We knew exactly what we were getting when we signed Xhaka.

A brilliant passer of the ball, who shoots on sight, but with a few red cards in him.

Does exactly as it says on the tin.

Just about every defensive player gives away stupid pens. Apart from that I thought he had a very good game. Second half he bossed it in the middle.

Just about every defensive player gives away stupid pens.
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That's like saying every attacking player scores goals at some point. I don't get your point. Xhaka is a clearly more reckless player than most. He's a magnet for trouble with cynical fouling and clumsy tackling. He has improved his temperament since a ridiculous run of red cards previously in his career, but he clearly has issues that means he'll often be on the disciplinary edge.

I actually thought that penalty was a contentious coming-together, but it was the clumsy throw of the arm that edged the decision towards being a penalty.

I didn't see yesterdays game, but Xhaka was always going to be a card risk. Hopefully he uses his brain better in the key games.

I am quite enjoying us having a tough, no nonsense, centre mid pairing when him & Coq play together. I know it probably isn't our best pairing, but we certainly won't get bullied with them two.

When will the moaning stop on this board?

We were crying and whining for a player like him who put some steel in the middle of the park with the ability to play and pass the ball with accurancy since Viera left.

Agree with you Boss....he had a very good performance. He and le Coq....that fits.

My point was every player gives away a pen so we really can't be moaning unless he keeps doing it. I thought Allen just ran into the back of him as he was trying to shield his way to the ball.

comment by BO$$™ (U6401)
posted 17 minutes ago
My point was every player gives away a pen so we really can't be moaning unless he keeps doing it. I thought Allen just ran into the back of him as he was trying to shield his way to the ball.
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Dubious pen for me as well. The ball was played already when Allen run into Xhaka to steal the ball from him. Xhaka's elbow hit Allen then.

When will the moaning stop on this board?

We were crying and whining for a player like him who put some steel in the middle of the park with the ability to play and pass the ball with accurancy since Viera left.
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I think any new signing should be given a season or two to get used to EPL. Fans are so impatient these days.

You're a fool. That was never a penalty in a million years. Look at his performance and stats, he's the complete midfielder we've been crying out for. Not many DLP can play as DM. He can and brilliantly too.

When will the moaning stop on this board?

We were crying and whining for a player like him who put some steel in the middle of the park with the ability to play and pass the ball with accurancy since Viera left.

Agree with you Boss....he had a very good performance. He and le Coq....that fits.

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Good comment. I was going to mention Viera.

No offence intended guys, but I can't see how anyone can consider that wasn't a penalty.

To me it's as clear a penalty as you'll see - totally reckless elbow. In fact, I'd go as far as saying it comes under the umbrella of serious foul play and, as such, merited not just a penalty, but a red. I'm amazed the ref didn't even produce a yellow.

Clear as day if you watch the first replay here:
http://hoofoot.com/?es&match=Arsenal_3_-_1_Stoke_city_2016_12_10_lges_

comment by Mourinho delenda est (U6426)
posted 6 minutes ago
No offence intended guys, but I can't see how anyone can consider that wasn't a penalty.

To me it's as clear a penalty as you'll see - totally reckless elbow. In fact, I'd go as far as saying it comes under the umbrella of serious foul play and, as such, merited not just a penalty, but a red. I'm amazed the ref didn't even produce a yellow.

Clear as day if you watch the first replay here:
http://hoofoot.com/?es&match=Arsenal_3_-_1_Stoke_city_2016_12_10_lges_


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That's the first time I've seen it, and I agree that it's a pen and a red.

Only a spaaaaastic like 50 who knows nothing about football would argue that it wasn't a penalty.

That clown Xhaka was lucky to stay on the pitch.

Oh and just because he is a dirty player and a loose cannon doesn't mean he is 'tough' or brings 'steel' to our midfield. It just makes him a red card risk

Xhaka should as Scholes, Costa, Herrera, Ramires, Wanyama, and Gerrard for their invisibility cloaks, because all of those w@nkers consistently got/get away with dirty fouls without the ref doing anything. For facks sakes, Fellaini pushed Gibbs into another player last season right before a Man Utd goal.

I don't care if Xhaka adds some dirt/cynicism to the team. Same people here who regularly complained about Arsene bringing in soft players without fight and praising Mourinho teams for kicking Arsenal into the ground now want Xhaka to lower his aggression? No, he should continue, because as the season progresses and Arsenal stays near the top, teams will resort to the usual kick Arsenal into the ground play. And there needs to be someone to return some of that kicking and not let teams walk over the squad.

I think the elbow was high because he was changing direction, a sudden shift in momentum is always going to result in arms flailing. Just like when players go up for a header and clatter people in the face with their elbows.

That said I think it was a penalty and a bit clumsy, but never a red. There's absolutely no intent in it.

Aside from that, though, he played very well again. Last few games, since he's got a run of starts, he's looked very good and the team is playing so much better than we have since Cazorla was fit. Having him and Mustafi who are really accomplished at picking out dangerous balls early and from deep means our dynamic forward line is that bit more dangerous.

comment by GHAGooner (U19228)
posted 30 minutes ago
Xhaka should as Scholes, Costa, Herrera, Ramires, Wanyama, and Gerrard for their invisibility cloaks, because all of those w@nkers consistently got/get away with dirty fouls without the ref doing anything. For facks sakes, Fellaini pushed Gibbs into another player last season right before a Man Utd goal.

I don't care if Xhaka adds some dirt/cynicism to the team. Same people here who regularly complained about Arsene bringing in soft players without fight and praising Mourinho teams for kicking Arsenal into the ground now want Xhaka to lower his aggression? No, he should continue, because as the season progresses and Arsenal stays near the top, teams will resort to the usual kick Arsenal into the ground play. And there needs to be someone to return some of that kicking and not let teams walk over the squad.
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The days of us not matching teams physically ended a long time ago. Nothing wrong with being aggressive, it's being aggressive in the right way that matters. We can't afford to keep giving away penalties, eventually we are gonna concede one that costs us (like the Spurs game already did)

comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 1 hour, 14 minutes ago
Only a spaaaaastic like 50 who knows nothing about football would argue that it wasn't a penalty.

That clown Xhaka was lucky to stay on the pitch.

Oh and just because he is a dirty player and a loose cannon doesn't mean he is 'tough' or brings 'steel' to our midfield. It just makes him a red card risk
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oh

comment by GHAGooner (U19228)
posted 38 minutes ago
Xhaka should as Scholes, Costa, Herrera, Ramires, Wanyama, and Gerrard for their invisibility cloaks, because all of those w@nkers consistently got/get away with dirty fouls without the ref doing anything. For facks sakes, Fellaini pushed Gibbs into another player last season right before a Man Utd goal.

I don't care if Xhaka adds some dirt/cynicism to the team. Same people here who regularly complained about Arsene bringing in soft players without fight and praising Mourinho teams for kicking Arsenal into the ground now want Xhaka to lower his aggression? No, he should continue, because as the season progresses and Arsenal stays near the top, teams will resort to the usual kick Arsenal into the ground play. And there needs to be someone to return some of that kicking and not let teams walk over the squad.
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Fully agree with you here.

He's clearly not a loose cannon, Bats has been vociferously against him since we were linked so is going OTT. One red card v Swansea which was harsh, was a cynical foul stopping a counter attack (which is the kind of foul we need to do more often) and this penalty which evidently was not some kind of deranged attack borne out of anger hardly indicates that he's some nutter with a short fuse.

I'm not going OTT. His red card vs Swansea was a joke but you can't defend what he did yesterday

You're so wrong here, Bats.

We won the game yesterday because we won the midfield battle against a good Stoke side. That is where we lost so many points against the lesser teams in the last season.

comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 37 seconds ago
I'm not going OTT. His red card vs Swansea was a joke but you can't defend what he did yesterday
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yes I can.

It wasnt even a foul. His elbow hit Allen because Allen ran into him.

Yea our performance was good, it doesn't take away that it was a stupid pen that could have cost us. He was lucky not to be sent off considering the ref spotted it and the game would have been totally different

People on this board quite clearly have never played a game of football in their lives. Xhaka high elbow was a change in direction, and Allen literally ran into him. Big conspiracy