Granit Xhaka leaves Arsenal

[GoonerJeeves]

Good to see him doing well.

 

[Riou]

Apparently Xhaka when he sees how much Arsenal fans miss him...

 

[BergMan]

He said that in a Leverkusen yearbook interview to appeal to their fans, doesn’t have anything to do with Arsenal.

 

[BergMan]

Still #1. He is extending his lead.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1724021918410449150

 

[Tir Na Nog]

 

[albakos]

But, but, but A-M told me ......

 

[albakos]

@Trilly had enough of it

https://www.squawka.com/en/news/bayer-leverkusen-granit-xhaka-stat-arsenal-fans/

 

[BergMan]

 

[Trilly]

Easy to replace they said

 

[db10_therza]

Easy to replace they said

Granit was both the most under appreciated player at the club, AND one of the easier players to replace (not upgrade, replace…).

Compared to other positions, there’s a relative plethora of CMs out there.

We fkd it up when he was here and we fkd it up when he left is what I’m trying to get at.

Fs

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Easy to replace they said

Played an important role when we were flying last year, now part of the most in form team in Europe playing by far the best football.

It's almost as if the complete opposite of what A-M said about Xhaka is true.

 

[Macho]

He needed to leave for everyone to see his worth anyways, this is why bowing out when you’re on top is the best.

Seeing Arteta’s comments demanding goals from him “or else” made him knuckle down in the short term, but long term he planned his escape.

He’s smart and probably saw the fans turning on him again being forced to play a different role than he prefers.

Granit managed 4 goals and 3 assists in all comps by this point last season btw.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Only thing he needed to excel for Arsenal was to play closer to the opponent’s goal, i.e. not to play as DM.
And to put excellent (when fit) DM like Partey behind him.
Sad thing is it took 6 years of his Arsenal career for this to happen.
Last season no red cards and stupid penalties for him.
The only dumb thing he did last season was quarrel with TAA at Anfield which probably cost us 2 points then.

Bayer Leverkusen offered him 5 years contract, it would be stupid with his age to reject that.

 

[Macho]

Only thing he needed to excel for Arsenal was to play closer to the opponent’s goal, i.e. not to play as DM.

I think those periods it didn’t matter who we put there. I think how bad he was there is overblown considering he’s excelling in his double pivot role now.

I know a lot of people happily dismiss it cause it’s Bundesliga but he plays a variety of midfield roles for the NT and excels there too.

Last season no red cards and stupid penalties for him.
The only dumb thing he did last season was quarrel with TAA at Anfield which probably cost us 2 points then.

That draw wasn’t his fault, we committed number of fouls that day. Arteta is always a raving lunatic going at it with Klopp as well.

 

[A_G]

Granit managed 4 goals and 3 assists in all comps by this point last season btw.

So he had one goal from mid-November until May 28 against Wolves? Interesting.

 

[TheDrunkenMaster]

So he had one goal from mid-November until May 28 against Wolves? Interesting.

He had two goals and four assists before the wolves game

 

[OnlyOne]

So he had one goal from mid-November until May 28 against Wolves? Interesting.

He went on a massive drought.

I think Kai has skewed our memories of Xhaka a little.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

I think those periods it didn’t matter who we put there. I think how bad he was there is overblown considering he’s excelling in his double pivot role now.

I know a lot of people happily dismiss it cause it’s Bundesliga but he plays a variety of midfield roles for the NT and excels there too.



That draw wasn’t his fault, we committed number of fouls that day. Arteta is always a raving lunatic going at it with Klopp as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t say that this draw is his fault.
We can only speculate what would happen had that quarrel not happened.

But the fact is that before this incident we had everything, 2:0, silent audience, Liverpool playing not particularly good.
Seems to me that this incident galvanized audience and Liverpool players, because immediately after they have switched to higher gear and we lost our heads.
That day it was actually Ramsdale who saved us 1 point.
And after that match our form dropped significantly, not only in physical sense, also mentally.
As if that match was some kind of watershed moment in the season.

 

[AberGooner]

He did really well last season but even prior to that he was also our most consistent midfielder in Arteta's time here. I wish him all the best and hope Leverkusen go and win the title.

You also have to say he wasn't some out of this world impossible player to replace, we're not talking Vieira here. Unfortunately we just made a bad choice in choosing Havertz to be that guy, mistakes happen though.

 

[Macho]

He went on a massive drought.

I think Kai has skewed our memories of Xhaka a little.

It’s not really a drought, who expected goals out of Xhaka?

I’m just saying by the end of the year he contributed a fair bit more than certain man both in all round play and pure output.