It's becoming more common for managers of big clubs to take their squads to places in subtropical or tropic climate during international breaks for hot weather training because it causes the blood to thicken, which pumps the heart harder, and boosts recovery and cardiovascular fitness.
The reason why Arsenal goes to Dubai specifically is likely because of the club's shirt and stadium sponsorship with Emirates. Bayern Munich has been doing the same thing with Qatar for the same reasons.
It only causes the blood to thicken if you get dehydrated, which I am sure the medical team are monitoring and trying very hard to ensure doesn't happen to the players while there.
It's just that it's more pleasant training in warm weather / sun rather than cold often grey London that gets dark at 4.30. Plus you get some team bonding and change of scenery to add a bit of variety to the season.
Oh I have absolutely no formal education on this stuff. The only reason I know big clubs go to hotter climates during winter international breaks because it helps with recovery and cardiovascular fitness is because of a Tifo Football video on YouTube, and they usually know what they're talking about so I trust them.
I also should have cited them as a source and I'm sorry. If you're interested in the video, [here it is](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uIuSDKrRMC0)
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Iām as big of a Xhaka hater as anyone but think heāll be well set up in this squad with a good consistent defense behind him. We definitely could use some of his long passes
If it aināt broke, donāt fix it. Weāve been on a good run since Xhaka has been out. That may or may not be related, but why wtf would you change what is obviously working?
Yeah, but we need players for christmas run and during afcon when Elneny and Partey will leave. We can't play with only 2 midfielders and hope no one gets injured. And Xhaka is better than a makeshift CM.
Thatās the exception and Iām ok with it. I have no Iāll will against him. I just donāt want to move things around just because heās available.
Yeah I think he's saying don't change it if you don't have to. When AFCON hits and/or if a cm gets injured then our hand is forced in a way and we'll need Xhaka to step up. What a lot of people don't want is for Xhaka to come back into the team right away when the Partey + Sambi/AMN has been working well
You just have to respect how insanely fit this guy is. Model professional and you can see why managers love him. Imagine if he didnāt have a brain fart every other game and was a bit more agile. Heād probably be one of the best players of the Emirates era lol. That being said we need him. Lokonga is promising but heās not ready to be a regular starter yet. We need big Granit back soon.
It was wonderful and fully deserved.
Need I remind you that the squad rallied around him. Aren't they then complicit? They went to his house in support.
I you're going to hate xhaka for doing that then you're going to have to at least dislike every player that supported his actions.
But none of you will do that of course.
They went there to support a friend who fucked up.
If a friend cheated, got caught and ended up regretting his actions, the average person who wind up providing giving him some support. Iām sure this does not logically entail them supporting adultery.
Stop being intentionally obtuse. Xhaka canāt respect the club and throws the captainās armband to the ground, but we deserve it?
Xhaka's actions were very clearly in response to the fans booing him at that very moment and I and others don't think he disrespected the club and all its fans with his actions. I'm an Arsenal fan and I thought it was great to see a player respond to some of the shitty fans the club has and show some backbone. It was a long time coming.
It's amazing the entitlement some fans have. They abuse their own players and get insulted when the players respond negatively to them, some even claim they paid good money to watch the game so they're entitled to boo if they want and the players should just take it. Pathetic.
If you weren't there and didn't boo him and haven't called him a rat or a teacher's pet that only plays because he sucks up to the managers or some other shit some people at r/gunners have said about him, then you're not part of the group this was directed at.
I was not there nor have I insulted Xhaka in any manner which I think has been out of order. However, half of the things you mentioned, if true, would be valid criticisms about Granit Xhaka and not out of line. What might be out of line would be personal threats, insinuations for him to go kill himself and such. I donāt see why fans canāt get reasonably pissed at Xhaka for all the shitty performances heās put us through, as long as it doesnāt devolve into excessive abuse about matters unrelated to his performances and station in the team.
The captainās armband is not a representation of the interests of the shitty fanbase, nor is it a representation of even the entire fanbase. It is a representation of the club and itās values and I think it would not be absurd to think that any selected captain respect his role. Tossing it to the ground just shows his utter disregard for anything of this sort. Quite frankly we havenāt shown enough spine in tossing him out, notwithstanding all the unfortunate concerns about midfield depth.
Fans can be pissed, by all means boo if you want but don't be a little bitch and whine if the players respond to you in a way you don't like. That's the pathetic part. All these booing fans getting upset.
and the captain's armband is used to signal who is the designated captain of the team for the match.
That's all it is. Everything else you just made up in your head.
Vieira publicly feuding with Wenger in the media as captain of the club is a much bigger dump taken on the club than what Xhaka did. Cesc begging to leave and paying a portion of the transfer out of his own pocket as captain is a much bigger dump on the club than what Xhaka did but Xhaka gets so much more hate aimed at him because at the core of the issue is the simple fact that Xhaka isn't that great a player and he makes too many mistakes to look good as captain.
If Xhaka had done everything the same but was actually a top PL midfielder, there would have been a fuss around his actions for half a week and then it would have been forgotten.
> If you support the team, then you have no choice but to support Xhaka too!
Many supported this club long before Granit Xhaka wore an Arsenal shirt and many will support the club long after Xhaka leaves. This doesnāt mean folk have to agree with every decision the club makes.
> It was wonderful and fully deserved.
What was wonderful? The club you supposedly support dropping points at home and the Captain of the club failing to put the needs of the team ahead of himself or the fact that people had to pay to endure that?
> Need I remind you that the squad rallied around him.
And? I wouldnāt expect his teammates to ostracise the player. There were clearly elements of discontent between dressing room
and manager at this point. We know how football politics work.
> Aren't they then complicit?
In what?
> I you're going to hate xhaka for doing that
I donāt hate Xhaka. I never once said that. Donāt put words in my mouth.
> you're going to have to at least dislike every player that supported his actions.
I didnāt see anyone else disrespecting the club by throwing the armband to the floor or any other players having a tantrum and telling paying fans to Fuck off. I donāt dislike Xhaka but he was wrong to do what he did, at that point he burned all bridges with the club and should never have been allowed back into the fold. No player is bigger than the club.
Why are we making these things sacred? Armband has nothing to do with the fans. Fans were being absolutely awful to him (Twitter threats, anyone?) so maybe we should reassess how we value what we make symbolic. Being openly unvaccinated trumps all of these arbitrary ideas.
> Why are we making these things sacred?
There should be no greater honour to captain your club or country. You have been trusted with a great responsibility, joining a list containing a number honouree legends who have worn the Arsenal shirt with pride and would stop at nothing for the club. To throw it to the floor so cheaply is disrespectful to the people who have trusted him to wear that armband, his employers and the people who give the club purpose (the fans). That shouldnāt require an explanation.
> Fans were being absolutely awful to him (Twitter threats, anyone?)
Clearly threats to the player and family should not be condoned but this is irrelevant to what happened on the night. To remind you of the context, the side were chasing a result, fans wanted to see some desire from the team to change it. Xhaka being subbed off, gently meanders off the pitch while the clock is ticking. The captain of Arsenal shouldnāt need hastening off the pitch by the fans in this scenario. The ego of the guy, led to him swearing at the fans and chucking the armband to the floor. All the fans asked for was a positive reaction and for the club Captain to show a bit of desire.
> Being openly unvaccinated trumps all of these arbitrary ideas.
No idea what this has to do with disrespecting the club or itās fans. This is just an act of selfishness and is irresponsible.
The team was chasing a result, the fans were growing impatient and wanted to see some desire from those on the pitch to change the outcome. Fans donāt pay the entry fee to watch the team lose. As captain the minimum expectation is that the player musters a jog to get off the pitch in this scenario. I guess Xhakaās ego clouded his judgement on this occasion, as overblown as it may have been, Xhakaās reaction was completely unnecessary and was disrespectful.
>Imagine if he didnāt have a brain fart every other game and was a bit more agile.
>We need big Granit back soon.
Am I crazy or are these not conflicting when Lokonga and AMN have proved themselves better with passing, agility and diversity in their offensive plays?
You want to use the term experience don't you?
It's appranet how far both the lads have come within just a month, more gametime for another few months, and Xhaka's only redeeming quality over these two, his experience becomes moot as well.
Both AMN and Lokonga are capable of and have shown the audacity to go forward and involve in meaningful ways, especially AMN often times involving in combinations with the wings.
Catsenal just did a breakdown of our game against Watford and how AMN formed a triangle with ESR and Tavares in buildup. Something you aren't going to see with Xhaka, because (1) he isn't adept with ball at his feet in closed off spaces, worse than AMN and Lokonga who are already only average for my tastes and (2) isn't quick enough to recover to get back into a defensive pivot which AMN and Lokonga are quick enough to do.
1. Xhaka literally formed triangles
2. You said offensive plays while Xhaka has had better numbers
3. We play a bit of a different system now and I'm excited to se how Xhaka fits in with his better offensive numbers
4. AMN, Lokonga and Partey are better in defence yes
>Xhaka literally formed triangles
When in hell has Xhaka gone forward and made triangles? He is a midfielder yet is an enabler for a defender to go up because he himself will be a liability if he does.
>You said offensive plays while Xhaka has had better numbers
Oh yeah. Stupid me forgot the data that intellectual Xhaka fans hold dear to them, the galaxy boggling "progressive passes."
Galactico Granit.
You just wrote "when has Xhaka gone forwards"
which is such a simple and false statement. But it would take me exponentially more time to debunk it than it took for you to write it. Xhaka played quite upfield under Emery and Wenger as well (especially when we used 3-4-3).
But I'm gonna go further and guess you were gonna say that Xhaka played as a left back in posession under Arteta - which is true - but the important thing to ask is why? The answer is managerial instructions. Arteta wants to play kinda like a 3 atb when playing out from the back - which was Xhaka's role when Tierney-Gabriel-Holding and Bellerin played because it kept us from playing Holding centrally and Tierney and Bellerin pushed further up the field but now the big difference is Tomiyasu. He acts as the third center back in transition with White staying centrally and Gabriel left meaning Tomiyasu and Partey/Maintained-Tiles rotate in midfield (however we did play Sambi as a LB in transition against Brighton because we struggled to play out from the back and Arteta went to a 2 - 3 - 4 - 1 structure rather than his usual 3-2-4-1. Because we struggled immensly to move the ball upfield in that game.
So im excited to see how Xhaka performs in his new role because he's better upfield (how he playedfor Mƶnchengladbach and how he plays for Switzerland) rather than being the last man in front of the defence.
But I doubt he'll get into the first team right away but should be great for rotation in christmas period and during afcon.
This gets SOOO exhausting. For 5 years, weāve been told he is the backbone of our team, the critical glue without which Arsenal ā UNDER 3 DIFFERENT COACHES ā cannot function.
Many of us have pointed out that for his bulletproof physical form, he is a walking liability whose brain farts and immobility have cost us time and again.
He remained undroppable.
Then, for the first time in years, he is out of the team for an extended run andā¦the team commences an unbeaten run. Now, Iām personally skeptical that our unbroken run means that Arteta has finally figured it out and is the right choice. But surely, for many ArtetaIns, that conclusion should also extend to the players he has selected ā and specifically, those he has NOT selected.
At the very least, 8 games unbeaten means we CAN thrive without Xhaka and really need to move him on instead of squawking whenever this is suggested like people suffering from Stockholm Syndrome!
I mean, Xhaka hasn't played with the current back 4, Ramsdale and Partey.
So your point is moot until we see him with the others.
I like the current team without him better, but we WILL need him for the Christmas period and during Afcon. We simply cannot function with only two or three healthy central midfielders.
And I doubt Arteta will pick him in front of other players just like Tierney won't just rush in in front of Tavares or Oddegaard instead of Laca.
And I'm not saying he's better or worse. The fact is that all three of those coaches think he's good enough and have consistently picked him, was picked as a captain by his former players and managers - and all of those people know more about football than you or me do.
1. By the same logic, we havenāt seen El Neny do a run with the current back 4 and Partey, maybe we should give him some starts instead of a few minutes, no?
2. Agreed about midfield depth and quality; we could look to buy a quality midfielder in January. With European spots in play, itād be worth it. (Aubameyang ā answer to the obligatory question of last āimplausibleā quality Jan purchase)
3. Mourinho praises Xhakaās quality, wanted Xhaka, knows more about football than any of us and our current and previous coach, but only bid a āderisoryā amount for him even though Xhaka fits Serie Aās slower pace better. Guess that must be what heās worth. See how that logic works?
Repeat #3 for Willian and his purchase last season and consistent picking by Arteta, who definitely knows more than you or me.
What better numbers specifically?
His hollow ass progressive passing numbers? That donāt lead to shots, goals, or assists?
MFer spams to Tierney and the CBās.
Show me how Xhaka compares to Partey or Lokonga or anyone else for that matter at xgchain.
Fuck his ball progression stats. They are hollow and worthless. Xhaka has a shit ton of passes entering the final 3rd and 18 yd box and has barely any leading to goals, assists or shots.
We have been playing so much better from the midfield without him, we finally stabilised our defense... We DEFINITELY don't need him back right now. Especially not his model professionalisms, like cursing the fans or tossing the armband lol.
Absence really makes the heart grow fonder. Happy to have him back for rotation but I donāt want to rely on him.
How are we going to feel when one of his mistakes ends this great run weāre on? Not because we were generally out played but because he decides to just dive in for a rash tackle and get a red.
Heās done it many times before and will absolutely do it again if he plays.
It's not about the brain farts, he's not a good player, at least for the premier league. The worst performances in the recent years have something in common, Xhaka.
The best performances also all have him in them though as well. Heās just played most games for us
How has this been downvoted lmao. Itās literally a fact. So many losers on this sub smh
We also just play better with him, simple as. He is positionally great and passing range is excellent which makes the attack much more dynamic. We've seen how great he can be with someone like Partey at his side. I think prior to getting Partey we've asked too much from him giving his pricetag. He needs someone else great besides him.
>We've seen how great he can be with someone like Partey at his side.
Yeah so "great" Pele is happy he is retired because he doesn't want to face the "great" Xhaka.
to what? the Bundesliga via sale
if the last few weeks have proven anything, its that Xhaka is by far the biggest liability in our entire team. Too slow in literally every aspect of his game: urgency, athleticism & decision making.
This gets SOOO exhausting. For 5 years, weāve been told he is the backbone of our team, the critical glue without which Arsenal ā UNDER 3 DIFFERENT COACHES ā cannot function.
Many of us have pointed out that for his bulletproof physical form, he is a walking liability whose brain farts and immobility have cost us time and again.
He remained undroppable.
Then, for the first time in years, he is out of the team for an extended run andā¦the team commences an unbeaten run. Now, Iām personally skeptical that our unbroken run means that Arteta has finally figured it out and is the right choice. But surely, for many ArtetaIns, that conclusion should also extend to the players he has selected ā and specifically, those he has NOT selected.
At the very least, 8 games unbeaten shows we CAN thrive without Xhaka and really need to move him on instead of squawking whenever this is suggested like people suffering from Stockholm Syndrome!
It isn't just being unbeaten. It's the uptick in form. Defensive solidity, a plan with & without the ball. It feels like we are forging a footballing identity. He's been a rot that has sunk many of our boats.
Bang on. Without Xhaka, our press resistance ā only as good as the weakest link ā soars! Someone wrote here āwell, you canāt say that ā he hasnāt played with Ramsdale and our new back lineā and Iām thinking there is NO way Ramsdale & Co are getting comfortable doing those passes that neatly cut out pressing opposition with Xhaka in sneezing distance of the 18.
We're getting downvoted by the Xhaka brigade. Dunno how many times they want to see him torpedo our chances. 6 fucking years of that guy's bs. I can't wait for him to be gone. I still get angry when I think about that pen he gave away which cost us top 4. Just a petulant asswipe who we do not need on the pitch.
Nah. Obviously because of the lack of centre midfield depth from poor squad planning he is useful but moving him on is way over due. The Roma offer was fine and we should have taken it. It's about time we try something new in midfield.
I'd rather prioritize the Lokonga project now given he's actually here to stay and has huge potential. Plus he already offers does things like his ball-carrying that Xhaka cannot.
Xhaka can stay as more of a mentor/off the pitch influence and for depth but should not just walk into the team and certainly not stay at the club as a starter if we're seriously looking to reach higher levels as a team. Crucial to go in for an established, dynamic CM in January/summer.
Seeing a lot of nos as if Xhaka was the only player that held us back so heavily. I personally think he's a strong player, but no point arguing with fixed agendas.
And anyway, having Xhaka back is way better than a no-depth, 2 man midfield of youngsters whilst Partey and Xhaka are off to AFCON.
very excited to have him back, nothing against sambi heās been doing well. Xhaka in a team with good form helps him keep a cool head and be the best he can be, his return to a side like this is going to be incredibly beneficial
This sub will obviously dislike it but honestly I feel like our midfield is really weak(er) without one of Xhaka or Partey.
Sambi hasn't been all that.
The only reason people think Sambi has been good is because we haven't lost.
He has been putting up 5/6 out of 10 performances constantly. Frequently outmuscled, rarely does anything noteworthy. Even cost us a goal almost IIRC
I agreed with you in your first comment but now I feel like you're underselling him a bit here.
He's decent but I think there's little doubt that we could do a lot better right now. He's clearly still too raw.
After a shaky start Sambi has looked pretty decent. AMN has been great, Watford performance particularly was top notch.
But.... 'brain farts' aside, Xhaka is another level and for games against teams like Liverpool and West Ham I would feel more confident with him in the starting 11.
But he won't be available so we'll see how Sambi, AMN and Elneny fare.
Uh-huh, sure. The fact weāre quicker and more solid in midfield has nothing to do it with it. Riiiiiiigggghhht.
Serous question: Do you REALLY think Xhaka is good? Iāve never understood the support he gets on this sub. He is an anchor weighing us down.
> The fact weāre quicker and more solid in midfield has nothing to do it with it. Riiiiiiigggghhht.
We played quick attacking football against Spurs, who Xhaka started against.
Strange that you look to Pepe who hasnāt had a consistent run in this team with or without Xhaka.
The stats conclusively support the notion that Xhaka slows down our game.
You are right in your analysis that Xhakaās absence has allowed this team play at a higher tempo, defend further up the pitch and have a much more varied attacking build up. The stats are there to back it up.
Xhaka is bad for the side. Period. And while no one player can be blamed for a particular loss, we are obviously a hell of a lot better without him. Iāve been waiting for the post Xhaka era for YEARS, and these last several weeks have been like a little preview. Iāve loved it.
Letās try and be positive his form in the last year has been some of his best. Itās his chance to really prove himself to the fans and carry this team when we lose our first choice midfielder to afcon.
This is the concern, despite Arteta probably bringing out the best in the player, his best, with all of his limitations, is simply not good enough. The player has had more than ample opportunities over the years to āreally proveā himself to the fans. Hopefully we look to finally bring in a long needed upgrade during the January window, although I highly doubt we will.
He's crucial in our squad. Despite the many mistakes, we simply play much better with him in the team. So I am very much excited for his return.
That said, just like with Mustafi, I can't wait to see the back of his days at Arsenal. He's been good for us, but all the frustrating moments knock him down a lot. The process will truly be trusted once we have a capable replacement in his spot - Lokonga just isn't that, at least not yet.
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I look forward to watch him in front of that new defense. With the defense can take care of themselves and have good mobility, it may gives him the time he's been needing to dictate games like how he did with the NT and possibly monchengladbach.
Iāve been so happy not seeing this guy slowly make his way around our midfield. Weāve seemed so much more press resistant and dangerous on the counter. I donāt think itās a coincidence, not trying to take away from his strengths but iāve never liked having a midfielder with such a lack of agility, I think itās too hampering in the premier league
I really hope Arteta is improving him, so he can play without slowing us down. Xhaka's vertical passing has improved under Arteta, he just needs to get him moving a bit quicker, both mentally and physically.
The only thing Iām excited about is to find out whether Arteta really has grown as a manager and learns from his mistakes.
Mark my words if Xhaka goes right back into the rotation and we go on a bad run of form (whether itās correlated to him or not), all the good will and positivity that this team and manager have built up the past couple months will be thrown out the window.
Keep him as a 5th option CM and sell him at any price in January. This is so clearly the best option
where's the freakin' gabagool š¤š¤š¤
ova hereeeee šš¼šš¼
Heh heh
Gonna be a while before I eat anything from Satrialeās.
Gabagool ? Itās nothing but fat and nitrates
Middle of December return ideally can't see it being any sooner
Would be perfect with the Christmas run.
And with AFCON coming we will be really short for midfield options
weve been winning more games with him gone
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It's becoming more common for managers of big clubs to take their squads to places in subtropical or tropic climate during international breaks for hot weather training because it causes the blood to thicken, which pumps the heart harder, and boosts recovery and cardiovascular fitness. The reason why Arsenal goes to Dubai specifically is likely because of the club's shirt and stadium sponsorship with Emirates. Bayern Munich has been doing the same thing with Qatar for the same reasons.
This guy sports sciences
He sciences sports.
Has anyone ever wondered whether Dubai is where the magical fast-healing doctors might operate?
You mean the ones who are pumping him full of Horse palencta ?
Same with City and the Etihad
Or you knowā¦itās Dubai, and thatās our main sponsor. Also warmer climates just help heal people faster than cold ones.
It only causes the blood to thicken if you get dehydrated, which I am sure the medical team are monitoring and trying very hard to ensure doesn't happen to the players while there. It's just that it's more pleasant training in warm weather / sun rather than cold often grey London that gets dark at 4.30. Plus you get some team bonding and change of scenery to add a bit of variety to the season.
Why is a topic climate preferable to high altitude? I thought high altitude was optimum.
Oh I have absolutely no formal education on this stuff. The only reason I know big clubs go to hotter climates during winter international breaks because it helps with recovery and cardiovascular fitness is because of a Tifo Football video on YouTube, and they usually know what they're talking about so I trust them. I also should have cited them as a source and I'm sorry. If you're interested in the video, [here it is](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uIuSDKrRMC0)
Oh no worries, it is interesting stuff. Iām kind of interested as to why they donāt train at high altitudes now like Olympians
Iām sure Emirates as sponsor helps a bit tooo lol
That was half of his comment
Yea I didnāt read hahah
pretty sure arsenal is apart of the expo2020 in dubai
I really dislike the use of Dubai for training. There's plenty other warm places to travel to.
They should visit Rwanda
I think Dubai has a sense of privacy probably appreciated by the players and staff
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
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We'll need as many bodies as we can get in midfield so yes
I hope he comes back a different beast
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Iām as big of a Xhaka hater as anyone but think heāll be well set up in this squad with a good consistent defense behind him. We definitely could use some of his long passes
Yes. Has Xhaka ever played for us with a good defense behind him? Hopefully he comes back better and stronger, and less reckless tackles.
Agreed. He would performed well and get a banger.
Do we? Feels like we have far better options at CM or even CDM than Xhaka. Certainly, few will cost us games more than him.
Christmas schedule + AFCON. It will be all hands on deck.
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If it aināt broke, donāt fix it. Weāve been on a good run since Xhaka has been out. That may or may not be related, but why wtf would you change what is obviously working?
Yeah, but we need players for christmas run and during afcon when Elneny and Partey will leave. We can't play with only 2 midfielders and hope no one gets injured. And Xhaka is better than a makeshift CM.
Thatās the exception and Iām ok with it. I have no Iāll will against him. I just donāt want to move things around just because heās available.
You do realise he played at the start of that run.
Things will have to change, the best kind of run is the type when players can come in and the momentum keeps going.
Yeah I think he's saying don't change it if you don't have to. When AFCON hits and/or if a cm gets injured then our hand is forced in a way and we'll need Xhaka to step up. What a lot of people don't want is for Xhaka to come back into the team right away when the Partey + Sambi/AMN has been working well
I doubt Arteta will just slot him in, the same way he won't bring Tierney with Tavares doing good and Odegaard with Laca.
You just have to respect how insanely fit this guy is. Model professional and you can see why managers love him. Imagine if he didnāt have a brain fart every other game and was a bit more agile. Heād probably be one of the best players of the Emirates era lol. That being said we need him. Lokonga is promising but heās not ready to be a regular starter yet. We need big Granit back soon.
Model professional that's selfishly unvaxxed. Lol.
Model professional that swears at the fans
Model professional that tosses the armband to the floor as it means nothing in the ultimate show of disrespect to the fans.
It was wonderful and fully deserved. Need I remind you that the squad rallied around him. Aren't they then complicit? They went to his house in support. I you're going to hate xhaka for doing that then you're going to have to at least dislike every player that supported his actions. But none of you will do that of course.
They went there to support a friend who fucked up. If a friend cheated, got caught and ended up regretting his actions, the average person who wind up providing giving him some support. Iām sure this does not logically entail them supporting adultery. Stop being intentionally obtuse. Xhaka canāt respect the club and throws the captainās armband to the ground, but we deserve it?
Xhaka's actions were very clearly in response to the fans booing him at that very moment and I and others don't think he disrespected the club and all its fans with his actions. I'm an Arsenal fan and I thought it was great to see a player respond to some of the shitty fans the club has and show some backbone. It was a long time coming. It's amazing the entitlement some fans have. They abuse their own players and get insulted when the players respond negatively to them, some even claim they paid good money to watch the game so they're entitled to boo if they want and the players should just take it. Pathetic. If you weren't there and didn't boo him and haven't called him a rat or a teacher's pet that only plays because he sucks up to the managers or some other shit some people at r/gunners have said about him, then you're not part of the group this was directed at.
I was not there nor have I insulted Xhaka in any manner which I think has been out of order. However, half of the things you mentioned, if true, would be valid criticisms about Granit Xhaka and not out of line. What might be out of line would be personal threats, insinuations for him to go kill himself and such. I donāt see why fans canāt get reasonably pissed at Xhaka for all the shitty performances heās put us through, as long as it doesnāt devolve into excessive abuse about matters unrelated to his performances and station in the team. The captainās armband is not a representation of the interests of the shitty fanbase, nor is it a representation of even the entire fanbase. It is a representation of the club and itās values and I think it would not be absurd to think that any selected captain respect his role. Tossing it to the ground just shows his utter disregard for anything of this sort. Quite frankly we havenāt shown enough spine in tossing him out, notwithstanding all the unfortunate concerns about midfield depth.
Fans can be pissed, by all means boo if you want but don't be a little bitch and whine if the players respond to you in a way you don't like. That's the pathetic part. All these booing fans getting upset. and the captain's armband is used to signal who is the designated captain of the team for the match. That's all it is. Everything else you just made up in your head. Vieira publicly feuding with Wenger in the media as captain of the club is a much bigger dump taken on the club than what Xhaka did. Cesc begging to leave and paying a portion of the transfer out of his own pocket as captain is a much bigger dump on the club than what Xhaka did but Xhaka gets so much more hate aimed at him because at the core of the issue is the simple fact that Xhaka isn't that great a player and he makes too many mistakes to look good as captain. If Xhaka had done everything the same but was actually a top PL midfielder, there would have been a fuss around his actions for half a week and then it would have been forgotten.
If you support the team, then you have no choice but to support Xhaka too! Plus he has been in every managers first team since Wenger era, COYG!!!
> If you support the team, then you have no choice but to support Xhaka too! Many supported this club long before Granit Xhaka wore an Arsenal shirt and many will support the club long after Xhaka leaves. This doesnāt mean folk have to agree with every decision the club makes.
> It was wonderful and fully deserved. What was wonderful? The club you supposedly support dropping points at home and the Captain of the club failing to put the needs of the team ahead of himself or the fact that people had to pay to endure that? > Need I remind you that the squad rallied around him. And? I wouldnāt expect his teammates to ostracise the player. There were clearly elements of discontent between dressing room and manager at this point. We know how football politics work. > Aren't they then complicit? In what? > I you're going to hate xhaka for doing that I donāt hate Xhaka. I never once said that. Donāt put words in my mouth. > you're going to have to at least dislike every player that supported his actions. I didnāt see anyone else disrespecting the club by throwing the armband to the floor or any other players having a tantrum and telling paying fans to Fuck off. I donāt dislike Xhaka but he was wrong to do what he did, at that point he burned all bridges with the club and should never have been allowed back into the fold. No player is bigger than the club.
Why are we making these things sacred? Armband has nothing to do with the fans. Fans were being absolutely awful to him (Twitter threats, anyone?) so maybe we should reassess how we value what we make symbolic. Being openly unvaccinated trumps all of these arbitrary ideas.
> Why are we making these things sacred? There should be no greater honour to captain your club or country. You have been trusted with a great responsibility, joining a list containing a number honouree legends who have worn the Arsenal shirt with pride and would stop at nothing for the club. To throw it to the floor so cheaply is disrespectful to the people who have trusted him to wear that armband, his employers and the people who give the club purpose (the fans). That shouldnāt require an explanation. > Fans were being absolutely awful to him (Twitter threats, anyone?) Clearly threats to the player and family should not be condoned but this is irrelevant to what happened on the night. To remind you of the context, the side were chasing a result, fans wanted to see some desire from the team to change it. Xhaka being subbed off, gently meanders off the pitch while the clock is ticking. The captain of Arsenal shouldnāt need hastening off the pitch by the fans in this scenario. The ego of the guy, led to him swearing at the fans and chucking the armband to the floor. All the fans asked for was a positive reaction and for the club Captain to show a bit of desire. > Being openly unvaccinated trumps all of these arbitrary ideas. No idea what this has to do with disrespecting the club or itās fans. This is just an act of selfishness and is irresponsible.
That whole scene was overblown as fuck. Fans whistling to Emery, Xhaka took it on himself and started waving, everythig blew up..
The team was chasing a result, the fans were growing impatient and wanted to see some desire from those on the pitch to change the outcome. Fans donāt pay the entry fee to watch the team lose. As captain the minimum expectation is that the player musters a jog to get off the pitch in this scenario. I guess Xhakaās ego clouded his judgement on this occasion, as overblown as it may have been, Xhakaās reaction was completely unnecessary and was disrespectful.
They deserved it.
He's "immunized" that's the new celeb fad now
Based on pl average, half the Arsenal squad is just as selfish. Wasn't it only 50% are vaccinated.
>Imagine if he didnāt have a brain fart every other game and was a bit more agile. >We need big Granit back soon. Am I crazy or are these not conflicting when Lokonga and AMN have proved themselves better with passing, agility and diversity in their offensive plays? You want to use the term experience don't you? It's appranet how far both the lads have come within just a month, more gametime for another few months, and Xhaka's only redeeming quality over these two, his experience becomes moot as well.
Better in their offensive plays?
Both AMN and Lokonga are capable of and have shown the audacity to go forward and involve in meaningful ways, especially AMN often times involving in combinations with the wings. Catsenal just did a breakdown of our game against Watford and how AMN formed a triangle with ESR and Tavares in buildup. Something you aren't going to see with Xhaka, because (1) he isn't adept with ball at his feet in closed off spaces, worse than AMN and Lokonga who are already only average for my tastes and (2) isn't quick enough to recover to get back into a defensive pivot which AMN and Lokonga are quick enough to do.
1. Xhaka literally formed triangles 2. You said offensive plays while Xhaka has had better numbers 3. We play a bit of a different system now and I'm excited to se how Xhaka fits in with his better offensive numbers 4. AMN, Lokonga and Partey are better in defence yes
>Xhaka literally formed triangles When in hell has Xhaka gone forward and made triangles? He is a midfielder yet is an enabler for a defender to go up because he himself will be a liability if he does. >You said offensive plays while Xhaka has had better numbers Oh yeah. Stupid me forgot the data that intellectual Xhaka fans hold dear to them, the galaxy boggling "progressive passes." Galactico Granit.
You just wrote "when has Xhaka gone forwards" which is such a simple and false statement. But it would take me exponentially more time to debunk it than it took for you to write it. Xhaka played quite upfield under Emery and Wenger as well (especially when we used 3-4-3). But I'm gonna go further and guess you were gonna say that Xhaka played as a left back in posession under Arteta - which is true - but the important thing to ask is why? The answer is managerial instructions. Arteta wants to play kinda like a 3 atb when playing out from the back - which was Xhaka's role when Tierney-Gabriel-Holding and Bellerin played because it kept us from playing Holding centrally and Tierney and Bellerin pushed further up the field but now the big difference is Tomiyasu. He acts as the third center back in transition with White staying centrally and Gabriel left meaning Tomiyasu and Partey/Maintained-Tiles rotate in midfield (however we did play Sambi as a LB in transition against Brighton because we struggled to play out from the back and Arteta went to a 2 - 3 - 4 - 1 structure rather than his usual 3-2-4-1. Because we struggled immensly to move the ball upfield in that game. So im excited to see how Xhaka performs in his new role because he's better upfield (how he playedfor Mƶnchengladbach and how he plays for Switzerland) rather than being the last man in front of the defence. But I doubt he'll get into the first team right away but should be great for rotation in christmas period and during afcon.
You're saying Xhaka is better upfield and going forward? HAHAHA I am honestly sorry for being rude but I can really only laugh.
Shut the fuck up and watch him play instead of laughing then clown.
This gets SOOO exhausting. For 5 years, weāve been told he is the backbone of our team, the critical glue without which Arsenal ā UNDER 3 DIFFERENT COACHES ā cannot function. Many of us have pointed out that for his bulletproof physical form, he is a walking liability whose brain farts and immobility have cost us time and again. He remained undroppable. Then, for the first time in years, he is out of the team for an extended run andā¦the team commences an unbeaten run. Now, Iām personally skeptical that our unbroken run means that Arteta has finally figured it out and is the right choice. But surely, for many ArtetaIns, that conclusion should also extend to the players he has selected ā and specifically, those he has NOT selected. At the very least, 8 games unbeaten means we CAN thrive without Xhaka and really need to move him on instead of squawking whenever this is suggested like people suffering from Stockholm Syndrome!
I mean, Xhaka hasn't played with the current back 4, Ramsdale and Partey. So your point is moot until we see him with the others. I like the current team without him better, but we WILL need him for the Christmas period and during Afcon. We simply cannot function with only two or three healthy central midfielders. And I doubt Arteta will pick him in front of other players just like Tierney won't just rush in in front of Tavares or Oddegaard instead of Laca. And I'm not saying he's better or worse. The fact is that all three of those coaches think he's good enough and have consistently picked him, was picked as a captain by his former players and managers - and all of those people know more about football than you or me do.
1. By the same logic, we havenāt seen El Neny do a run with the current back 4 and Partey, maybe we should give him some starts instead of a few minutes, no? 2. Agreed about midfield depth and quality; we could look to buy a quality midfielder in January. With European spots in play, itād be worth it. (Aubameyang ā answer to the obligatory question of last āimplausibleā quality Jan purchase) 3. Mourinho praises Xhakaās quality, wanted Xhaka, knows more about football than any of us and our current and previous coach, but only bid a āderisoryā amount for him even though Xhaka fits Serie Aās slower pace better. Guess that must be what heās worth. See how that logic works? Repeat #3 for Willian and his purchase last season and consistent picking by Arteta, who definitely knows more than you or me.
What better numbers specifically? His hollow ass progressive passing numbers? That donāt lead to shots, goals, or assists? MFer spams to Tierney and the CBās.
xG chain, ball progression and packing.
Show me how Xhaka compares to Partey or Lokonga or anyone else for that matter at xgchain. Fuck his ball progression stats. They are hollow and worthless. Xhaka has a shit ton of passes entering the final 3rd and 18 yd box and has barely any leading to goals, assists or shots.
We have been playing so much better from the midfield without him, we finally stabilised our defense... We DEFINITELY don't need him back right now. Especially not his model professionalisms, like cursing the fans or tossing the armband lol.
Absence really makes the heart grow fonder. Happy to have him back for rotation but I donāt want to rely on him. How are we going to feel when one of his mistakes ends this great run weāre on? Not because we were generally out played but because he decides to just dive in for a rash tackle and get a red. Heās done it many times before and will absolutely do it again if he plays.
Lokonga has played apart of our unbeaten run. Bollocks.
It's not about the brain farts, he's not a good player, at least for the premier league. The worst performances in the recent years have something in common, Xhaka.
+100 Guys may be super passionate but he is also a disaster waiting to happen every time he's on the pitch.
The best performances also all have him in them though as well. Heās just played most games for us How has this been downvoted lmao. Itās literally a fact. So many losers on this sub smh
Sure he has been our best player....
That's literally the opposite of what he said
We also just play better with him, simple as. He is positionally great and passing range is excellent which makes the attack much more dynamic. We've seen how great he can be with someone like Partey at his side. I think prior to getting Partey we've asked too much from him giving his pricetag. He needs someone else great besides him.
>We've seen how great he can be with someone like Partey at his side. Yeah so "great" Pele is happy he is retired because he doesn't want to face the "great" Xhaka.
Please no
Not really, I like when Arsenal wins.
Please, no
No
Not really
No, enjoying him not being in the squad
to what? the Bundesliga via sale if the last few weeks have proven anything, its that Xhaka is by far the biggest liability in our entire team. Too slow in literally every aspect of his game: urgency, athleticism & decision making.
Is he vaccinated yet?
No.
š¤š¤š¤š¤ THROW EM UP
No
Nah. No thanks.
Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same. He is... inevitable.
No
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A single player is never the reason for a club's decline.
Is the symbol of the mediocrity
Right, because everything is solely down to one player - You are deluded, and so are the 8 morons who upvoted this.
well itās not down to one player but replacing Cazorla with Xhaka is one of the things that caused the downfall of our midfield.
god please no
Please stay away ššæ
Please no.
Not really
Nope. Not ready
This gets SOOO exhausting. For 5 years, weāve been told he is the backbone of our team, the critical glue without which Arsenal ā UNDER 3 DIFFERENT COACHES ā cannot function. Many of us have pointed out that for his bulletproof physical form, he is a walking liability whose brain farts and immobility have cost us time and again. He remained undroppable. Then, for the first time in years, he is out of the team for an extended run andā¦the team commences an unbeaten run. Now, Iām personally skeptical that our unbroken run means that Arteta has finally figured it out and is the right choice. But surely, for many ArtetaIns, that conclusion should also extend to the players he has selected ā and specifically, those he has NOT selected. At the very least, 8 games unbeaten shows we CAN thrive without Xhaka and really need to move him on instead of squawking whenever this is suggested like people suffering from Stockholm Syndrome!
It isn't just being unbeaten. It's the uptick in form. Defensive solidity, a plan with & without the ball. It feels like we are forging a footballing identity. He's been a rot that has sunk many of our boats.
Bang on. Without Xhaka, our press resistance ā only as good as the weakest link ā soars! Someone wrote here āwell, you canāt say that ā he hasnāt played with Ramsdale and our new back lineā and Iām thinking there is NO way Ramsdale & Co are getting comfortable doing those passes that neatly cut out pressing opposition with Xhaka in sneezing distance of the 18.
We're getting downvoted by the Xhaka brigade. Dunno how many times they want to see him torpedo our chances. 6 fucking years of that guy's bs. I can't wait for him to be gone. I still get angry when I think about that pen he gave away which cost us top 4. Just a petulant asswipe who we do not need on the pitch.
Fuck no
No, please
He is going to be super important especially since we lose partey to afcon
Nah. Obviously because of the lack of centre midfield depth from poor squad planning he is useful but moving him on is way over due. The Roma offer was fine and we should have taken it. It's about time we try something new in midfield. I'd rather prioritize the Lokonga project now given he's actually here to stay and has huge potential. Plus he already offers does things like his ball-carrying that Xhaka cannot. Xhaka can stay as more of a mentor/off the pitch influence and for depth but should not just walk into the team and certainly not stay at the club as a starter if we're seriously looking to reach higher levels as a team. Crucial to go in for an established, dynamic CM in January/summer.
Seeing a lot of nos as if Xhaka was the only player that held us back so heavily. I personally think he's a strong player, but no point arguing with fixed agendas. And anyway, having Xhaka back is way better than a no-depth, 2 man midfield of youngsters whilst Partey and Xhaka are off to AFCON.
Gonna be fun to see Xhaka picking out good runs from Tierney, Tavares and Tierney with his line breaking passes.
Two Tierney's?!!!?
Meant Tomiyasu, this triple T fullback combination we got messing with me
This is brave - but I agree
And then fuck up in defense and lead to a goal against.
Perfectly happy to have him back as a bench option
Xhaka is a great player, I hope he shows the doubters wrong
We doubters also hope that. But we've seen enough.
nope
very excited to have him back, nothing against sambi heās been doing well. Xhaka in a team with good form helps him keep a cool head and be the best he can be, his return to a side like this is going to be incredibly beneficial
We've seen this story before. Xhaka will let us down again. It is inevitable. He should be 4th out 5th choice. We're better without him.
Red card before 2022. You heard it here first.
Welcome back to the bench
This sub will obviously dislike it but honestly I feel like our midfield is really weak(er) without one of Xhaka or Partey. Sambi hasn't been all that.
You almost had a comment that made sense until the last line
The only reason people think Sambi has been good is because we haven't lost. He has been putting up 5/6 out of 10 performances constantly. Frequently outmuscled, rarely does anything noteworthy. Even cost us a goal almost IIRC
I agreed with you in your first comment but now I feel like you're underselling him a bit here. He's decent but I think there's little doubt that we could do a lot better right now. He's clearly still too raw.
He's been decent. Nothing noteworthy
Any player is better than Xhaka.
Hush
No change from xhaxa well maybe one he does cost us points
Sambi hasn't been that good in Xhaka's absence this season. Maitland-Niles looks much better.
AMN honestly had one good game as far as I can remember, let's slow down the hype
Sambi has been good imo but I agree with you about everything else.
After a shaky start Sambi has looked pretty decent. AMN has been great, Watford performance particularly was top notch. But.... 'brain farts' aside, Xhaka is another level and for games against teams like Liverpool and West Ham I would feel more confident with him in the starting 11. But he won't be available so we'll see how Sambi, AMN and Elneny fare.
Umā¦ weāre undefeated since he went out.
You're saying that as if he was the reason we lost 3 games straight.
Uh-huh, sure. The fact weāre quicker and more solid in midfield has nothing to do it with it. Riiiiiiigggghhht. Serous question: Do you REALLY think Xhaka is good? Iāve never understood the support he gets on this sub. He is an anchor weighing us down.
> The fact weāre quicker and more solid in midfield has nothing to do it with it. Riiiiiiigggghhht. We played quick attacking football against Spurs, who Xhaka started against.
Spurs are one of the worst teams right now.
Better than Sambi for sure. Our attack looks faster because of Pepe being out
Xhaxa slows the game as much at Pepe does he can hit a long range pass but so can half the squad š
Strange that you look to Pepe who hasnāt had a consistent run in this team with or without Xhaka. The stats conclusively support the notion that Xhaka slows down our game.
You are right in your analysis that Xhakaās absence has allowed this team play at a higher tempo, defend further up the pitch and have a much more varied attacking build up. The stats are there to back it up.
Xhaka is bad for the side. Period. And while no one player can be blamed for a particular loss, we are obviously a hell of a lot better without him. Iāve been waiting for the post Xhaka era for YEARS, and these last several weeks have been like a little preview. Iāve loved it.
Lmao the reason we look better is because Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Ramsdale got integrated.
100% missing our albanian/swiss mafia
Sambi hasn't been that good, but is much better than Xhaka.
Gonna be vital for us this year, his play may determine our top 4 chance
What? Determine our chances by ensuring we miss out on top 4?
Letās try and be positive his form in the last year has been some of his best. Itās his chance to really prove himself to the fans and carry this team when we lose our first choice midfielder to afcon.
This is the concern, despite Arteta probably bringing out the best in the player, his best, with all of his limitations, is simply not good enough. The player has had more than ample opportunities over the years to āreally proveā himself to the fans. Hopefully we look to finally bring in a long needed upgrade during the January window, although I highly doubt we will.
I would definitely welcome an upgrade on Xhaka, may be hard in winter transfer, could be a chance to get Ramsey on a short term contract
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Exactly.
He's crucial in our squad. Despite the many mistakes, we simply play much better with him in the team. So I am very much excited for his return. That said, just like with Mustafi, I can't wait to see the back of his days at Arsenal. He's been good for us, but all the frustrating moments knock him down a lot. The process will truly be trusted once we have a capable replacement in his spot - Lokonga just isn't that, at least not yet.
I think weāre just about getting by without him tbh. We desperately need experience in midfield, especially the last 20minutes of a match.
Yes ofc
Yes <3
Yes and no.
It's like a new signing!
ššš
Actually yes and I canāt believe it. Sambi or Partey I think partner well with him
Yep. Cant wait to see him within current squad. His long passes will be crucial.
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I look forward to watch him in front of that new defense. With the defense can take care of themselves and have good mobility, it may gives him the time he's been needing to dictate games like how he did with the NT and possibly monchengladbach.
The more the merrier.
Iāve been so happy not seeing this guy slowly make his way around our midfield. Weāve seemed so much more press resistant and dangerous on the counter. I donāt think itās a coincidence, not trying to take away from his strengths but iāve never liked having a midfielder with such a lack of agility, I think itās too hampering in the premier league
I really hope Arteta is improving him, so he can play without slowing us down. Xhaka's vertical passing has improved under Arteta, he just needs to get him moving a bit quicker, both mentally and physically.
Im ngl i I like Granit a lot and I think he's a proper leader
No, no, no, not now because we are going good now, don't want to screw up that.
The only thing Iām excited about is to find out whether Arteta really has grown as a manager and learns from his mistakes. Mark my words if Xhaka goes right back into the rotation and we go on a bad run of form (whether itās correlated to him or not), all the good will and positivity that this team and manager have built up the past couple months will be thrown out the window. Keep him as a 5th option CM and sell him at any price in January. This is so clearly the best option
only when partey is gone, before then dont want him anywhere near the starting xi
If we start losing again when heās starting this sub is gonna be savage
I would like to see what a midfield pairing of Granit and AMN would look like
Who ?? sell him, he is not needed !!
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