We won't challenge for top four or the league whilst this guy is in the team. Xhaka and Arsenal just don't work. He is such an enigma. On Saturday, he came on and played some great passes through the line. That is what we need from him. Yesterday though...faaaakc me! Sideways and backwards...running into trouble and giving away stupid fouls. Yes he had some GREAT blocks and tackles but to me that does not balance out all the negative parts. And the worst of it was how SLOOOOOOOW our play was with him and the 2 centre backs. The amount of time I spent yelling at him to get further away than five yards from Luiz....why does he drop into flipping defence and leave Ceballos alone as the only player available for a pass in that CM role??? So stupid and he is getting coached to do that crap. I would have subbed him off for Partey on 55 mins to allow for a more dynamic partnership. To be honest..I want to see Elneny and Partey start on Monday. It's not always about the glamour and they showed what they can do vs Man Utd. And both of them stay in midfield...giving more options and giving us space. Xhaka dropping into CB to get the ball....leave the opposition midfield all the space and ability to cut out passing lanes. Hence we go sideways again.
Arteta and his coaching and decisions...shocking at times.
Saka looked tired yesterday. People have said to me on here that we can't afford to drop our best player...but having a manager who is willing to run him intoothe ground is worse long term. Look at Tierney. He is high energy...but has had muscle injuries here and there. Why was he playing some Europa league games (even coming on as a sub)? Why did he play on Saturday?? If he is out for a considerable period...we are faaakced as AMN is NOT a LB.
Luis should never start for us again. Mari has earned his starting role. Gabriel as well...time to try out a partnership with 2 left footed centrebacks or next to Holding (who does not fill me with confidence).
And what does Auba need to do to get subbed off? He is such a coward when it comes to 50/50s...or even in areas where he could win the ball. Dont take my word for it but keep an eye on him when it comes to any tackles...he shirts them and pulls out of them. If he is not scoring...he is a passenger...he should have been subbed off yesterday for Pepe.
Anyways...annoyed we could not win what should have been another must win game to move us up the table.
Xhaka, Saka and the CBs
posted on 15/1/21
Xhaka was our best player yesterday ffs
posted on 15/1/21
comment by 8bit (U2653)
posted 38 minutes ago
Xhaka was our best player yesterday ffs
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OK so it's not just me. I dunno what game they were watching but you and I watched the same one I guess
posted on 15/1/21
Maine,
Xhaka no doubt has his flaws but the stifling of attack is coming from the back line and it's a strategic approach by Arteta when DL is playing. Last week Xhaka played but other than the youngsters seeming to need Lacazette to get it all just right, there was no shortage of attacking drive and quick paced play. There was also no DL lummoxing about slowing everything down from the back onward.
Sure we could use a Xhaka upgrade. But DL is the slow play monkey to Arteta's organ grinder. That's nothing to do with Xhaka.
posted on 15/1/21
comment by 8bit (U2653)
posted 54 minutes ago
Xhaka was our best player yesterday ffs
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Everyone was poor yesterday and maybe..maybe Xhaka was our best player. I would say Leno did more to influence the result and Saka..though subpar, had moments of decency.
Xhaka made crucial blocks...but again...is that what he is in the team for? Is he your tough tackling midfielder? Because if you think that is his role...we are in serious trouble. I look at Xhaka as the one to link up play between the lines. I look to him to pick out our wingers and forwards. He did not do that much at all yesterday. And again...him and Luiz in the team...they slow down the game so much. And it did not help that they BOTH were coming from the left side yesterday. The amount of times I saw Xhaka as a left side defender was infuriating as to me..that is NOT his role.
posted on 15/1/21
The problem yesterday was it was a return to the same slow build up. Luiz and Xhaka seem to be VERY influential in this With Mari in the team we only had the one extremely slow player. The other issue with Xhaka is he plays the pass in front of him. If you havent seen this watch for it, if there is an achievable pass in front of him he will play it, otherwise back it goes. He will 9 times out of 10 play the easy option , the trick is for the players in front of him to make a forward pass the easy option. The alternative is build fast attacks around him, not through him.
posted on 15/1/21
Thing with Xhaka is that he is so ball dominant that he cannot afford to make silly passes in key areas. Yet he does time and time again. From any CM, first thing you want is ball security. On top of that he’s quite slow at releasing the pass especially in counter attacks. Again not good. You look at how Xabi Alonso played, similar positions and style. Yet in terms of ability a massive difference.
However when he’s not doing those two things, he’s useful and actually quite a key. But this rarely happens. He needs to be upgraded ASAP.
posted on 15/1/21
comment by MaineGunner (U10130)
posted 1 hour, 56 minutes ago
comment by 8bit (U2653)
posted 54 minutes ago
Xhaka was our best player yesterday ffs
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Everyone was poor yesterday and maybe..maybe Xhaka was our best player. I would say Leno did more to influence the result and Saka..though subpar, had moments of decency.
Xhaka made crucial blocks...but again...is that what he is in the team for? Is he your tough tackling midfielder? Because if you think that is his role...we are in serious trouble. I look at Xhaka as the one to link up play between the lines. I look to him to pick out our wingers and forwards. He did not do that much at all yesterday. And again...him and Luiz in the team...they slow down the game so much. And it did not help that they BOTH were coming from the left side yesterday. The amount of times I saw Xhaka as a left side defender was infuriating as to me..that is NOT his role.
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Yeah that's fair enough, we still saw Xhaka's weaknesses last night but he had a solid game overall and saved us one maybe two goals. Palace were content with a point and none of our attackers could create or produce any individual brilliance. Partey will provide more forward passing and drive from CM, we need to upgrade on Xhaka/Elneny/Ceba but I'd be fine keeping him as a back up option.
posted on 15/1/21
I agree with you that Auba probably should have been the one to make way, but with Martinelli not there I can see why he stayed on, and we moved Saka to left back probably because AMN was so terrible.
As for Xhaka, yes he blows hot and cold but I don't think he was our biggest issue yesterday. I thought he kept us ticking over and made decent amount of progressive passes yesterday, made a few to Auba, set AMN free down the left a few times, and also sprayed a nice couple of early passes to Pepe to set him up to attack the fullback, but too often, those situations were wasted. The attack was the main problem yesterday, with a tired looking Saka, no Tierney and Martinelli, we lacked the penetration from the wide areas.
posted on 15/1/21
I would keep Xhaka he is decent backup but we must upgrade with top midfielder like United did with Bruno Fernandez he is main reason they finished top four last season and on top of the league already. So we must at least add AM and LB and another DM if we sell Torreira preferably Bisouma. This team needs three key signings and we will be strong next season. Luiz, Mustafi, Cedric, Chambers, El neny all must be released or sold.
posted on 16/1/21
I still say Arteta's missing a problem solving trick by not playing AMN at CM. He and Partey would make a cracking pairing. Pace, power, skill, range passing/shooting, twinkle toes attacking runs all wrapped up in top notch defensive ability.
Between the two players the pairing has it all, they'd run tings