Yeah this is what worries me about Xhaka too, he looks neat and tidy but don't we have enough of those type players? I really don't fully understand this signing at the moment. Wouldn't someone like Kante have been a more suitable signing for us? I dunno...Wenger just seems to collect players he likes and not buy players what the TEAM actually NEEDS.Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Wenger has got some sort of weird obssession with midfielders who pass and tap the ball 5 yards, we're loaded with them and lack players in other areas and yet the guy continues to sign the same type of player, odd man.
we did. Xhaka adds verticality to the passing. He showed it on Saturday. Vertical passing has been something this midfield has lacked for a long time. I dont understand how it was a luxury signing, lol.
we just saw an improvement in our passing in his first start, and you lot think he is similar. I dont know what matches you guys watch sometimes.
the problem with this team is our forward line. And im going to put it out there, all of them are at fault. Alexis, Theo, whomever on the left.
Or the problem is we don't actually have a striker?
Square peg in round hole solutions, what's the point? It's totally nuts that we still haven't addressed the Centre forward position. Just buy a f*cking Striker Wenger!!!
Did we have a problem with our passing last season against Leicester City? We beat them twice last season and dominated possession on both occasions. What problem has he solved considering we drew that game and created little?
When he played the first half against City, we struggled badly until Elneny came on. Against better and more aggressive opposition, he might not have played so well. That's my worry.
Precisely, we beat them twice last season, once 5-2 without Xhaka, yet with him we draw 0-0. Xhaka doesn't bring anything we actually really needed, we should have bought a more dynamic midfielder willing to make penetrating runs at defences.
Right and how has that helped, did we beat Leicester cos we did last season, comfortably in fact with the same squad other than Xhaka (amd holding).
im mad at Wenger too, but saying that Xhaka was a luxury signing is madness.
He is a midfielder we needed for ages. Give him time to settle. I reckon he will kick it up by October because his quality is absolutely abundant.
One, you value preseason more than you should. We didnt struggle in that match that first half, and created a bunch of chances. I dont think Xhaka played well in that preseason match, but we should have been up a couple of goals in that game. IIRC, you used the second half of that match to show Alexis can play CF when he has gone out in 2 games since and shown he isnt suited for it. You want to give Alexis the chance to show something while casting aside Xhaka? It doesnt make sense.
Next up, what does Leicester last season have to do with this season? IIRC, Ozil started both matches. He didnt start yesterday.
Also, everyone dominated possession against Leicester last season. THat was their style of play. WE dominated possession Saturday as well, as they are still going with the same style. If I told you we had more shots (13-8), more shots on goal (4-1), and more passes (450-256) than Leicester did you would probably think I was talking out my ass.
until you complain about Arsenal passing it in a ushape and not playing long passes.
What Arsenal needs is better forward play. That has been the problem with this team for some time. That and we have a flabby and sick manager.
Xhaka could turn out to be an excellent player but it's the staunch defence and argument you put up about him being essential that I really disagree with. If he's another player that is dependent on a missing component from our team to shine, he's not essential. We had this same problem with Ozil. We still need a striker for these guys to be influential and since that was the case last season when we had Ozil, Xhaka really wasn't an essential purchase. If we don't sign a striker or if the movement doesn't improve, what's the assessment on Xhaka? Was he still essential? I hope his passing can influence our forwards to make better runs and not have a case where he needs others to be influential.
Also, I'm being patient with Sanchez because what choice do we have? Is Xhaka more like to thrive of a his movement or the static and slow movement of Giroud? I also, I think the striker position is one where the player has to learn the pattern of the team and for years we've played with a target man in Giroud. It will take more than 2 games for us to find our rhythm. I think we'd have the same adjustment period even if we signed a new striker.
As for stats, Xhaka created only 1 chance and completed 58/73 passes. 79%.That's not that impressive but stats don't tell the whole story. Either way, I wouldn't hold that Leicester game up as a reason why we needed Xhaka.
Some interesting stats.
Tackles won
Coquelin 5/6
Monreal 4/4
Theo 3/3He had 4/6 against Liverpool. He's trying to prove to Wenger he can defend.
Chances created
Alexis - 3
Bellerin -2
Cazorla - 0 - That's a pretty shocking for Santi. Way too hit and miss.
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