Sp*rs match reaction

[AFC Leveller]

Spurs away, City away and Liverpool away we were second best on the day and there can be no complaints. However, losses to Stoke, Bournemouth etc were simply unacceptable and are the reason we are so far behind.

[Özim]

Not being funny but it's no wonder we're losing away from home so much when we're playing Xhaka, it's just like playing with 10 men. He offers nothing going forward, can't tackle, but what's worse is he spends most of his time ball watching, I've lost count of the number times the opposition get a goal and he's just jogging around casually not pressing the ball, really that's just not acceptable.

Any normal manager would have spotted this and tried something different in midfield, when you've got a player in CM who just doesn't really work hard or chase the ball you're in trouble, he's a passenger, we should have dropped him and tried a combination of the others, admitedly we don't have the solution in the squad becuse we never signed a decent DM, but anything is better than Xhaka, the sooner we get rid of this chump the better, he's one of Wengers worst signings, to think people thought he was good before he came, he's absolutely horrendous.

[AFC Leveller]

Not being funny but it's no wonder we're losing away from home so much when we're playing Xhaka, it's just like playing with 10 men. He offers nothing going forward, can't tackle, but what's worse is he spends most of his time ball watching, I've lost count of the number times the opposition get a goal and he's just jogging around casually not pressing the ball, really that's just not acceptable.

Any normal manager would have spotted this and tried something different in midfield, when you've got a player in CM who just doesn't really work hard or chase the ball you're in trouble, he's a passenger, we should have dropped him and tried a combination of the others, admitedly we don't have the solution in the squad becuse we never signed a decent DM, but anything is better than Xhaka, the sooner we get rid of this chump the better, he's one of Wengers worst signings, to think people thought he was good before he came, he's absolutely horrendous.

cant argue with that, Xhaka is a left footed Denilson (who also, incidentally, stunk up the place for a lot longer than he should before being sold) and is costing us points every other game, esp away from home. Liverpool targeted him back in August and got a lot of joy, other teams have also marked him as our weak link.

He is slow on the ball, slow without the ball and i cannot remember seeing him sprint during a game.

[HCZ]

sweet, sweet consensus

[Marc Overmars]

It’s not even really about being slow on the ball, plenty of players have dominated midfields without being particularly quick. It’s about his reading of the game which sucks balls.

[HCZ]

It’s not even really about being slow on the ball, plenty of players have dominated midfields without being particularly quick. It’s about his reading of the game which sucks balls.

I think it’s also lacking the physical strength or the desire to do anything other than the easy short pass

We definitely lack pace in the midfield generally. None of our central midfielders can sprint. Whilst you don’t need everyone to sprint you need someone who can

[HCZ]

To add some more light onto our miserable away record. Only twice this season have we scored more than one goal.

This was slightly better from where the away record run started last season where we scored more than once five times from 12 (in those games we won 4 and drew one)

Compare that to the previous 26 away games where we scored on average two goals a game, and found the net more than once on 16 of those 26 games (11 wins, 4 draws and one defeat)

[Mac76]

I think it’s also lacking the physical strength or the desire to do anything other than the easy short pass

We definitely lack pace in the midfield generally. None of our central midfielders can sprint. Whilst you don’t need everyone to sprint you need someone who can

definitely

the more i read all this the more i agree re xhaka - i thought he had promise at first but a few early clumsy tackles meant the refs targeted him, so i think he's been neutralised as a tackler, he's not quick and although we should still give him credit for the odd good forward pass we're only getting about 1 per game now from what I've seen

[Bumble]

maybe the problem is that xhaka isn't getting booked or sent off anymore so is available for every game. he must be one of the worst £30m+ signings around.... him and Mustafi

[Niall_Quinn]

sweet, sweet consensus

Bitter, bitter consensus. Because the one guy who can do anything about this - won't. He won't even listen to moderate and constructive criticism from club legends.

[Niall_Quinn]

Not having beaten a supposed rival away from home since 2015 is the stat that sticks with me. How can you even pretend to be a title challenger with a record like that? And when it goes on for so long without anybody taking action to rectify the main problem, then you know the goal of this club is not to compete at the top. The record tells the truth. Our European records also tell us we aren't serious about competing there either. All we want to do is quality, the coveted Top 4 Trophy. Because that's what gets the money. Look at the pressure Conte is under compared to Wenger. The former will get the chop, the latter will inform us nearer the time whether he has decided to extend his own contract or not.

[HCZ]

Bitter, bitter consensus. Because the one guy who can do anything about this - won't. He won't even listen to moderate and constructive criticism from club legends.

The only good advice he can follow is go. His reputation is already damaged. The only way to even partially salvage it is to disappear and let water flow under a few bridges.

Take up Golf, shack up in Paris with Sonia Tatar, live on an island somewhere with some other young chocolate face girl he’s taken a fancy to. Get the money come in from pundit appearances on French sports channel, run a football academy in Guadeloupe for young boys with malaria and aids. Do something as long as it’s away from Islington.

[HCZ]

Not having beaten a supposed rival away from home since 2015 is the stat that sticks with me. How can you even pretend to be a title challenger with a record like that? And when it goes on for so long without anybody taking action to rectify the main problem, then you know the goal of this club is not to compete at the top. The record tells the truth. Our European records also tell us we aren't serious about competing there either. All we want to do is quality, the coveted Top 4 Trophy. Because that's what gets the money. Look at the pressure Conte is under compared to Wenger. The former will get the chop, the latter will inform us nearer the time whether he has decided to extend his own contract or not.

Absolutely right, but the stats I highlight mark the difference between being an also ran and having relegation form away from home. Title challenging would require more clean sheets but any manager needs to fix the shit Wenger has left us in before even thinking of a title challenge

[selassie]

I think it’s also lacking the physical strength or the desire to do anything other than the easy short pass

We definitely lack pace in the midfield generally. None of our central midfielders can sprint. Whilst you don’t need everyone to sprint you need someone who can

Aye, we are a complete mess in Central Midfield. As you and others have rightly stated we lack pace and strength, two things that are pretty much essential for gaining control of midfield in PL. What makes it worse is that aside from Wilshere, our Central Midfielders aren't even that technical. Sure Ramsey and Xhaka can on occasions both pick out a pass but they are both extremely inconsistent and pretty wasteful at times too.

I don't get what Wenger is trying to do with Central Midfield because it clearly isn't working and hasn't worked since Santi has been crocked.

[Power n Glory]

cant argue with that, Xhaka is a left footed Denilson (who also, incidentally, stunk up the place for a lot longer than he should before being sold) and is costing us points every other game, esp away from home. Liverpool targeted him back in August and got a lot of joy, other teams have also marked him as our weak link.

He is slow on the ball, slow without the ball and i cannot remember seeing him sprint during a game.

Slow off the ball so it's hard for anyone to find him in the middle when we need to zip the ball about quickly. Slow on the ball and with it at his feet so when he comes under pressure he panics. So one footed he can't receive the ball on his right foot or pass it on his right so he's always having to swivel on to his stronger foot for any move....

Worst purchase we could have made for the midfield. He embodies the weaknesses of every central midfield player we've had recently 10x and offers none of their strengths.

[Power n Glory]

Aye, we are a complete mess in Central Midfield. As you and others have rightly stated we lack pace and strength, two things that are pretty much essential for gaining control of midfield in PL. What makes it worse is that aside from Wilshere, our Central Midfielders aren't even that technical. Sure Ramsey and Xhaka can on occasions both pick out a pass but they are both extremely inconsistent and pretty wasteful at times too.

I don't get what Wenger is trying to do with Central Midfield because it clearly isn't working and hasn't worked since Santi has been crocked.

Just to add, he has ruined Elneny. Totally different player compared to when we signed him.

[selassie]

Slow off the ball so it's hard for anyone to find him in the middle when we need to zip the ball about quickly. Slow on the ball and with it at his feet so when he comes under pressure he panics. So one footed he can't receive the ball on his right foot or pass it on his right so he's always having to swivel on to his stronger foot for any move....

Worst purchase we could have made for the midfield. He embodies the weaknesses of every central midfield player we've had recently 10x and offers none of their strengths.

Agreed. The sad thing is he is Wenger's "Vanity Purchase" so hell will have to freeze over before he is dropped or replaced.

[selassie]

Just to add, he has ruined Elneny. Totally different player compared to when we signed him.

Yep, I actually thought Elneny looked alright when he first joined but he's just gone backwards, like the others he doesn't seem to really do anything or have a specific defined role.

I honestly believe Wenger has told the Central Midfielders to just play with freedom and interchange positions as and when necessary, it's like he wants them to have these undefined total football type roles when none of them are suited to this.

[Power n Glory]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5_Aj-vhUI

One of my favorite Arsenal podcasts out there. Clive, in the nicest way possible, sums up the cowardly behavior of Granit Xhaka. Around the 33 minute mark. Wilshere shouldn't have been battling with Dembele. Xhaka should have helped out because he should be the physical guy.

[Mac76]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5_Aj-vhUI

One of my favorite Arsenal podcasts out there. Clive, in the nicest way possible, sums up the cowardly behavior of Granit Xhaka. Around the 33 minute mark. Wilshere shouldn't have been battling with Dembele. Xhaka should have helped out because he should be the physical guy.

well like i said somewhere else, Xhaka got carded out of making any more tackles, call it cowardly but again it's down to the coaching team to teach him how to do it without having the refs on his back

[HCZ]

I listened to that podcast just before lunch it echoed my sentiments about pace and power in midfield and about Xhaka

Not that these are unique or profound observations, apart from to the one man who can actually do anything about it