Uncle Bens just an expensive Dacoure

You could probably find similar stats for most defensive players in bottom half teams because all they do is defend
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Thats fair point. However,

Rice:

Assists 2
Passes 1,929
Passes per match 55.11
Big Chances Created 3
Crosses 43
Cross accuracy % 23%
Through balls 4
Accurate long balls 141

Xhaka:
Assists 7
Passes 1,525
Passes per match 43.57
Big Chances Created 6
Crosses 39
Cross accuracy % 13%
Through balls 6
Accurate long balls

Considering Rice is playing deeper again, shouldn't Xhaka be higher for an attacking team at the top of the league.

comment by Pastor Croy (U3245)
posted about a minute ago
Uncle Bens just an expensive Dacoure
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This

Accurate long balls 69

Luton 2 up and 3-2 on aggy!!!

I’m not arguing Xhaka is a better player than Rice, I’m the one that was calling for us to sign Rice since last season before we were even linked to him.

But even so those stats don’t really prove anything. Defenders make more passes and have a higher pass success rate than players higher up the pitch. You could use stats to make Virgil Van Dijk out to be a better playmaker than KDB

Dacoure:

Tackles 88
Tackle success % 59%
Blocked shots 13
Interceptions 66
Clearances 87
Headed Clearance 36
Recoveries 431
Duels won 170
Duels lost 121
Successful 50/50s 37
Aerial battles won 48
Aerial battles lost 29

WTF

comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted 6 seconds ago
I’m not arguing Xhaka is a better player than Rice, I’m the one that was calling for us to sign Rice since last season before we were even linked to him.

But even so those stats don’t really prove anything. Defenders make more passes and have a higher pass success rate than players higher up the pitch. You could use stats to make Virgil Van Dijk out to be a better playmaker than KDB
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Stats matter a lot. And it reflects on the profile of player you are targeting.

For example, your point above that Arteta is more likely to play Rice to replace Xhaka is strengthened by the statistics.

A box to box player strengths should be skills like interceptions, passing per match to link play, as well as defensive recoveries because you are literally running backwards trying to defend counterattacks that can eventually need a tackle.

My point was that the stats also showed the other side of the problem that Xhaka's good attacking season created for us. Our midfield was light because Xhaka does not have the legs to get back on a counter attack. Partey had to cover far more ground than he should, to which imo has led to some of the burn-out he has been exhibiting in the last month of the season. Similarly, teams have also cottoned to a way to isolate Zinny because he is literally had to expose the left wing at times to protect the middle.

comment by Pastor Croy (U3245)
posted 2 minutes ago
Dacoure:

Tackles 88
Tackle success % 59%
Blocked shots 13
Interceptions 66
Clearances 87
Headed Clearance 36
Recoveries 431
Duels won 170
Duels lost 121
Successful 50/50s 37
Aerial battles won 48
Aerial battles lost 29

WTF
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Aye. Why didn't Wenger buy him?

comment by Pastor Croy (U3245)
posted 5 minutes ago
Dacoure:

Tackles 88
Tackle success % 59%
Blocked shots 13
Interceptions 66
Clearances 87
Headed Clearance 36
Recoveries 431
Duels won 170
Duels lost 121
Successful 50/50s 37
Aerial battles won 48
Aerial battles lost 29

WTF
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Impressive for a guy that has only played 23 game

😳

Anyone think we’ll go for Tielemans?

Doucouré


Tackles 30
Tackle success % 63%
Blocked shots 4
Interceptions 12
Clearances 9
Headed Clearance 4
Recoveries 91
Duels won 64
Duels lost 89
Successful 50/50s 18
Aerial battles won 12
Aerial battles lost 28
Errors leading to goal

Hope not.

Doesn’t seem an Arteta type player tbh

Zinchenko gets exposed because he’s an average defender with no pace and gets little protection from Marti

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted less than a minute ago
Doucouré


Tackles 30
Tackle success % 63%
Blocked shots 4
Interceptions 12
Clearances 9
Headed Clearance 4
Recoveries 91
Duels won 64
Duels lost 89
Successful 50/50s 18
Aerial battles won 12
Aerial battles lost 28
Errors leading to goal
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ffs

He also gets little protection from the harmful rays of the sun

comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted less than a minute ago
Hope not.

Doesn’t seem an Arteta type player tbh
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Aye, agree. Links were strong before though. Maybe we’ve waited to get him on a free.

comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted less than a minute ago
Zinchenko gets exposed because he’s an average defender with no pace and gets little protection from Marti
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Dont start another debate pls

comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted less than a minute ago
Zinchenko gets exposed because he’s an average defender with no pace and gets little protection from Marti
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dont start another debate pls
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Yeh, let GT grieve for Xhaka.

We’ve outgrown Tielemens

comment by Teebs (U1060)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Vladimikel Artutin - committing war crimes against football since 2019 (U18355)
posted less than a minute ago
Zinchenko gets exposed because he’s an average defender with no pace and gets little protection from Marti
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dont start another debate pls
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Yeh, let GT grieve for Xhaka.
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yeah....

FAK GT

comment by Teebs (U1060)
posted about a minute ago
comment by Lexington 125.2 (U8879)
posted less than a minute ago
Hope not.

Doesn’t seem an Arteta type player tbh
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Aye, agree. Links were strong before though. Maybe we’ve waited to get him on a free.
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Maddison pls if that should be a Lesta player

Can’t wait for next season……..”Xhaka would have done better than Rice/Caicedo/whoever”