Clrnc wrote:
Quincy Abeyie wrote:
Being quick on the release is a big part of being an elite passer though. If you need as much time as Xhaka to get those passes right, you're simply not. The data only backs up that he gets the passes right when he finally does make them, but doesn't say anything about them being too late because that's hard to define. Nobody's saying that the stats are wrong, only that your conclusion from them is.
Yep, that's a very good point. Wenger used to say the best midfielders take only a split second to pass and spot a player.
The players that need a lot of touches and time before being able to pass are an indictment of an average player.
I think I have acknowledged before why we need to get rid of Xhaka and it is exactly for these reasons. I am isolating the fact that once he has time and passes, his distribution is elite. But the fact that he is slow is a massive cost. There are multiple problems with his speed and agility
He cannot get around men in midfield easily, the way people like Partey or Thiago can. So he often has to make the safe pass in those instances
And then because he needs time, he allows defenders to get back into position before the pass. I have highlighted numerous instances before where Partey catches the opposition defense napping because he is able to get the ball and quickly release it. Think about how he launches the ball from corners we are defending, or when we recover the ball from pressures. Xhaka cannot do this.
So Xhaka’s agility is a problem. Jorginho is better in this area as well. It’s just the actual passes I was isolating
