Moving the ball forward and moving it quickly is an incredibly valuable skill. Xhaka makes Arsenal better in attack. That's why you bother with him. Is there a trade off defensively? Sure. But you have to decide if Xhaka's ability to get the ball forward is worth the occasional defensive lapse. I think it is, because this Arsenal squad is built to attack and doesn't have the players to defend anyway: might as well max out Arsenal's core competencies and try to win every game 4-2. I think structured possession under Emery will reduce the impact of Xhaka's defensive lapses.
Um, like the entire rest of the post? Obvioisly Pirlo is superior, it wasn’t a Pirlo vs Xhaka post. The point was he doesn’t do much else, unlike Pirlo. Please list me what Xhaka is great at. If you wanna ignore the entire message to focus on one line, then thats on you. If you’d like pointers on replying, look at mebe. Can’t overlook 1 “hysteric” lol...this place was nothing but the sort for at least 2 years. Save it.
It’s not just his defense. Its wrong to hang him like if he was a true 6. But its not wrong to hang him for simply not picking up players near him, which eventually lead to goals. His offense, besides that long ball, is nothing to write about. I already described what he can’t do and those are all things with the ball at his feet. Torreira has a good enough long ball that we’d hardly miss Xhaka, imo.
@Shen-O I replied once with a measured response to your increasingly, yes, hysterical Xhaka ‘analysis’. Apologies that it wasn’t as cultured as @mebeSajid: Needless to say, you didn’t like it, and I replied to your response with a joke. I’m genuinely sorry to have offended you.
Possession being more structured so that we have coverage in all areas of the pitch will fix a lot of these issues. Getting the ball into the final third isn't simply playing long balls - it's about fitting passes into tight spaces, and doing so in a way that possession isn't given away immediately. Xhaka is really, really good at getting the ball forward. Xhaka's played almost every game of note in the past few seasons, so to illustrate we have to go back before Xhaka came to Arsenal. Compare Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini: the biggest difference between the two players was Arteta's ability to get the ball forward. Not simply spraying long passes, but getting the ball to the likes of Ozil and (in 2013) Cazorla. Arsenal were a much more dangerous team when Arteta played. That illustrates Xhaka's job: he's on the pitch to get the ball to Miki and Ozil (and Ramsey), and to collect the ball if there isn't an opening so everyone can reset and try something different. He's very good at that job, and that makes him a valuable player, albeit one liable to brain farts.
Torreira is just as good at recyling possession, opening himself up to receive passes and be an outlet, and has twice the engine. More defensively aware without a doubt. I wish Xhaka was as good as Arteta. Xhaka’s stats say he’s elite at getting the ball into the final 3rd...but just watching our play when it goes through Duzy, we look much more smoother and incisive. We don’t need Xhaka to feed Ozil or Mhiki when Duzy can slice the lines, playing in our RB, who puts it on a plate for someone to finish. Not to mention Duzy’s combination play and link up being better. At the end of the season, I know which 2 will be in front of the defense.
You do not have enough information to say this. Dude, did you get hacked? We've had this conversation about what your eyes say versus data. The play looks smoother with Guendouzi, but it only looks that way. Guendouzi is only playing because Torreira doesn't have the legs to play 90 minutes (this is the only explanation I can come up with). I think we're rating Guendouzi well because he's 19. He's been a passenger the last two games. He'll get better (hopefully), but he's a year away. I wish that Merrick Garland was on the Supreme Court.
There was a good example of this on Auba's goal at the weekend Ozil came deeper, and created the final 3rd entry with a nice pass to hit Laca's run. (He also overlapped and was open for the return pass but with Auba's finish he wasn't needed). That's why these "luxury" players matter - because they can snap the ball into feet it is also why Kroos is such a valuable player
You can’t tell someone who has actually seen him play over the years what they know about a player. When YOU have seen him play more than 10+ times, let me know. We don’t have to agree on Xhaka, that’s fine. But I will accept everyone's apologies when he's a bench player by March.
Yes, thank you. I listed about 10 matches when bigman asked me the same question at the start of the summer window. The matches listed were specific games I watched him in because they were big clashes. I also hate the big clubs in Serie A so I watch a lot more Fiorentina/Atalanta/Sampdoria casually. Sampdoria trusted Torreira so much he played 90 mins every match his first season there. He played just as much last year as well.
That's interesting. He certainly has impressed most of us in his limited appearances for us this season. But the key word is "limited". Since you seem to know him pretty well, do you have any theories as to why he's not been given more minutes, more starts by Emery? Is it just caution because he's coming off a WC summer? (my best guess, and that would probably be prudent) Or some other unknown fitness issue?? Or is there any chance that somehow Emery doesn't quite rate him as much as fans & pundits seem to???
I really am sold on him too He seems to be very aware when to sit and when to get forward He is great at shielding the ball considering his size too He can balance our midfield imo
Younger and new to the league is my guess. I don't believe there's any fitness issues. He should be fine by now, his NT went out at the quarters. He started as a sub this WC, got more minutes the next game, by the 3rd game, he was a starter playing 90 until they lost to France. He played his way onto that team quickly.