Granit Xhaka: Swiss Army Knife or Blunt Tool?

[Jack_The_Lad]

Is there any kind of source for that? Because I’m not coming up with anything.

Friend lives next door and saw them. Had a chat on the balcony in Albanian, so no clue what they discussed.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Maybe the club is open to letting him go if deals for likes of Partey, Ceballos and/or Aouar are possible.

I don't know how true it is that he wants to meet his agent but if I were Granit Xhaka and I constantly saw Arsenal being linked with expensive and better players in my position, I would be looking for my next move. He will be 28 in September and this will be the last big contract he can get. He should be looking to move imo.

And I know the Xhaka Defence League are already typing furiously at my claim. If Arsenal sign Partey for £50 million and Thiago for £30 million who both play as 6's or 8's who is getting benched for Xhaka? And no we're not gonna play Thiago as a 10. So don't try that.

 

[Jury]

Unfortunately I don’t live in a world where we are going to sign any two of Partey, Thiago or the lad from Lyon with the funny name.

 

[Oxeki]

I think we all have to live with the fact that Xhaka is here for the time being, until at least we get a top CM that will displace him.

He has always started games because during the majority of his time here, he has been the only senior CM.

Hopefully that changes this summer. Because if we're really serious about dominating games again, then we need to phase him out. That could change overnight if we bring in Thiago.

 

[Trilly]

Just confirming before the season starts that Xhaka is still being expected to have a 100% pass completion and not make one error across 90 minutes?

Some of the earlier posting, focusing on the first 20 mins of the final is some really poor stuff.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Oh no, I don't think we will be getting Partey and Thiago but I do think we will try and bring in 2 CMs especially if Guendouzi and Torreria leaving.

 

[Jury]

Just confirming before the season starts that Xhaka is still being expected to have a 100% pass completion and not make one error across 90 minutes?

Some of the earlier posting, focusing on the first 20 mins of the final is some really poor stuff.

Like Luiz, it’s the type of errors he makes in specific situations that tell you the story. And then his best points aren’t good enough.

 

[Jury]

I think we all have to live with the fact that Xhaka is here for the time being, until at least we get a top CM that will displace him.

He has always started games because during the majority of his time here, he has been the only senior CM.

Hopefully that changes this summer. Because if we're really serious about dominating games again, then we need to phase him out. That could change overnight if we bring in Thiago.

I think the only chance is to sign a player like Partey and discover a partner for him who makes Xhaka redundant. Holding onto Ceb improves that that chance, but we’re miles off at the moment.

 

[Oxeki]

I think the only chance is to sign a player like Partey and discover a partner for him who makes Xhaka redundant. Holding onto Ceb improves that that chance, but we’re miles off at the moment.

Yeah, if we can extend Ceballos and sign Partey, it will go long way in making us less reliant on him.

Unfortunately, I don't see us signing more than two midfielders this season. Whether it's Partey and Ceballos or Partey and Auoar. I still see Xhaka starting.

We don't have the funds to completely overhaul the midfield this summer to make Xhaka redundant.

 

[CaseUteinberger]

Problem for the great Granit was, only Hertha Berlin thought he might improve them when he was hell bent on leaving.

Mid table player for a mid table club, be it PL or BL.

His limitations are just so clear, too immobile, not press resistant and prone to complete brain farts costing us games. Yes, he has some positives but they really do not nearly outweigh his negatives.

 

[Trilly]

Like Luiz, it’s the type of errors he makes in specific situations that tell you the story. And then his best points aren’t good enough.

No problem with that but the bar needs to be realistic. Being a player who initiates most of his passes from deep positions there’s no way we can’t expect a ‘mistake’ of the passing kind unless we believe midfielders should regularly have games of 100% pass completion.

Pass completion tends to be in the high 80’s for elite distributors with a certain amount of progressive passes. I believe the latter is where Xhaka lacks these days but you’ll have people invalidate an entire performance because of a couple loose passes.

 

[Jury]

Yeah, if we can extend Ceballos and sign Partey, it will go long way in making us less reliant on him.

Unfortunately, I don't see us signing more than two midfielders this season. Whether it's Partey and Ceballos or Partey and Auoar. I still see Xhaka starting.

We don't have the funds to completely overhaul the midfield this summer to make Xhaka redundant.

Not redundant completely – what I mean is reduce his game time. I don’t even see how Arteta favours the Xhaka type anyway. I didn’t think his vision involves a player like that in midfield. It’s a head scratcher.

 

[Oxeki]

Oh no, I don't think we will be getting Partey and Thiago but I do think we will try and bring in 2 CMs especially if Guendouzi and Torreria leaving.

We're bringing in two CM irrespective of whether Torreira or Guendouzi leaves or not.

Neither of them are in Arteta's plans

 

[Oxeki]

No problem with that but the bar needs to be realistic. Being a player who initiates most of his passes from deep positions there’s no way we can’t expect a ‘mistake’ of the passing kind unless we believe midfielders should regularly have games of 100% pass completion.

Pass completion tends to be in the high 80’s for elite distributors with a certain amount of progressive passes. I believe the latter is where Xhaka lacks these days but you’ll have people invalidate an entire performance because of a couple loose passes.

I do agree the Mistakes happens with less frequency these days. But you have to admit that he's the reason we struggle to get the ball up the pitch. It's the reason Emery was using our full backs to build up play last season. Look at Thiago the way he's able to evade the press. We need a DLP like that. Xhaka is a useful player to have in the squad but don't think he's going to play better than what he did last season

 

[RacingPhoton]

No problem with that but the bar needs to be realistic. Being a player who initiates most of his passes from deep positions there’s no way we can’t expect a ‘mistake’ of the passing kind unless we believe midfielders should regularly have games of 100% pass completion.

Pass completion tends to be in the high 80’s for elite distributors with a certain amount of progressive passes. I believe the latter is where Xhaka lacks these days but you’ll have people invalidate an entire performance because of a couple loose passes.

I don't think anyone is expecting a 100% pass completion. The problem is that he has a clear weakness. If he is pressed hard, he is going to give away the ball or make a back pass. And there is no sign of him improving this aspect of his game. I don't think he can, as this is a mental thing that is hard to overcome. And there is also a matter of where he loses the ball compared to where other midfielders lose the ball.

The comments about his first 20 minutes against Chelsea were made to counter some claims here that he doesn't make any mistakes these days and he was playing a great game right from the start till the end.

 

[Trilly]

I do agree the Mistakes happens with less frequency these days. But you have to admit that he's the reason we struggle to get the ball up the pitch. It's the reason Emery was using our full backs to build up play last season. Look at Thiago the way he's able to evade the press. We need a DLP like that. Xhaka is a useful player to have in the squad but don't think he's going to play better than what he did last season

I don't think anyone is expecting a 100% pass completion. The problem is that he has a clear weakness. If he is pressed hard, he is going to give away the ball or make a back pass. And there is no sign of him improving this aspect of his game. I don't think he can, as this is a mental thing that is hard to overcome. And there is also a matter of where he loses the ball compared to where other midfielders lose the ball.

The comments about his first 20 minutes against Chelsea were made to counter some claims here that he doesn't make any mistakes these days and he was playing a great game right from the start till the end.

The guys who can do what you both want are the Thiago’s and Veratti’s of this world.

Think Xhaka is okay at passing out of a press, compared to the average footballer anyway. The elite guys can actually break a press single handedly, Xhaka’s never going to be that guy but he could play with that guy.

A Thiago/Veratti would be nice but they’d also require a Partey type alongside them.

 

[RacingPhoton]

The guys who can do what you both want are the Thiago’s and Veratti’s of this world.

Think Xhaka is okay at passing out of a press, compared to the average footballer anyway. The elite guys can actually break a press single handedly, Xhaka’s never going to be that guy but he could play with that guy.

A Thiago/Veratti would be nice but they’d also require a Partey type alongside them.

I don't think Arsenal ever had the problem of breaking out of a press before Xhaka. Cazorla was very good at it. And I think it is a necessary trait for any midfielder in a top 4 team. Can you point out a midfielder from top PL teams who cannot handle being pressed?

 

[Manberg]

I don't think anyone is expecting a 100% pass completion. The problem is that he has a clear weakness. If he is pressed hard, he is going to give away the ball or make a back pass. And there is no sign of him improving this aspect of his game. I don't think he can, as this is a mental thing that is hard to overcome. And there is also a matter of where he loses the ball compared to where other midfielders lose the ball.

The comments about his first 20 minutes against Chelsea were made to counter some claims here that he doesn't make any mistakes these days and he was playing a great game right from the start till the end.

Passing backwards is a good way to avoid the press I see nothing wrong with it.

 

[Pastore]

Not redundant completely – what I mean is reduce his game time. I don’t even see how Arteta favours the Xhaka type anyway. I didn’t think his vision involves a player like that in midfield. It’s a head scratcher.

Xhaka is the best central midfielder he currently has in the team. He's got to work around that.

The guys who can do what you both want are the Thiago’s and Veratti’s of this world.

Think Xhaka is okay at passing out of a press, compared to the average footballer anyway. The elite guys can actually break a press single handedly, Xhaka’s never going to be that guy but he could play with that guy.

A Thiago/Veratti would be nice but they’d also require a Partey type alongside them.

The Thiago's and Verrati's are not the only ones capable of handling press . Any decent professional midfielder should be able to do that. Hell, 99% of defenders are asked to do that nowadays.

Xhaka's passing is okay once he actually gets rid of the ball.

 

[Trilly]

Any decent professional midfielder should be able to do that. Hell, 99% of defenders are asked to do that nowadays.

If that’s the case why do City and Liverpool steamroll the league with their pressing?