Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

[simba]

Hiding was a bit strong. How about standing tactically in position whist a CB does the actually play making from our box. Simba was making it sound like he does all the play making alone. The improved job he's done over the last couple of months don't mask his flaws either. Every player gets criticised. It's the "ban" on having anything but a loved up opinion on this guy that gets me.

I said no such thing. I said that he does a lot of defensive work and his role is primarily focussed on transitions, defending and finding players in space. Assisting is a bonus. Of course, ball playing defenders are given the license to play long balls and find players in space too. It’s even easier for them because they have more space.

We were comparing Xhaka’s assists to Wilshere, Ox and Rosicky. I admired Wilshere and Rosicky but the argument to put Xhaka’s impressive numbers down due to playing more minutes is a fallacy because those players mentioned are tasked with assisting and scoring, but he is not.

As for opinions on Xhaka, most opinions I see on twitter have always been heavily against him.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I said no such thing. I said that he does a lot of defensive work and his role is primarily focussed on transitions, defending and finding players in space. Assisting is a bonus. Of course, ball playing defenders are given the license to play long balls and find players in space too. It’s even easier for them because they have more space.

We were comparing Xhaka’s assists to Wilshere, Ox and Rosicky. I admired Wilshere and Rosicky but the argument to put Xhaka’s impressive numbers down due to playing more minutes is a fallacy because those players mentioned are tasked with assisting and scoring, but he is not.

As for opinions on Xhaka, most opinions I see on twitter have always been heavily against him.

It was what you implied. I guess I didn't faint with joy at his assist record do you jumped on me and waved the DLP card. When I pointed out that DLP duty is shared, you've jumped on something else. I generally ignore your posts and only engaged because you targeted me first. Keep moving those goal posts. I've no idea what you're on about and I dont get what your saying either

 

[simba]

If you're Manberg, I think you said, in another incarnation, that you need a high iq to appreciate Xhaka. You're obviously too clever to get any point I make. For clarity, the Xavi mention was to illustrate a player through whom most of the game passes. That's not Xhaka. He is not setting up the majority of our plays from deep. This is shared and this DLP stuff always comes up to disguise any stats his followers don't like. I'll continue to believe what I want but thanks for the insight.
Yawn

It’s not about “setting up the play” it’s about controlling the tempo, transitioning and distributing the ball to players in space. Xavi was excellent. He was also notorious for sideways passing but sideways passing is not a bad thing, it’s a key part of a possession based game.

If you want to compare Xhaka to his modern day counterparts, his competition is Rodri at City, Thiago at Liverpool, Jorginho at Chelsea, Fred at Utd, and Hojberg at Sp**s. Xhaka is doing very well for himself. In the summer many considered Thiago to be the best DLP in the world but he’s been very exposed at Liverpool this season. It’s because they all need players next to them who will do the running for them. Anyone in those positions without such partners get exposed, even a Xavi or a Pirlo if they were in this league. Xavi had Busquets. Pirlo had Gattuso and more.

When Torreira did defensive duties in a Xhaka, Torreira and Özil midfield we did very well. Injuries broke it up then Emery decided to pay Torreira as an AM for some reason. Wenger set Xhaka up to fail (defensively) because he used him wrongly, as a sole DM.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

It’s not about “setting up the play” it’s about controlling the tempo, transitioning and distributing the ball to players in space. Xavi was excellent. He was also notorious for sideways passing but sideways passing is not a bad thing, it’s a key part of a possession based game.

If you want to compare Xhaka to his modern day counterparts, his competition is Rodri at City, Thiago at Liverpool, Jorginho at Chelsea, Fred at Utd, and Hojberg at Sp**s. Xhaka is doing very well for himself. In the summer many considered Thiago to be the best DLP in the world but he’s been very exposed at Liverpool this season. It’s because they all need players next to them who will do the running for them. Anyone in those positions without such partners get exposed, even a Xavi or a Pirlo if they were in this league. Xavi had Busquets. Pirlo had Gattuso and more.

Are you Manberg? Answer yes or no so I can swerve in the future. Stopped at setting the (slowest, dullest) tempo LOL. Too bored to bother. Cheers.

 

[simba]

Are you Manberg? Answer yes or no so I can swerve in the future. Stopped at setting the (slowest, dullest) tempo LOL. Too bored to bother. Cheers.

I make so much effort in my posts. Why I’m not trusted I don’t know

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I make so much effort in my posts. Why I’m not trusted I don’t know

Sleep well Manberg.

 

[Godwin1]

I make so much effort in my posts. Why I’m not trusted I don’t know

@American_Gooner feed him to the pigs mate.

 

[RunTheTrap]

He done well in the first half but the second half tells me exactly why he should be replaced. Very very easy for Leeds to get in behind our midfield and toy with him and Cellabos.
Xhaka should be moved on this summer. Despite his “resurgence” we need to go a different direction. We really need to fix our midfield. We’re most likely going to finish with no European football and it’s very hard to justify giving Granit a new contract when you’ve already committed a lot of money to Partey. Go for someone younger and less flawed to partner Thomas. 2 CL midfielders is better than having 1 and 1 Europa level one. Regarding depth. We’re playing once a week next season (except for cup competitions). Teams normally do better when they rotate less. Look we might as well do a Leicester or Chelsea, maybe not win the league but we should rally aim to push ourselves up the table.

 

[simba]

Plays better with Partey but still excellent even without Partey. Agenda merchants were salty yesterday, they were hoping to be proved right but instead proved wrong yet again. Xhaka hardly put a foot wrong all game.

 

[DubbedTheNewWenger]

It’s not about “setting up the play” it’s about controlling the tempo, transitioning and distributing the ball to players in space. Xavi was excellent. He was also notorious for sideways passing but sideways passing is not a bad thing, it’s a key part of a possession based game.

If you want to compare Xhaka to his modern day counterparts, his competition is Rodri at City, Thiago at Liverpool, Jorginho at Chelsea, Fred at Utd, and Hojberg at Sp**s. Xhaka is doing very well for himself. In the summer many considered Thiago to be the best DLP in the world but he’s been very exposed at Liverpool this season. It’s because they all need players next to them who will do the running for them. Anyone in those positions without such partners get exposed, even a Xavi or a Pirlo if they were in this league. Xavi had Busquets. Pirlo had Gattuso and more.

When Torreira did defensive duties in a Xhaka, Torreira and Özil midfield we did very well. Injuries broke it up then Emery decided to pay Torreira as an AM for some reason. Wenger set Xhaka up to fail (defensively) because he used him wrongly, as a sole DM.

You're so deluded it's painful.
Xhaka is basically the Swiss version of Denilson. Let's keep it a buck.
You should be put in jail and afterwards hung in public for even bringing up Xavi's name alongside this fraud.

 

[Ash10]

That 2nd half performance is exactly why he should be replaced. Leeds stepped up & this guy became invisible as expected

& there is another manberg account now? Wasn’t he a baguette or something?

 

[simba]

That 2nd half performance is exactly why he should be replaced. Leeds stepped up & this guy became invisible as expected

& there is another manberg account now? Wasn’t he a baguette or something?

What did he do wrong in the second half? It was Ceballos that dropped off and made mistakes (who was superb in the first). Leeds’s second goal was Ceballos’s runner to track.

 

[simba]

This is abhorrent and proof of the damage the despicable agenda has done:

https://www.skysports.com/football/...abused-granit-xhaka-online-according-to-study

 

[Big Poppa]

Hiding was a bit strong. How about standing tactically in position whist a CB does the actually play making from our box. Simba was making it sound like he does all the play making alone. The improved job he's done over the last couple of months don't mask his flaws either. Every player gets criticised. It's the "ban" on having anything but a loved up opinion on this guy that gets me.

Not entirely wrong. Xhaka’s only comfortable when play is directly in front of him.

He should be getting compared with Ndidi, Rice, Hojberg, McTominay, Allan etc not Thiago Xavi, Pirlo who can pivot like a spinning top.

The ability and intent to consistently take multiple opponents out the game with a single pass or body swerve is the difference.

Xhaka alone I can just about deal with. Xhaka in a 2 man midfield will get you 8th - 10th.

 

[simba]

Not entirely wrong. Xhaka’s only comfortable when play is directly in front of him.

He should be getting compared with Ndidi, Rice, Hojberg, McTominay, Allan etc not Thiago Xavi, Pirlo who can pivot like a spinning top.

The ability and intent to consistently take multiple opponents out the game with a single pass or body swerve is the difference.
Xhaka alone I can just about deal with. Xhaka in a 2 man midfield will get you 8th - 10th.

Which of Liverpool’s premier league winning midfielders of last season had this ability you speak of?
Also, Pirlo and Xavi were even slower than Xhaka. They had great passing ability but so does Xhaka. Maybe not to the same extent but if you want examples of Xhaka passes that bypass multiple opponents there’d be many.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Not entirely wrong. Xhaka’s only comfortable when play is directly in front of him.

He should be getting compared with Ndidi, Rice, Hojberg, McTominay, Allan etc not Thiago Xavi, Pirlo who can pivot like a spinning top.

The ability and intent to consistently take multiple opponents out the game with a single pass or body swerve is the difference.

Xhaka alone I can just about deal with. Xhaka in a 2 man midfield will get you 8th - 10th.

Thanks for articulating my thoughts better than I did! The bit I bolded is crucial. It's what Partey does and looks to do all the time. It doesn't always come off and a few posters have used that as a stick to beat him with. There were about four opportunity squandered vs Leeds in favour of a stat padding safe non forward pass. We've been on the end of drubbing where a game was won but our opponent had the desire to score more. Sunday showed Xhaka's poor mentality in that regard but Arteta isn't free from blame either.

 

[Big Poppa]

Which of Liverpool’s premier league winning midfielders of last season had this ability you speak of?
Also, Pirlo and Xavi were even slower than Xhaka. They had great passing ability but so does Xhaka. Maybe not to the same extent but if you want examples of Xhaka passes that bypass multiple opponents there’d be many.

Xhaka passes this to Alisson or falls on the ball for a fk.

For goodness sakes stop bringing up Xavi and Pirlo. It’s disrespectful at this point.

Xhaka can hit almost any type of pass when he’s static and not being pressed. That’s not the issue.

 

[Riou]

 

[blrgooner]

Not entirely wrong. Xhaka’s only comfortable when play is directly in front of him.

He should be getting compared with Ndidi, Rice, Hojberg, McTominay, Allan etc not Thiago Xavi, Pirlo who can pivot like a spinning top.

The ability and intent to consistently take multiple opponents out the game with a single pass or body swerve is the difference.

Xhaka alone I can just about deal with. Xhaka in a 2 man midfield will get you 8th - 10th.

Agree completely. Comparing Xhaka with Xavi and Pirlo is crazy.
Having that that all those midfielders which can be compared with Xhaka are playing in teams that are doing better than us ATM. So maybe Xhaka is not the biggest concern we have right now? Almost all of them play in a two man midfield too.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Comparing xhaka to Pirlo and Xavi is bit silly totally different type of players and roles. Xhaka for me a similar player to Rodri of man city not much involved in attack but can control and dominate the midfield. Rodri get alot away with fouls and yellow cards because refs just ignore man city when they stop a counter