Granit Xhaka: 2019/20 Performances

[Erlis]

Three things

1. We have never conceded more goals in the league than we do now.

2. We've never achieved fewer points in the league year after year.

3. Xhaka is at the heart of the midfield, tasked with the job of protecting the back 4. He plays almost every week.

Is any of the above false? Is Xhaka somehow free of blame for our current defensive frailties? He isn't all to blame, it is a team game after all.

But no one can tell me that we've looked better in midfield since he arrived.

Same old story. It was all because of Ramsey because he was not disciplined enough when in partnership with Xhaka, and to remind you Xhaka didn't play most of the games under Emery this season and Arsenal dropped under 10th. Plus, for the last season, for the fail to get into top 4 I blame on too much use of that youngster.

I would like to add that during Wenger time most of Arsenal players were frauds, e.g. Ox and few others. There are some losses that I could easily sign them in their names. Xhaka, the only true Arsenal players who would give every drop of blood on the pitch for Arsenal, specified by Arteta too in an interview. One of the reasons I like Arteta is that he is a good reader of the players.

 

[Manberg]

My point is this - what is it we aspire to achieve?

If we want to reduce the 40 point gap with a side like Liverpool, every automatic starter on the pitch needs, at the minimum, the agility to play quick progressive passes out of tight spaces. Xhaka sits at the hub of our distribution channel so he has a big big role in our attacking efficiency. In my opinion, it's too slow and limits our attacking potential.

I've no beef with him at all, but the idea that we can't function without him says more about the state of our midfield than it does about him.

Arteta also convinced Luiz to stay and gave Mustafi redemption. Without being able to spend, his priority has to be character building and squad harmony.

Out of curiosity, what do you see as Xhaka's role in the next stage of Arteta's rebuild?

Xhaka is a deep lying playmaker who possesses great passing and vision. He dictates tempo and switches the play when in possession, helps shield the defence out of possession. I think he's good enough for a title winning team, let alone a top 4 team.

 

[RacingPhoton]

Xhaka is a deep lying playmaker who possesses great passing and vision. He dictates tempo and switches the play when in possession, helps shield the defence out of possession. I think he's good enough for a title winning team, let alone a top 4 team.

So many claims about Xhaka's strengths with nothing to show for. He doesn't dictate the play or switches possession. He does the only thing he knows. Play it back to the GK or to pass it sideways. Something which Elneny was very good at. He is good enough for a title winning team but we dropped out of top 4 never to go back ever since he joined?

 

[squallman]

Xhaka is a deep lying playmaker who possesses great passing and vision. He dictates tempo and switches the play when in possession, helps shield the defence out of possession. I think he's good enough for a title winning team, let alone a top 4 team.

Is this why I constantly see Xhaka linked with moves to Liverpool, Man City, Barca, and Real Madrid?

Good thing Teta convinced him not to finalize his move to one of the European superpowers in January.

 

[Big Poppa]

Xhaka is a deep lying playmaker who possesses great passing and vision. He dictates tempo and switches the play when in possession, helps shield the defence out of possession. I think he's good enough for a title winning team, let alone a top 4 team.

Intriguing

 

[Oxeki]

Xhaka is a deep lying playmaker who possesses great passing and vision. He dictates tempo and switches the play when in possession, helps shield the defence out of possession. I think he's good enough for a title winning team, let alone a top 4 team.

I don't know if you're on a wind up or you're serious TBH

 

[RunTheTrap]

Arteta very much likes Xhaka, just like Emery and Wenger before him. Xhaka was on his way out in January with the clubs agreeing a deal. It was Arteta who convinced Xhaka to stay. Xhaka is part of Arteta's long term plans, even if we do get better players. Does Xhaka have weaknesses? Sure, as does every player. His strengths far outmatch his weaknesses and he is a top midfielder.

Define top? Is he top 4 level? Because since he’s been here we have never achieved that. Granted that’s not all on him but if he were on his last year of contract, what clubs would be after him? Would you truthfully start for any other club in the top 6? See if I’m a Xhaka hater then I have to put away my pride and admit he’s currently our most important midfielder but you got to meet me halfway to know that if we want our club to even compete for top 4, Xhaka can’t be a starter. While he had a decent game, he is the one only deep lying playmaker that ever does any playmaking. He still can’t handle a press. No amount of coaching will turn Mustafi into Baresi and it won’t turn Xhaka into Xabi Alonso.

 

[Oxeki]

He was desperate to live in January and yet only Hertha were in form him.

Let's think for a minute.

Would Klopp want him? or would Pep want him?

No other top club in the world would want him except maybe Juve who defend in low block.

Not saying he's bad. But it's mind boggling that his fans are saying that we should build our midfield around him as if he's Pirlo.

Our recruitment should geared towards bringing in players who are better not players who complement him.

 

[Erlis]

If Vieira says that he is a good midfielder, one of the best Arsenal midfielders, if not the best, who are we to doubt his words?

He was one to support him when he had that incident with fans, so he surely knows better than us, some random posters on here.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Our midfield is ****e and clueless but yet people suck off Xhaka who is essentially the only 'undroppable' CM in there.

Imagine Xhaka having a game like he did yesterday and some on here are calling him 'topclass'

We deserve mediocrity

Xhaka is basically what Coquelin was a few years ago. He’s the only midfielder we have that has a set of qualities and attributes that the team lacks and people go overboard with the praise. If the midfield was more balanced, Xhaka would not stand out and probably be on the bench for good. It’s kinda funny how people say Wenger, Emery and Arteta have all relied on Xhaka as if it’s destiny. Just like how all three of them have been forced to go to a back 3. Something that none of them in the career ever really wanted to use. Are people starting to see what I’m seeing now?

I’ll finish with this analogy, it takes creative routes but bare with me. For me, Xhaka is like heroin to an addict. Addicts convince themselves they need it or else they will struggle without it. Xhaka is “good” for us, just like heroin in their head but when you actually look at their reality they are destroying themselves. Obviously, heroin by itself does not necessarily cause every problem for the addicts, maybe they already had problems before, but it creates enough problems of byproducts that hurt the addict just as much.

How good can Xhaka be when we are destined for a midtable finish? How good is Xhaka when we’ve never been in top 4 since he’s arrived? How good is Xhaka when our football has become dire? When we tried to go cold turkey, with the whole Crystal Palace thing, we found out we weren’t in a stable condition to move on and now we’re back addicted. The idea of Xhaka has always been better than the reality of him

 

[Impact]

We speak of wanting the team to progress but seem dead set on defending players who are easily upgradeable.

I like Xhaka a lot and he has improved already under Arteta but his limitations mean that he is unlikely to be an elite PL midfielder. If we want to be an elite PL team, which I trust we do, then we need to upgrade on players like Xhaka.

I'm happy for him to be part of the squad. Perhaps as a back-up to a new 6 if he can adjust to being a sole holder.

 

[Manberg]

So many claims about Xhaka's strengths with nothing to show for. He doesn't dictate the play or switches possession. He does the only thing he knows. Play it back to the GK or to pass it sideways. Something which Elneny was very good at. He is good enough for a title winning team but we dropped out of top 4 never to go back ever since he joined?

 

[Manberg]

Is this why I constantly see Xhaka linked with moves to Liverpool, Man City, Barca, and Real Madrid?

Good thing Teta convinced him not to finalize his move to one of the European superpowers in January.

Is Jordan Henderson linked with moves to City, Barca and Real Madrid? Yesterday showed how important Henderson is to Liverpool. Xhaka is equally important to Arsenal. First name on the teamsheet when fit or not rested.

 

[Manberg]

I don't know if you're on a wind up or you're serious TBH

I'm serious mate.

 

[Manberg]

Define top? Is he top 4 level? Because since he’s been here we have never achieved that. Granted that’s not all on him but if he were on his last year of contract, what clubs would be after him? Would you truthfully start for any other club in the top 6? See if I’m a Xhaka hater then I have to put away my pride and admit he’s currently our most important midfielder but you got to meet me halfway to know that if we want our club to even compete for top 4, Xhaka can’t be a starter. While he had a decent game, he is the one only deep lying playmaker that ever does any playmaking. He still can’t handle a press. No amount of coaching will turn Mustafi into Baresi and it won’t turn Xhaka into Xabi Alonso.

Xhaka's the type of player to go massively underappreciated by Arsenal fans, who get blindsided by the small, non flashy details in his game.

I have no doubt that when the team loses or gets gets thrashed; Xhaka is one of the first to be blamed, for no reason apart from an agenda.

 

[AberGooner]

If Vieira says that he is a good midfielder, one of the best Arsenal midfielders, if not the best, who are we to doubt his words?

He was one to support him when he had that incident with fans, so he surely knows better than us, some random posters on here.

Gilberto once said Elneny was our best midfielder so I wouldn't say great players are always the greatest judges of players either.

 

[MaraDon]

He is still our most important player.
I know most people don't like him but he is instrumental.
With him we look like a team.
Without him we look like a bunch of dude running around.

Our most intelligent player and the one that makes us tick.

 

[RacingPhoton]

Wow. A youtube compilation to prove your point. You know we have such compilations for every premier league players right?

 

[MaraDon]

Would Klopp want him? or would Pep want him?

Klopp has his midflied cover.
He would be a fantastic replacement for Fernandinho and City has been under his case for a very long time now.
They signed Rodri because we would not sell.
Arteta loves him, he looks at him as the player he would have been if he had the physical qualities Xhaka has.

He is an important player, a silent one.

 

[Manberg]

Wow. A youtube compilation to prove your point. You know we have such compilations for every premier league players right?

Compilations that disprove your points.