Country: USA
Player:Saliba
Agree with you guys.
Interesting that he made a few runs into the box. A completely new dimension to our attack if he can do it consistently.
I’d prefer him to shoot more often tbh
Agree with you guys.
Interesting that he made a few runs into the box. A completely new dimension to our attack if he can do it consistently.
Ramsey is gone. we need someone else to fill that gap.
no offense taken. Yeah, we do get caught high up the pitch.Promise I’m not picking on you.
The Ramsey model is defunct and a big reason why teams have been able to drive a truck through our midfield over the last few years. With some productive wide forwards staying wide, midfield runs at the expense of defensive stability will be less required.
Blatant lies, the pun is always intended(no pun intended)
Too many lapses in concentration to be considered a top midfielder. He puts the opposition in twice a game with his botched square passes from inside our half. Should be a squad player. We need better.
While I don't think he's a great player, he definitely falls into the category of good enough players. Selling him won't make a difference to our budget.If we can find a better player I want Xhaka sold to be honest. Partly because I don't think he's top class and partly to raise funds.
If Kroenke isn't going to dip his hands in his pockets and we don't get CL football then I think we should sell some of our "good but flawed" players to get money to reinvest in the squad.
His reputation outstrips his performances so he should be able to fetch a good price.
While I don't think he's a great player, he definitely falls into the category of good enough players. Selling him won't make a difference to our budget.
Vermaelen before his injuries would be the closest thing to what Xhaka is today, good player on his day with some flaws when it's not his day.Be honest, how damaging do you think it would be to the side if Granit Xhaka left and we replaced him?
Off-topic: It's an inconsistent list, that's unfair on especially Clichy*, but also Walcott and Song (we were very close to knocking out the best Barcelona side ever with all 3 of them in the first 11). I'd give my arm to have Clichy, Song and a young Walcott (yes, before the injuries he was very dangerous, and made his mark in several big games) back in our squad.Define good enough? To me, he's in the same group as Walcott, Song, Coquelin, Clichy, Vermaelen and Gibbs. A bunch of flawed players who we didn't miss one iota when they left.
Be honest, how damaging do you think it would be to the side if Granit Xhaka left and we replaced him?
EDIT:
I'm not saying that they were bad players for us or that Xhaka is bad. Clichy went on to win the league after all, although Man City could have played one of us at LB and still won the league. They just weren't as good as Wenger thought they were or wanted them to become.
Off-topic: It's an inconsistent list, that's unfair on especially Clichy*, but also Walcott and Song (we were very close to knocking out the best Barcelona side ever with all 3 of them in the first 11). I'd give my arm to have Clichy, Song and a young Walcott (yes, before the injuries he was very dangerous, and made his mark in several big games) back in our squad.
On-topic: I get the point, Xhaka can be replaced without people noticing. I agree that Xhaka has 1-2 big flaws (very slow, and often commits serious mistakes in key positions), and in the mid-term future he is a player we should improve on, but unless we can pull out another Torreira from somewhere, I'm doubful we could replace him properly right now without having to over-spend on what we receive for him. I also love his mentality, he looks like a natural leader and that's something we need.
*Fun fact: We conceded only 31 goals in 2007/08 with Clichy playing 38 games in the defense. That is how many goals we have already conceded so far this season.
Am I being unfair? Your first paragraph, IMO, epitomizes why the club went 9 years without a trophy. Our team back then was dross (Silvestre, Denilson, Almunia), one or two world class players (Fabregas, Van Persie) and too many guys who were good but not good enough (Walcot, Song, Fabianski). Sure Walcott had his uses and Song wasn't a bad DM but clinging on to those two stopped us from signing better players. I'm not knocking them, they just weren't good enough to be starters for a title winning team.
The club gets way too attached to these type of players instead of being ruthless and improving on them when the opportunity arises. You also know that when the shoe is on the other foot, these same players have no qualms about leaving us high and dry. We're being loyal to the guys we have now but how long do you think it would take Mustafi to get to the airport if his agent told him Real Madrid or Barcelona wanted him?
Walcott did have a knack for scoring in big games and was our top scorer for a season. All that means to me is that we should have sold him for a big fee and got in someone else. The only thing Theo was really good at was finishing and using his pace. Average in every other department. He could have used his skills to become a dangerous Wideman but was too fixated on becoming the next Michael Owen
I don't think Xhaka is a leader. He has way too many lapses in concentration. Was it against Watford last season where he was standing around picking his nose while they scored? He just isn't switched on enough.
Your last paragraph is more of an indictment on our current defence than it is praise for Clichy. There is also a difference between better than what we have and good enough to be where we want to be. Example, Giroud was a far better striker for us than Chamakh. The former still wasn't good enough to be our first choice.
EDIT:
Speaking of players who left us first chance they got. Remember City's tunnel cam? Players are standing in the tunnel. Wenger walks past Clichy and totally ignores him. leading Clichy turns to another City player and tells him, "its only been 9 years" referring to the time him and Arséne have known each other. Clichy's departure was kind of sudden IIRC, something must have happened there for him to leave just like that and Wenger to blank him because Wenger is usually ambicable with ex players.