@lorddulaarsenal wrote:Neves lack of mobility is a big question mark over him for me.
Given we now seem set up to go at the opponents, get Maddison
Maddison could fit into the team now, I'd rather get Tielemens though.
Issa Partey (Might be 'unavailable' for next season)
Maddison plays further up-front.
Neves is more mobile than people give him credit for.
He's a tenacious tough player who can spray the ball as well as Arteta did when he played in the middle.
If your positioning is good then you can make up for it without the pace anyway.
The main problem with Xhaka is his repeated lack of concentration and discipline.
At the moment Xhakas biggest issue is he's turned into Elneny. Hasn't made a big cock up in a while but he doesn't really do much either. Defensively he's doing less than ever, in attack his passing has become safe and boring. At least he used to be good at the long diagonal balls but now have the defence and GK doing that. He's just there, like a angrier, more bookable Elneny.
And for me Neves is just a better version of that. I want someone more dynamic, someone more creative. I want to see a new forward actually playing up front so we need midfielders who can actually provide something going forward to make up for not having our CF playing where the AM should be.
If Maddison can take Xhaka's role then ESR can too. But what we need is a CM.
Maddison is just a baller. Recon he’d be great deeper too. Excellent command of the ball. Great delivery and goal threat.
We need a Bernardo, Kovacic, Gundogan type in there. Someone busy who can play a lot of quick, precise passes in tight spaces and ideally chip in with a few goals. Not really sure who best fits that description, but it’s not most of the names we are linked with.
Qwiss! wrote:At the moment Xhakas biggest issue is he's turned into Elneny. Hasn't made a big cock up in a while but he doesn't really do much either. Defensively he's doing less than ever, in attack his passing has become safe and boring. At least he used to be good at the long diagonal balls but now have the defence and GK doing that. He's just there, like a angrier, more bookable Elneny.
His biggest issue right now is that nobody feels comfortable enough to say he’s actually playing well. You’ve 100% got the blinkers on with him, this narrative that the only good he’s doing is not making any mistakes needs to stop.
Here’s him not making mistakes against Liverpool.
If that's his biggest issue, do you not think he needs to be replaced in the starting XI if he keeps this up, whatever this is?
Seen some talk of him becoming a Muslim.
There had been rumours that this guy liked the night life a bit too much so might not be a bad thing becoming religious!
I want him upgraded for sure, we can do better and i have major trust issues with him. All his recent performances have done is soften my view on ‘getting him out the club’. I’d quite like him to stick around for another year as a squad/rotation option.
Neves or anyone like that will not be able to replace Xhaka's physicality. While he does have the occasional error, he does win a lot of challenges because he just overpowers opponents. I'd love to see Anguissa here (old favourite of mine, but I recognize the AFCON issue) or someone of that ilk to play alongside Odegaard.
You are thinking of Touchuameni
IMO we're looking at it wrong if we're looking firstly at Xhaka and then the role he is playing.
IMO he is basically the left sided MO in our current mirroring of the right flank = a player who is most effective in the opposition half rather than as part of a double pivot.
I also think the 2x #8s will be providing the close support to the front 3, as well as over/underlapping runs from the FBs.
Clrnc wrote:You are thinking of Touchuameni
Tchouameni would replace Partey as #6 and Partey could replace Xhaka.
Alternatively if we want we could convert White to DM/DLP, with Saliba/Tomi filling in at CB, play Partey as B2B and save all our pennies for the CF.
People always want to convert CBs who are good on the ball, think we should just rather buy an actual midfielder.
Quincy Abeyie wrote:People always want to convert CBs who are good on the ball, think we should just rather buy an actual midfielder.
White played in CM for BHA for a handful of games, so he's not entirely new to the role and would have a full pre-season to adapt. Partey in a B2B role would also provide additional defensive cover.
If we want defensive strength and power I'd consider Tchouameni, or White as #6 to free Partey if we didn't want to spend.
If we want another playmaker to mirror MO I'd look at Aouar who will be no more expensive than the 30m+ wanted for Coutinho.
Anzac wrote:Clrnc wrote:You are thinking of Touchuameni
Tchouameni would replace Partey as #6 and Partey could replace Xhaka.
Alternatively if we want we could convert White to DM/DLP, with Saliba/Tomi filling in at CB, play Partey as B2B and save all our pennies for the CF.
Xhaka won’t be replaced. Starts next season alongside Partey.
Quincy Abeyie wrote:People always want to convert CBs who are good on the ball, think we should just rather buy an actual midfielder.
Vermaelen for DLP!
Jed wrote:Xhaka won’t be replaced. Starts next season alongside Partey.
That would be tragic. Like deliberately going into the season handicapped. Self sabotage.
flobaba wrote:Jed wrote:Xhaka won’t be replaced. Starts next season alongside Partey.
That would be tragic. Like deliberately going into the season handicapped. Self sabotage.
No different to what we went into this season with tbh.