Granit Xhaka: 2019/20 Performances

[A_G]

Well if he's that amazing Pep why don't you put your money where your mouth is and buy him mate load of bollocks.

https://www.mcfcwatch.com/2016/02/17/city-offer-39m-for-granit-xhaka-bild/

they were interested in him, I remember it being a big deal at the time to get a player that was being eyed by City

 

[Vanpayslip]

Serious question - If Xhaka is such an amazing player then why is he so rubbish on the pitch?

 

[Ricardinho]

https://www.mcfcwatch.com/2016/02/17/city-offer-39m-for-granit-xhaka-bild/

they were interested in him, I remember it being a big deal at the time to get a player that was being eyed by City

Makes you wonder why it didn't happen then if the bid was supposedly more than we signed him for a few months later...

 

[A_G]

Makes you wonder why it didn't happen then if the bid was supposedly more than we signed him for a few months later...

Wenger masterclass.

 

[Fewtch]

 

[RacingPhoton]

People here already slagging Guendouzi and saying Xhaka is a better player. IIRC, Guendouzi already has 2 man of the match performances this season. Wtf did Xhaka do so far? Mostly ranging from nothing to average performances.

 

[blrgooner]

Serious question - If Xhaka is such an amazing player then why is he so rubbish on the pitch?

He is not an amazing player. Neither was he really rubbish on the pitch.
I don`t understand why everything needs to be binary. Xhaka had good and bad facets in his game. He was definitely not performing at his best during the run of games leading the to Crystal Palace game. Our system made him look even worse though. We had a deep defense due to which he was coming deep to get the ball and when he had the ball, he would have no forward passing options. The opposition having the ball so often accentuated his defensive weaknesses too. Move Xhaka to a team like Man City where the player on the ball has multiple passing options and he will actually look good I think.

 

[Big Poppa]

People here already slagging Guendouzi and saying Xhaka is a better player. IIRC, Guendouzi already has 2 man of the match performances this season. Wtf did Xhaka do so far? Mostly ranging from nothing to average performances.

I don't even know why Guendouzi or Torreira for that matter are being brought into it. Even discounting the fact that they (+Willock) have fewer PL appearances and top level experience than Xhaka combined, they have their own, separate issues that have nothing to do with Xhaka's problems.

 

[Jae]

Rarely does a manager when quizzed on a player come out and say hes ****e

What Pep said is pretty standard without going into detail

Exactly. Any manager would have said exactly the same.

 

[Vanpayslip]

He is not an amazing player. Neither was he really rubbish on the pitch.
I don`t understand why everything needs to be binary. Xhaka had good and bad facets in his game. He was definitely not performing at his best during the run of games leading the to Crystal Palace game. Our system made him look even worse though. We had a deep defense due to which he was coming deep to get the ball and when he had the ball, he would have no forward passing options. The opposition having the ball so often accentuated his defensive weaknesses too. Move Xhaka to a team like Man City where the player on the ball has multiple passing options and he will actually look good I think.

That just sounds like excuses to me. His passing has been mediocre. There have been games throughout his time here where he has consistently given the ball away.

He also has a history of making high profile mistakes and giving away dangerous free kicks.

May be his few weeks away have made people forget because now they are talking about him like he is Xabi Alonso.

 

[Ash10]

People here already slagging Guendouzi and saying Xhaka is a better player. IIRC, Guendouzi already has 2 man of the match performances this season. Wtf did Xhaka do so far? Mostly ranging from nothing to average performances.

The guy is shortlisted for the golden boy award & he's getting compared to the likes of Xhaka:rofl:
But don't worry, just like the emery brigade they'll make up imaginary stuff to defend their beloved nothing player.
& yes, they expect a rival manager to speak the bitter truth to media when specifically asked about an opposing player as if that ever happens.

 

[Ricardinho]

The guy is shortlisted for the golden boy award & he's getting compared to the likes of Xhaka:rofl:
But don't worry, just like the emery brigade they'll make up imaginary stuff to defend their beloved nothing player.
& yes, they expect a rival manager to speak the bitter truth in media when specifically asked about an opposing player as if that ever happens.

I really hope we're not one step away from seeing things like this for Xhaka

I do find it amusing people saying we're no better without Xhaka as though we've played a large chunk of games without him rather than just the two league games he would've probably started in. And I maintain he wouldn't have made an ounce of difference up at Leicester. Probably the case with the wolves game as well.

 

[roz]

I really hope we're not one step away from seeing things like this for Xhaka

I do find it amusing people saying we're no better without Xhaka as though we've played a large chunk of games without him rather than just the two league games he would've probably started in. And I maintain he wouldn't have made an ounce of difference up at Leicester. Probably the case with the wolves game as well.

Exactly this. Too often a passenger (like many others) when the heat gets turned up.
Part of the reason I love doozy so much is because at the very least he is always trying to make something happen.

 

[Santi's Left Foot]

I really hope we're not one step away from seeing things like this for Xhaka

I do find it amusing people saying we're no better without Xhaka as though we've played a large chunk of games without him rather than just the two league games he would've probably started in. And I maintain he wouldn't have made an ounce of difference up at Leicester. Probably the case with the wolves game as well.

Agreed, we would have got mauled at Leicester.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

I really hope we're not one step away from seeing things like this for Xhaka

I do find it amusing people saying we're no better without Xhaka as though we've played a large chunk of games without him rather than just the two league games he would've probably started in. And I maintain he wouldn't have made an ounce of difference up at Leicester. Probably the case with the wolves game as well.

We've seen more than just the two games since the incident though. We've yet to really look any better without him at any point in the past three years when he's not played. Not saying it won't happen, but it definitely hasn't yet. Our midfield has problems far beyond Xhaka.

 

[Ricardinho]

We've seen more than just the two games since the incident though. We've yet to really look any better without him at any point in the past three years when he's not played. Not saying it won't happen, but it definitely hasn't yet. Our midfield has problems far beyond Xhaka.

The two games against Vitoria? Bit of a stretch to be using those games mate. You're saying we didn't look great without him in those but would you then say we did look good without him earlier on this season when we battered Liege? He's been a first teamer so me personally I wouldn't be using the europa group games against him as a positive or negative.

 

[Maybe]

We've seen more than just the two games since the incident though. We've yet to really look any better without him at any point in the past three years when he's not played. Not saying it won't happen, but it definitely hasn't yet. Our midfield has problems far beyond Xhaka.

Replacing him doesn't make us better currently, it only makes it clear that in the summer we need a completely new solution for his position and benching him now is the first step in the right direction towards that goal.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

The two games against Vitoria? Bit of a stretch to be using those games mate. You're saying we didn't look great without him in those but would you then say we did look good without him earlier on this season when we battered Liege? He's been a first teamer so me personally I wouldn't be using the europa group games against him as a positive or negative.

I'm talking about all the games he's not played over the past few years. It's never some big jump in quality of play when he's not there. And often we've looked worse. Before this season we would often struggle to move the ball through to the forwards effectively without him.

Nowadays we just struggle in every aspect of the game all the time whether he's there or not so it's not such a worry tbh.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Replacing him doesn't make us better currently, it only makes it clear that in the summer we need a completely new solution for his position and benching him now is the first step in the right direction towards that goal.

He's done here regardless sounds like.

 

[EmeryCouldnt]

I'm talking about all the games he's not played over the past few years. It's never some big jump in quality of play when he's not there. And often we've looked worse. Before this season we would often struggle to move the ball through to the forwards effectively without him.

Nowadays we just struggle in every aspect of the game all the time whether he's there or not so it's not such a worry tbh.

Times we play Elneny and Torreira? Xhaka is not our man. He’s obviously got utility and people should welcome him back to the field. But he is clearly not starting quality for arsenal and the club needs to fix that gap.