Granit Xhaka

flobaba

Sell.

I’m done with this guy.

TambourineMan

He's got to stay this summer as I can't see us improving on him in the window. Maybe next season if we get CL we can attract the calibre of player who would be an upgrade on Xhaka.

Anzac

Tambourine Man wrote:
He's got to stay this summer as I can't see us improving on him in the window. Maybe next season if we get CL we can attract the calibre of player who would be an upgrade on Xhaka.

I think Ceballos is that player & if we are able to get him back I'd have no qualms in selling Xhaka.

goon

Too important to sell. Anyway, with Torreira and Douzi likely going and Ozil retired we need to arguably sign 3 midfielders as it is.

Claudius

We should’ve sold Xhaka and Aubameyang. But the sins of Gazidis mean that we can’t afford to. Such moves could send us into the bottom half of the table.

Gazza M

He's clearly carved out a niche under arteta, but he's someone who skates by when we play 3ATB due to all those lovely backwards passing options to choose from. I wouldnt sell now, but aggressive weening off him has to start next season

goon

I disagree that it's a niche, he's just doing a good rounded job in midfield.

Not going to sit here and tell anyone Xhaka is perfect, but there's two things to bear in mind. First is that anytime he's had a half decent partner he has looked good, Torreira for spells and now with Ceballos. Partner him with substandard players and guys like Ozil and he the spotlight falls on what he can't do.

Second is that his game off the ball is superb. He times his presses well, prepositionally he's very good and he's always available for a pass - Arteta has really helped get his body shape right to receive a pass too so it gets stuck under his feet a lot less - it all lends to why he gives the side so much structure.

There's some games where we need a quicker tempo and more creativity where we'd be able to drop him, but if we're playing with 3 midfielders going forward he needs to be a part of a core group of 4 midfielders who we can depend on.

Gazza M

I think all his weaknesses would resurface if we moved to a back 4, which is why i want us to phase him out in an orderly fashion. No arguement he's become an important figure for the moment though

QuincyAbeyie

I'd be pretty disappointed if we sold him this summer.

Qwiss

Depends where his head is at after last seasons drama. If he's happy to do another year I think we've bigger problems that need fixing first.

Clrnc

Arteta has identified to improve him. Basically a new midfield 😆 Not hard to know that most of us is calling for an entirely new midfield too.

6 - Partey
8 - Ceballos
10 - Aouar (dream), Coutinho (more likely)

Claudius

Clrnc wrote:

Arteta has identified to improve him. Basically a new midfield 😆 Not hard to know that most of us is calling for an entirely new midfield too.

6 - Partey
8 - Ceballos
10 - Aouar (dream), Coutinho (more likely)

Co-signed.

Captain

There's enough money in Torreira and Guendouzi, can't be selling Xhaka this summer.

QuincyAbeyie

The way I see it if we're signing a DM (Partey) and an AM (Coutinho we're selling Guendouzi and Torreira. If we sell Xhaka as well we'd need another midfielder, so there's no point. Keep him.

Mirth

Worth replacing him after we know midfield won't collapse without him. At the moment he's too important to lose.

Daz

Claudius wrote:
We should’ve sold Xhaka and Aubameyang. But the sins of Gazidis mean that we can’t afford to. Such moves could send us into the bottom half of the table.

Say what?

Claudius

So I think a simplified way to approach squad management is this: create a 2x2 matrix for your squad. On the x axis, classify the players as starters or depth. On the y axis do the same. On the y axis you also need to se the ambition, eg top 4 in 3 years or champions in 3 years. That allows you to use the x axis to compare squad now vs squad required to win the title in 3 years.

Basically what you would find is that you would end up with these 4 categories

starters now and on a title team in 3 years: Pépé, Tierney
starters now but not in a title team in 3 years: Lacazette, Aubameyang
not starters now but would be on a title team in 3 years: Saka
not starters now, and won’t be in a title team in 3 years: Torreira, etc

Each of those groups demands different decisions. You definitely sell the last group. The second group, you sell or keep depending on the value created. Keep the other 2.

Having the two views allows you to understand how you will compete immediately and down the line.

goon

Works as a rough guide, definitely need some nuance though, and the CL is too big a factor.

Also do you mean a title team after 3 years or for the 3rd year? Because I think the former would be too long. A team rebuild needs to be fairly rapid otherwise it finds ways of resetting. I actually think we should start to look like potential challengers by the start of the 21/22 season.

Claudius

goon wrote:
Works as a rough guide, definitely need some nuance though, and the CL is too big a factor.

Also do you mean a title team after 3 years or for the 3rd year? Because I think the former would be too long. A team rebuild needs to be fairly rapid otherwise it finds ways of resetting. I actually think we should start to look like potential challengers by the start of the 21/22 season.

Third year including this coming season. That means we need to make every window count. Agree with you on the timing. We need to be done with the main pieces of the rebuild by end of next summer.

speedy

Claudius wrote:
goon wrote:
Works as a rough guide, definitely need some nuance though, and the CL is too big a factor.

Also do you mean a title team after 3 years or for the 3rd year? Because I think the former would be too long. A team rebuild needs to be fairly rapid otherwise it finds ways of resetting. I actually think we should start to look like potential challengers by the start of the 21/22 season.

Third year including this coming season. That means we need to make every window count. Agree with you on the timing. We need to be done with the main pieces of the rebuild by end of next summer.

Wow, how did we do from struggling for europa to challenging for the title talk? With zero outside investment. And if its that easy why isn't everyone else doing it? And why did it take liverpool much longer than that? They started thr rebuild way before klopp arrived. City had pelligrini adaprt tbr team to a Spanish style before pep. If it happens that quick it would be a small miracle.