happen. If we do sign a good one, the transition would happen slowly. But if don't improve our midfield, we will not get into top 4.

I mean do you really think he’ll be a squad player though?

I’m seeing you both saying Guendo - Ceballos would be a better pairing but don't think any manager has gone with those two together over Xhaka when all three have been fit and eligible.

More likely is that Arteta drops the third CB than drops Xhaka. There’s no precedent for him being anything other than a key player for Mikel.
 
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