Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

[Red London]

Me and my bro were screaming at the TV when that happened.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

There's absolutely no way Xhaka would have released the ball Partey did for Auba's opener. He would have pirouetted and played it back to the CB's. He's so destructive to our counter attacking abilities

 

[Oxeki]

You tend to sit in threads of the highest paid player and whinge, just something I’ve noticed.

Xhaka ideally gets upgraded, but until he does when he plays well, I’ll say it - when he plays bad I’ll say it. Ultimately, your manager picks him come rain or shine so you can moan all you like.

When you guys were calling Lacazette fat and useless and Auba wasn’t scoring, who was it that was telling you guys you didn’t know what you were talking about? and it was the managers fault?

I assume your referring to Özil when you say I camp out in the highest earner thread. Well, it's a thread that most AM posters can't stay away from. I doubt I even have top 5 number of posts in that thread.
I never called Laca fat and useless. I've been one of his biggest defender on here.
Please show me a post where I called h fat and useless. I'm sure @American_Gooner can help you out and dig out my posts on Laca.
Stop being a straw man. You present yourself as this level headed and rational guy (which I'd like to think you are) but I've noticed sometimes you just talk down anyone who don't agree with you.

On Auba, I've consistently said in here that he's a goal machine but with the way we play, he kills a lot of our attacks. The team will benefit more from someone like Martinelli on the left.

And for what it's worth stop calling Arteta "your manager." Just call him "the manager" or "Arteta". Not everyone on AM still has much time for him you know, certainly not me. I'm very much Arteta out until he proves otherwise.

 

[Taneruit]

There's absolutely no way Xhaka would have released the ball Partey did for Auba's opener. He would have pirouetted and played it back to the CB or keeper. He's so destructive to our counter attacking abilities

I've seen Xhaka play similiar passes multiple times over his career. Don't know where this opinion comes from tbh. He's not incapable of it.

He would choose that pass much less than partey would though. I agree on that.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I glossed over those things you said because I’ve heard it all before, argued against such comments many of times over, and would simply be repeating myself if I was to bother. There’s no politeful way for me to say that I completely disagree with your opinion.

I’m seeing Xhaka do so many good things that I simply think many of you are choosing not to see, or haven’t seen. The small details in his game, leadership and contribution to the team. Things that perhaps do take a higher iq to see.

I don’t want to suck Xhaka off, I’m just arguing against what I believe to be a widely held negative bias (or agenda) against him that is based on misguided opinions. Nothing wrong with that.

Thanks. And let me politely say that I completely disagree with your opinion too. You see Xhaka do so many good things. Let me tell you my secret now- I see dead people! My opinion is my own. You may chose to believe it's misguided and/or agenda driven. You're entitled to that belief. Nothing wrong with that-except you're mistaken. Again, nothing wrong there either. I'll leave you to chat with those who have an IQ that matches yours. I'm grateful that I'm not so clever that I've gone full circle into stupidity. I'll listen to Xavi, Wrighty and Henry and still make my own mind up. I rest my case and thank you for your indulgence and the banter.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

I've seen Xhaka play similiar passes multiple times over his career. Don't know where this opinion comes from tbh. He's not incapable of it.

He would choose that pass much less than partey would though. I agree on that.

I'm not saying Xhaka couldn't make that pass, he clearly could. His mid to longer range passing is one of his best attributes. He's largely stopped doing it though. That's where a lot of the frustration comes from.

 

[Jack_the_boy]

There's absolutely no way Xhaka would have released the ball Partey did for Auba's opener. He would have pirouetted and played it back to the CB or keeper. He's so destructive to our counter attacking abilities

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I don’t know if anyone else noticed but Partey kinda showed everything wrong with Xhaka’s willingness to not pass forward. Partey being someone who is always tryna progress play made me really realise how content Xhaka is to pass sideways or backwards.

Maybe it can have a good effect on Xhaka because I really do see him do it out of habit these days. Maybe Partey can snap him out of it a bit.

Don't hold your breath there. He couldn't last a minute when Partey went off. It's not habit. It's fear of his limitations being exposed. A poor Toon was an ideal candidate to practice on.

 

[RacingPhoton]

The first ball was actually a bad one. Not the right weight. And Partey executed the pass when he had 2 players on either side, a situation in which Xhaka usually wets his nappies.

 

[squallman]

Me and my bro were screaming at the TV when that happened.

Was that the first time the two of you watched Xhaka play? I thought we'd all be numb to that from him by now.

 

[Elwood]

He was great yesterday. If he can continue playing like that with Partey, I see no reason to drop him. Everything he did yesterday was excellent, except the passes through Almiron, I got annoyed he wasn't more careful after the first interception.

 

[Jack_the_boy]

The first ball was actually a bad one. Not the right weight. And Partey executed the pass when he had 2 players on either side, a situation in which Xhaka usually wets his nappies.

This comparison thing’s not something I want to get into, but Newcastle were so high up that Auba was in acres of space at that moment. Xhaka’s passes are coming at moments when the opponent is sat deep and it’s hard to find the player in space. Still a fantastic pass though. But look at Xhaka’s pass against Germany. That’s honestly one of the best passes I ever seen in the history of football.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Well done, you picked out 2 decent long range passes from Xhaka this season for Arsenal. Neither were sublime balls and he had 8 minutes on the ball to pick out his pass on both occasions.

I've said his mid-long range passes are one of his best attributes. He doesn't do it enough these days. You're just proving my point.

 

[Jack_the_boy]

Well done, you picked out 2 decent long range passes from Xhaka this season for Arsenal. Neither were sublime balls and he had 8 minutes on the ball to pick out his pass on both occasions.

I've said his mid-long range passes are one of his best attributes. He doesn't do it enough these days. You're just proving my point.

You are expecting a world class pass in behind in every game... against deep blocks. Not even Pirlo or Xavi is capable of that.

He did actually make a beautiful pass to Tierney in the first half yesterday. Nobody notices. The agenda is so big that people don’t care to capture his best moments.

 

[RacingPhoton]

This comparison thing’s not something I want to get into, but Newcastle were so high up that Auba was in acres of space at that moment. Xhaka’s passes are coming at moments when the opponent is sat deep and it’s hard to find the player in space. Still a fantastic pass though. But look at Xhaka’s pass against Germany. That’s honestly one of the best passes I ever seen in the history of football.

In your eyes, everything Xhaka does will look great. Don't use that as an argument. You might even watch him take a dump. Jorginho played half the number of matches and created same number of big chances. If he is a fantastic passer and makes the passes as frequently, this wouldn't be the case.

 

[Jack_the_boy]

In your eyes, everything Xhaka does will look great. Don't use that as an argument. You might even watch him take a dump. Jorginho played half the number of matches and created same number of big chances. If he is a fantastic passer and makes the passes as frequently, this wouldn't be the case.

Watch Xhaka take a dump

You crack me up sometimes

What’s next?

If he farts I call it perfume?

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[RacingPhoton]

Watch Xhaka take a dump

You crack me up sometimes

What’s next?

If he farts I call it perfume?

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

People have told the perfume thing to you multiple times. Just wanted to try something different. It takes immense love/obsession for someone to create so many accounts just to come to this thread and write poetry about such a poor player. So can't put any of these things beyond you.

 

[Ash10]

People have told the perfume thing to you multiple times. Just wanted to try something different. It takes immense love/obsession for someone to create so many accounts just to come to this thread and write poetry about such a poor player. So can't put any of these things beyond you.

I came up with that being inspired by Stephen A Smith

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

You are expecting a world class pass in behind in every game... against deep blocks. Not even Pirlo or Xavi is capable of that.

He did actually make a beautiful pass to Tierney in the first half yesterday. Nobody notices. The agenda is so big that people don’t care to capture his best moments.

Yes, Pirlo and Xavi were capable of doing that more often that not. That's what made them some of best players of all time in their positions.

Not sure why you're always bringing all time greats into a conversation about Xhaka anyway. Forget technique their game management, footballing intelligence etc were in a different stratosphere to Xhaka.

Yes, he made a good pass too Tierney first half. ONE nice longish range pass. That's the problem. He needs to do more of that when it's available rather than the constant ambling forward, ignore the free wide men, pirouette and lay off a 5 yard backwards pass to the CB's. He kills our attacking momentum on the break 4/5 times.

He needs to be more progressive with his distribution. It would benefit the team and it is one of his strongest attributes. It's not hard to see.

 

[Sweet'n'Soulful]

I assume your referring to Özil when you say I camp out in the highest earner thread. Well, it's a thread that most AM posters can't stay away from. I doubt I even have top 5 number of posts in that thread.
I never called Laca fat and useless. Please show me a post where I said so. I'm sure @American_Gooner can help you out and dig out my posts on Laca.
Stop being a straw man. You present yourself as this level headed and rational guy (which I'd like to think you are) but I've noticed sometimes you just talk down anyone who don't agree with you.

On Auba, I've consistently said in here that he's a goal machine but with the way we play, he kills a lot of our attacks. The team will benefit more from some like Martinelli or on the left.

And for what it's worth stop calling Arteta "your manager." Just call him "the manager" or "Arteta". Not everyone on AM still has much time for him you know, certainly not me. I'm very much Arteta out until he proves otherwise.

It's easy when you spend all your time on the fence. You can chuck stones where you want. Or alternatively, you can chuck stones from the other side and switch sides as and when. It's called having a 'balanced opinion', apparently

'Your manager' ffs