Bournemouth reaction and player ratings

[IBK]

It’s not hate ffs, it’s recognition that it’s madness to have a player like that in your central midfield. Ticking time bomb in the same way Mustafi was. That transitional area between defence and attack is so important in the game, and you need someone who you can rely on to get the ball into the opponents half without being dispossessed, closed down. So far Zinchenko has been able to bail him out but Zinchenko is not quick or technical enough to do that against better and quicker teams

Looking at some of the comments from people on here, it certainly is hate. Xhaka got a single red card in the EPL last season (as did 4 other Arsenal players) - and the fact that he did not get 2 yellows in any game (I think) suggests that he is trying at least to address this aspect of his game. He got a single red card in the 2020/21 season (all comps) and none in the previous 3 seasons (all comps). Plus he is certainly a marked man amongst referees. Equating him to Mustafi who was, frankly, cowardly in many games is IMO an unfair comparison. He has played really well this season with 1 goal and 2 assists in the EPL to date. I have heard many Arsenal fans and pundits acknowledge that he often has really good games. Could we improve on him - yes. Does he have flaws - yes. But his reputation as a complete liablility just isn't bourne out by the facts.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Xhaka is playing alongside better players this season, and he seems to benefit from that. It’s working now, hopefully it continues to do so because no matter how much he plays, he never gets injured.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Looking at some of the comments from people on here, it certainly is hate. Xhaka got a single red card in the EPL last season (as did 4 other Arsenal players) - and the fact that he did not get 2 yellows in any game (I think) suggests that he is trying at least to address this aspect of his game. He got a single red card in the 2020/21 season (all comps) and none in the previous 3 seasons (all comps). Plus he is certainly a marked man amongst referees. Equating him to Mustafi who was, frankly, cowardly in many games is IMO an unfair comparison. He has played really well this season with 1 goal and 2 assists in the EPL to date. I have heard many Arsenal fans and pundits acknowledge that he often has really good games. Could we improve on him - yes. Does he have flaws - yes. But his reputation as a complete liablility just isn't bourne out by the facts.

There are some very simple factors in play, this league is full of teams that have adopted a high press strategy and when the key to winning games is controlling the midfield and factor in that Xhaka often gives the ball away when not under pressure by dallying on it too long or playing blind passes when he hasn’t even bothered looking to see if there is a pass on…that makes him a liability. As an aspiring top four side we shouldn’t countenance having him in the team, the problem is that the replacement options seem to be even worse between Lokonga who Arteta seems to have no faith in and Elneny.

I’ve said constantly if Xhaka played in Germany or Italy he’d be a very good player, because he’d have the time to actually play the type of game that best suits his style, in the premier league however you won’t get that time and thus he’s a liability. And I’m really really perturbed that we are even having this conversation when it’s so fucking obvious

[selassie]

Looking at some of the comments from people on here, it certainly is hate. Xhaka got a single red card in the EPL last season (as did 4 other Arsenal players) - and the fact that he did not get 2 yellows in any game (I think) suggests that he is trying at least to address this aspect of his game. He got a single red card in the 2020/21 season (all comps) and none in the previous 3 seasons (all comps). Plus he is certainly a marked man amongst referees. Equating him to Mustafi who was, frankly, cowardly in many games is IMO an unfair comparison. He has played really well this season with 1 goal and 2 assists in the EPL to date. I have heard many Arsenal fans and pundits acknowledge that he often has really good games. Could we improve on him - yes. Does he have flaws - yes. But his reputation as a complete liablility just isn't bourne out by the facts.

[Mac76]

The other annoying thing about Xhaka is how he gets a free pass from Arteta every time he messes up, whereas someone like Pepe is treated really harshly

He's obviously a real teacher's pet and i wonder whether he's as popular with the others as it's made out, or they're just too scared of getting on the wrong side of Arteta to have a go at him whenever he creates yet another goal-scoring opportunity for the opposition

[Letters]

The other annoying thing about Xhaka is how he gets a free pass from Arteta every time he messes up, whereas someone like Pepe is treated really harshly

He's obviously a real teacher's pet and i wonder whether he's as popular with the others as it's made out, or they're just too scared of getting on the wrong side of Arteta to have a go at him whenever he creates yet another goal-scoring opportunity for the opposition

There is something is that, and I certainly don't think we're going to be sweeping all before us in the PL or CL with Xhaka in midfield.
But he's not as bad as some people make out and doesn't deserve all the vitriol his presence in our team seems to generate.

[IBK]

The other annoying thing about Xhaka is how he gets a free pass from Arteta every time he messes up, whereas someone like Pepe is treated really harshly

He's obviously a real teacher's pet and i wonder whether he's as popular with the others as it's made out, or they're just too scared of getting on the wrong side of Arteta to have a go at him whenever he creates yet another goal-scoring opportunity for the opposition

I agree that Arteta's apparent inconsistency with players can be infuriating, but it does speak to Xhaka's application that not only Arteta, but every manager since AW has had him as a starter. Again, not to say that the player is not flawed, but these successive managers are not total fools, and if Xhaka was the utter liability that some people make him out to be, it doesn't make any sense that he would be an ever present over such a long period of time.

[Mac76]

I agree that Arteta's apparent inconsistency with players can be infuriating, but it does speak to Xhaka's application that not only Arteta, but every manager since AW has had him as a starter. Again, not to say that the player is not flawed, but these successive managers are not total fools, and if Xhaka was the utter liability that some people make him out to be, it doesn't make any sense that he would be an ever present over such a long period of time.

Don't agree, Emery was weak and needed support so jumped at the chance of having a sycophant like Xhaka there, Freddie likewise and Arteta's been learning on the job and like Emery had a problem with talented players who didn't see the point in running around traffic cones all day

Xhaka's just a talentless creep, any well-established manager with balls would tell him to do one

[Letters]

Xhaka's just a talentless creep

Sigh.

Yes, this is the sort of bullshit we are talking about

[I am invisible]

I agree that Arteta's apparent inconsistency with players can be infuriating, but it does speak to Xhaka's application that not only Arteta, but every manager since AW has had him as a starter. Again, not to say that the player is not flawed, but these successive managers are not total fools, and if Xhaka was the utter liability that some people make him out to be, it doesn't make any sense that he would be an ever present over such a long period of time.

I actually think Arteta is incredibly consistent with the players he picks. For me it has nothing at all to do with subjectivity and fairness - there are just players who understand and fit the way he wants to play and players who don’t: the ones who fit get picked regularly and the ones who don’t sit on the bench and are mostly used in an emergency. I really don’t think it’s any more complicated than that.

We’re all making the assumption here that Pepe would have been in for an extended run in the side if he hadn’t made mistakes, but I don’t think he was ever coming into the side for more than a single game here and there. He’s just not a JdP footballer who’s game is all about possession and positioning and control - he’s a pure counter-attacker - so he’s never going to be a starter in a Mikel Arteta team. It’s nothing personal - his skill set just doesn’t match the plan that the coach is trying execute.

Xhaka, on the other hand, does fit his system - he comes with a cost, and you have to be prepared to pay that cost if you’re going to play him, but overall he does the job the coach asks him to do so he gets picked.

I do think Xhaka has been incredibly lucky in his Arsenal career so far in that stars always seem to align for him every summer to somehow create a bigger emergency than CM that eats up most of our budget, but I think he’s going to have to be a lot more careful this year? Arteta is starting to fill the squad out with his own men now, and the way we’ve rearranged to midfield with two 8s and a lone 6 means there’s a lot more players we can turn to who could play his role - if he does something stupid again, and one of those guys makes a case for himself while he’s out, then he could find he has a wait before he gets back into the side.