Granit Xhaka: Xhak Off?

[Riou]

Ran the game along with Partey, best midfield pair in the league now...both brilliant today.

Elite ****housery at the end too, just enough to cause a big fight and waste time and not enough to get him sent off.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Him and Partey just rarely to not dominate a game when they play together

 

[BergMan]

He not only wasted time he rattled the whole Chelsea team. They did absolutely nothing in that 5 minutes added on. Such intelligence, always been in his game. Fans didn’t used to see it until now, they used to call it stupid when it’s anything but. When you support his sh*thousery it feels so much better, and you’re not hurting his reputation.

 

[str8ballin]

Big up the Top G , he handled himself correctly and knew exactly what he was doing when he delayed the goal kick ,
jorginho tried riling him up again right at the end and he just showed him his back ,

you need a player with that mentality and not give a f attitude ,

 

[say yes]

Wenger's last gift to this club.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

I will say this as a Xhaka detractor. I like him as a pure attack midfielder asked to do little tracking back. My problem with the player was never with Xhaka the person bar his boneheaded tendency to go Swiss Bruce Lee and drop kick him in the chest for the crime of the guy taking the ball off him. He seems to have figured out that the best a.s pinchers in any sport get the other guy sent off. He played very well, Jorginho is a good matchup for him both of them tackle horrifically and move about the pitch like pregnant sows. But Xhaka just bodies him and bodies him all day.

 

[Bloodbather]

One of the greatest redemption arcs we've seen in football in recent times.

 

[TheDrunkenMaster]

One of the greatest redemption arcs we've seen in football in recent times.

The guy has been playing well for years

 

[albakos]

I did that long back mate. Don't @ me here anymore

Your tagline coming full circle

 

[SomGooner]

Natural born leader. #AlbanianLion

 

[Ciscoo]

Chelsea’s kryptonite

 

[Red London]

I am loving Xhaka right now but to the people saying “I told you so” about him, I don’t really get that.

You surely give credit where it’s due.

Xhaka used to be a liability years ago under Wenger/Emery, that’s where the criticism came from. Since Arteta came in he’s been reliable and good, and then this particular season he’s been incredible.

You can adjust your opinion of a player based off their performances over a sustained period of time. That’s the whole point of not being biased.

 

[2Smokeyy]

I am loving Xhaka right now but to the people saying “I told you so” about him, I don’t really get that.

You surely give credit where it’s due.

Xhaka used to be a liability years ago under Wenger/Emery, that’s where the criticism came from. Since Arteta came in he’s been reliable and good, and then this particular season he’s been incredible.

You can adjust your opinion of a player based off their performances over a sustained period of time. That’s the whole point of not being biased.

Was he only getting criticised under Wenger and Emery? I don’t think so.

He was quality last season but many on here weren’t willing to give him any praise whatsoever. Someone did say on here last season that “some players have got more kudos in the bank than others” which I found baffling as you could see that we weren’t the same side when he got injured and Lokonga/Elneny stepped in.

 

[Taneruit]

Was he only getting criticised under Wenger and Emery? I don’t think so.

He was quality last season but many on here weren’t willing to give him any praise whatsoever. Someone did say on here last season that “some players have got more kudos in the bank than others” which I found baffling as you could see that we weren’t the same side when he got injured and Lokonga/Elneny stepped in.

That's been the case throughout his time here. People tried to put it as a negative as well

*If we miss him it means HE'S the problem*.

While the actual reason simply was that we lacked a lot of attributes without him in midfield, we didn't have in the rest of the squad. Errors or not.

Xhaka's time here coincides with terrible midfield recruitment until Partey came in. Simple as.

 

[albakos]

He was quality last season but many on here weren’t willing to give him any praise whatsoever. Someone did say on here last season that “some players have got more kudos in the bank than others” which I found baffling as you could see that we weren’t the same side when he got injured and Lokonga/Elneny stepped in.

True that.

I am not going to dig into this discussion here now, but when he was injured in last season's NLD in Emirates, few members here were posting their "happiness" on his injury and even going as far as saying that we were then a "better team" with Sambi/Partey/Elneny. #doh

Xhaka was predicted to miss over 4 months due to knee injury, so when he came back after only 2 months, it was very evident that he would slot right back into the 1st team.

I think he has shown exemplary qualities and mentality to come back from absolute bottom and rise to the very top again. We should be happy that he has managed to do that and appreciate his contribution since his comeback in Arteta's tenure.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

He was quality when we played 3-4-2-1 alongside Ramsey in 2017 which helped us win the FA Cup, he was quality alongside Torreira for a period under Emery and in our EL run. He was very good initially under Arteta, again helped us win an FA Cup, was brilliant most of last season. And most other times he's been at least solid or dependable with a handful of bad moments which get highlighted. This season he's gone to another level but to act like he's been **** this entire until now is ridiculous. He's been a nailed on starter under three different managers for 6 and a half years here, besides that Palace incident he's literally never been benched despite how bad people believe he's been.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

The reason people are so vocal now is because he was a scape goat for so long and some just aren't willing to let that slide so easily, I'm not really gonna harp on about it myself but I can understand given how harshly he's been treated most of his time here.

I'm not one to dwell on the past tho and I'm just happy he's finally getting his flowers.

 

[OnlyOne]

I'm a bit of a slut for this guy at the minute. What a player.

 

[albakos]

I'm a bit of a slut for this guy at the minute. What a player.

That's quite evident tbh



Going to great lengths to get his shirt at FT

 

[OnlyOne]

The reason people are so vocal now is because he was a scape goat for so long and some just aren't willing to let that slide so easily, I'm not really gonna harp on about it myself but I can understand given how harshly he's been treated most of his time here.

I'm not one to dwell on the past tho and I'm just happy he's finally getting his flowers.

The majority of his criticism has been justified in my opinion.