✍️ OFFICIAL Granit Xhaka (Out)

[blaze_of_glory]

Gonna have a lot of banter for when Rice passes long balls straight to oppo or misses the player completely.

If anything, as someone else said Xhaka is the most accurate passer of the ball we have in our team. His passes are often elegant and made with conviction, rarely he overhits it (happened only once to Nelli this season iirc).

Yeah Xhaka's passing is usually very good. Rice can pass as well though, don't think we'll lose much there tbh.

 

[Rex Stone]

If we being completely honest, I was slowly giving Arteta credit but he’ll be back to square one if this is his preferred “upgrade” at the figures thrown around.

Declan Rice I can cope with but together with Mount would be wild. Whenever I watch England those two are part of the reason I switch off early.

Your reaction to Mount getting picked in the CL draft

Ngl I’m very similar

 

[Rasmi]

That might be what Mikel wants.

City at their most attacking play a 6 and two CMs. Mount definitely knows how to ‘defend’ in the same way the Man City AMs do. It’s why he was loved by pragmatic managers like Tuchel and Southgate.

In games where you want to be more defensive you simply play two of Rice, Jorginho and Partey.

If that’s what Arteta wants then he is dumber than I thought. Is his whole coaching copy pep? If you gonna buy Rice and spend 100 million. Last thing you need is him to just sit as a 6. He is not Rodri who is a conductor. Rice strength is his engine and the space he can cover while being able to defend. Ideally you want a DM next to him. And has played far more as wide attacker than central midfielder for Chelsea. Like I said Arteta may actually do the impossible and spend 150 on the midfield and make it worse

 

[2Smokeyy]

Your reaction to Mount getting picked in the CL draft

Ngl I’m very similar

I’d honestly be willing to give ESR a chance in the 8 if we’re planning on Mason Mount and you all know my opinion on Smith-Rowe.

 

[Rasmi]

If we being completely honest, I was slowly giving Arteta credit but he’ll be back to square one if this is his preferred “upgrade” at the figures thrown around.

Declan Rice I can cope with but together with Mount would be wild. Whenever I watch England those two are part of the reason I switch off early.

AM trying to pretend we didn’t participate when all fans were calling Mount trash and wanted him out of the England team. I don’t want to be petty, but some people praising him now were calling him nothing player in the England thread

 

[A_G]

I think it's a bit silly to look at Rice's attacking numbers at West Ham and project that to Arsenal when Xhaka has for the most part been inaffective in that respect. It's only with this change of role that he has started to have some decent numbers.

I don't see the point in ****ting on the signing before it has even happened and before we've seen what the manager has planned for the player.

Need GDeep to quote this with something like “look at you wetting yourself over signings again” before transfer season can truly begin.

 

[Trilly]

If we being completely honest, I was slowly giving Arteta credit but he’ll be back to square one if this is his preferred “upgrade” at the figures thrown around.

Declan Rice I can cope with but together with Mount would be wild. Whenever I watch England those two are part of the reason I switch off early.

I’m giving Mikel the benefit of the doubt. I think he has a system that can get the best out of players/improve them. So I’m trying to look at their attributes and what they were like when they were playing well.

Mount has been crap. I’m well aware. I’m one of those who was calling him trash and wanted him out of the England XI but 47GA across 2020-2022 is elite production for an AM. Yep fourty seven.

If you look at his career, age, and progression as a whole you can easily argue that this poor season is in fact the outlier. I’m sure that’s what is exciting Mikel and Edu.

 

[Batman]

Xhaka is the exact kind of quality squad player a top side needs, and if a new guy comes in and flops we know we have a guy in Xhaka who was good enough to be a key part of us getting ~85 points.

This is risky and only acceptable if we’re signing two very good midfielders.

Arteta is married to the guy so he clearly seems to think we can replace him or Xhaka wants the move and you don't stand in the way of a player who wants out. In either scenario, it should be obvious that the club are not throwing him out on his ass.

 

[field442]

Need GDeep to quote this with something like “look at you wetting yourself over signings again” before transfer season can truly begin.

Just seems a bit pointless moaning about what he can and can't do on the pitch when he'll be in a completely different team and more than likely instructed to play differently.

 

[2Smokeyy]

I’m giving Mikel the benefit of the doubt. I think he has a system that can get the best out of players/improve them. So I’m trying to look at their attributes and what they were like when they were playing well.

Mount has been crap. I’m well aware. I’m one of those who was calling him trash and wanted him out of the England XI but 47GA across 2020-2022 is elite production for an AM. Yep fourty seven.

If you look at his career, age, and progression as a whole you can easily argue that this poor season is in fact the outlier. I’m sure that’s what is exciting Mikel and Edu.

I hear that but I just can’t see it with Mount, unfortunately. Take that level of productivity out of his game and his all round game is bang average. For 60m or whatever that is being quoted and the wages he’s holding out for, I’m dead certain there’s better value on the market.

Feels a bit like Ramsdale this one whereby we’re spending over his value just because he’ll fit into Arteta’s system. Will that system be good enough next season against the elite teams in the CL? I very much doubt it.

My preferred choice would be to get an under the radar signing for the 8 and use all the funds for a star player, someone like Leao.

 

[Trilly]

I hear that but I just can’t see it with Mount, unfortunately. Take that level of productivity out of his game and his all round game is bang average. For 60m or whatever that is being quoted and the wages he’s holding out for, I’m dead certain there’s better value on the market.

Feels a bit like Ramsdale this one whereby we’re spending over his value just because he’ll fit into Arteta’s system. Will that system be good enough next season against the elite teams in the CL? I very much doubt it.

My preferred choice would be to get an under the radar signing for the 8 and use all the funds for a star player, someone like Leao.

Not sure what all around game you need as an attacking eight if you’re pressing, tracking back and getting goals + assists. Seems like that’s the job description right there.

Not going to argue over Mason Mount though. Genuinely with all due respect I do not care enough to be arguing about this guy.

More just rationalising Mikel’s interest.

 

[ragnarock]

I’m kind of pro Mount. Maybe

 

[Rasmi]

Not sure what all around game you need as an attacking eight if you’re pressing, tracking back and getting goals + assists. Seems like that’s the job description right there.

Not going to argue over Mason Mount though. Genuinely with all due respect I do not care enough to be arguing about this guy.

More just rationalising Mikel’s interest.

Tbh there really isn’t much to argue for him except Arteta wants him. Pray Chelsea tell Arteta do one you freak. Sadly Arteta runs the club and Edu has no say in much

 

[2Smokeyy]

Not sure what all around game you need as an attacking eight if you’re pressing, tracking back and getting goals + assists. Seems like that’s the job description right there.

Not going to argue over Mason Mount though. Genuinely with all due respect I do not care enough to be arguing about this guy.

More just rationalising Mikel’s interest.

If that’s the case is there a need to spend 60m+ on that position?

Inject the frontline with top tier talent. Leao and his 19 G/A in Serie A this season would be the better investment if we’re serious about competing.

 

[OnlyOne]

If that’s the case is there a need to spend 60m+ on that position?

Inject the frontline with top tier talent. Leao and his 19 G/A in Serie A this season would be the better investment if we’re serious about competing.

19 goals and assists in Serie A is like 2 goals and 1 pre assist in the PL.

 

[Vinci]

Inject the frontline with top tier talent. Leao and his 19 G/A in Serie A this season would be the better investment if we’re serious about competing.

That's actually kind of underwhelming, thought he had better numbers.

 

[2Smokeyy]

19 goals and assists in Serie A is like 2 goals and 1 pre assist in the PL.

Tell that to the 4 Italian teams in the CL and Europa League semi final.

 

[OnlyOne]

Tell that to the 4 Italian teams in the CL and Europa League semi final.

So scared.

 

[2Smokeyy]

That's actually kind of underwhelming, thought he had better numbers.

Two consecutive seasons with 19 G/A is actually quite decent. He has 26 in all comps this season.

 

[Trilly]

If that’s the case is there a need to spend 60m+ on that position?

Inject the frontline with top tier talent. Leao and his 19 G/A in Serie A this season would be the better investment if we’re serious about competing.

Agreed