speedy wrote:
awooga83 wrote:
The thing about Xhaka being the best we have, I'm never totally convinced in that myself but if I concede that maybe that's the case.
I think the problem for Arsenal is that if he is the "best" we have that's an automatic limit on the team level. His level is mid table -lower table for me. The guys worse then him may be some rungs below but the bigger issue is the highest level player who'll probably end up playing a decent amount of games.
We need a player is top 6 calibre there but thinking there is 4 other players worse the Xhaka so we should focus on getting better versions of them.
That's why he is a priority for a team that wants to make the next level that position does matter and if you play a mid table bang average guy there you can't be surprised when the team reflects that.
I think he's a poor quality footballer without much football intelligence and he has an awful attitude. All things I think have an impact on the team.
He's the club punching bag. United have Maguire. Should we look for someone better, absolutely. But he's not the worlds worst footballer. The same people who'd say hes rubbish would also say we should sell for 30M.
You mention his poor attitude but How many managers have made him captain? Hes been captain at club level in germany, for his national team and for arsenal, emery stated the dressing room needs xhaka. Terrible attitude is the one thing we can't level against this guy without denying all the facts.
What he is for me is a midtable club player. I see Arsenal as aiming for better then that so he has to be replaced.
You point to him having been made Captain, obviously I can't speak for why these managers made him Captain but it didn't benefit the team from the performances I have seen and the general acceptance of mediocrity we have had.
Maybe he gets on really well with people and they see him as a mate but that's one of the least important traits in leaders for me. He's never really accountable or exhibits the real actions of leadership.
His negative reaction to the fans and his disdain for the club when he got subbed is not the actions I associate with anyone who wants to be a credible Captain. Someone unable to deal with adversity and respond in a way you would expect a leader to target then guys petulant and immature attitude.
So lots of people may have put their faith in him but I'd ask to what benefit? For me the poor culture at the club is a result of having characters like that in the team. It's why Arsenal have suffered possibly the worst sustained decline of any of the traditional 'big' clubs.
