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.

Jed wrote:

Xhaka won’t be replaced. Starts next season alongside Partey.

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Big Willie wrote:

flobaba wrote:

That would be tragic. Like deliberately going into the season handicapped. Self sabotage.

No different to what we went into this season with tbh.

They replaced a lot of the first team last summer, I still think it was a terrible choice not to sell him but there are less excuses now.

Additionally, I don't think there's a lack of appetite to improve upon Xhaka. We were linked quite strongly to various players over the last couple of seasons but none of the materialised for one reason or another. My hope is that our hand will be stronger in the summer with European football secured (and whisper it quietly, maybe, potentially, possibly, if we're well behaved...even CL).

If we wanted to improve on Xhaka we would. We bought like 4 CBs and still wanted more. That proves we backed the manager in all his priorities.

It's really quite obvious from everything that Arteta said, to what he does, that he really rates Xhaka and that's why he is still one of the first names on the team sheet no matter what he does

We're buying another central midfielder though, I'd imagine.

Clrnc wrote:

If we wanted to improve on Xhaka we would. We bought like 4 CBs and still wanted more. That proves we backed the manager in all his priorities.

It's really quite obvious from everything that Arteta said, to what he does, that he really rates Xhaka and that's why he is still one of the first names on the team sheet no matter what he does

That's your perspective, which doesn't correlate with what I see. I think he can still rate Xhaka and publicly back him whilst also acknowledging we need to improve on him. The fact he gets picked every week is more a reflection of the lack of quality options in that part of the pitch.

It's not just lack of depth in our own squad, it's also lack of available options that are better in the market. As much as we want to improve on Xhaka, he's actually been one of the best midfielders in the league for a while now. So to improve we gotta really get the $$$ rolling like we were prepared to splash for Benny Blanco.

Don Pacifico wrote:

Clrnc wrote:

If we wanted to improve on Xhaka we would. We bought like 4 CBs and still wanted more. That proves we backed the manager in all his priorities.

It's really quite obvious from everything that Arteta said, to what he does, that he really rates Xhaka and that's why he is still one of the first names on the team sheet no matter what he does

That's your perspective, which doesn't correlate with what I see. I think he can still rate Xhaka and publicly back him whilst also acknowledging we need to improve on him. The fact he gets picked every week is more a reflection of the lack of quality options in that part of the pitch.

We had plenty of options in defence, Arteta used to play Mustafi, David Luiz (even extended him), Pablo Mari (who looked like he could become a starter for a while), Holding, bought Gabriel who starts now and we had Saliba who was sent back out on loan, even added Auston Trusty now. Arteta evidently still wanted White and didn't have any problems paying through the nose for him.

In midfield we bought Partey who closed one massive gap while Xhaka's position has never been under threat. I get that we tried for Locatelli but do you really believe he's the only CM in the world we could've bought to improve on Xhaka in four transfer windows?

banduan wrote:

As much as we want to improve on Xhaka, he's actually been one of the best midfielders in the league for a while now.

That's just not true, and I'm not one to say he hasn't improved. Maybe in the top 20 or 30 if you still consider that to be one of the best.

jones wrote:

Don Pacifico wrote:

That's your perspective, which doesn't correlate with what I see. I think he can still rate Xhaka and publicly back him whilst also acknowledging we need to improve on him. The fact he gets picked every week is more a reflection of the lack of quality options in that part of the pitch.

We had plenty of options in defence, Arteta used to play Mustafi, David Luiz (even extended him), Pablo Mari (who looked like he could become a starter for a while), Holding, bought Gabriel who starts now and we had Saliba who was sent back out on loan, even added Auston Trusty now. Arteta evidently still wanted White and didn't have any problems paying through the nose for him.

In midfield we bought Partey who closed one massive gap while Xhaka's position has never been under threat. I get that we tried for Locatelli but do you really believe he's the only CM in the world we could've bought to improve on Xhaka in four transfer windows?

Yep don't think that's up for debates. It's clear as day. Whoever he don't want he paid them off, if he didn't want Xhaka he would gladly take the 10m instead of asking him to stay and giving him a contract extension immediately. If he felt midfield is a priority he would have gone out of the way to sign one like what he did for a CB time and time again.

banduan wrote:

As much as we want to improve on Xhaka, he's actually been one of the best midfielders in the league for a while now.

It's clear Arteta wanted to priorotise play out the back, hence Ramsdale and White. I was as sceptical about the weight given to it as anyone but it's hard to argue with end results. We're about as press resistant as anyone in the league now.

I don't really buy that the midfield has been neglected though. We spent £45m on Partey, £30m on Odegaard and £20m on Lokonga. That's about as much as we've spent on the defence despite the high turnover in personnel. Two of them have transformed the midfield, to the point where the Xhaka problem has largely ceased to be a real problem. It's now just an area that can take our game up a level, particularly with the new set up.

Yeah I agree with that mostly. We cope better with Xhaka now so we aren't as beholden to his form.

The Lokonga one is weird now isn't it? I thought he was really good early on in the season, obviously a little wet behind the ears but that was to be expected. Yet now he doesn't even get off the bench. Its not good for his development, I hope he gets more of a chance to prove himself next season.

Yeah, I think he's one of the unlucky ones to feel the consequences of how high the stakes are in our games. Subbing the forwards is the less risky move and they're usually the ones who are knackered too. I would have thought he'd be a decent choice to come on for Odegaard though.

I wouldn't have minded seeing us finish games like this:

Partey

Lokonga ---- Xhaka

Pepe --- ESR --- Martinelli

Clrnc wrote:

jones wrote:

We had plenty of options in defence, Arteta used to play Mustafi, David Luiz (even extended him), Pablo Mari (who looked like he could become a starter for a while), Holding, bought Gabriel who starts now and we had Saliba who was sent back out on loan, even added Auston Trusty now. Arteta evidently still wanted White and didn't have any problems paying through the nose for him.

In midfield we bought Partey who closed one massive gap while Xhaka's position has never been under threat. I get that we tried for Locatelli but do you really believe he's the only CM in the world we could've bought to improve on Xhaka in four transfer windows?

Yep don't think that's up for debates. It's clear as day. Whoever he don't want he paid them off, if he didn't want Xhaka he would gladly take the 10m instead of asking him to stay and giving him a contract extension immediately. If he felt midfield is a priority he would have gone out of the way to sign one like what he did for a CB time and time again.

Hang on, I thought we were discussing whether or not there is a desire to replace Xhaka? I'm not disagreeing that we've prioritised defence but there are reasons for that, whether we agree with them or not.

What I disagree with is that Arteta is happy to keep Xhaka as 1st choice. I think the decision-making here is borne out of pragmatism over idealism (ie. prioritising other areas that were considered more severe).

jones wrote:

In midfield we bought Partey who closed one massive gap while Xhaka's position has never been under threat.

goon wrote:

I don't really buy that the midfield has been neglected though. We spent £45m on Partey, £30m on Odegaard and £20m on Lokonga.

You're just reiterating Clrnc' and my point. Partey granted was one starter we had to get after we lost almost our entire midfield under Emery (Ramsey Torreira Guendouzi), Odegaard is not a CM and Sambi had one league start since December. Xhaka by contrast has been missing from the starting line up for about two or three games (for the games he was available for) since the start of 2021.

Don Pacifico wrote:

Clrnc wrote:

Yep don't think that's up for debates. It's clear as day. Whoever he don't want he paid them off, if he didn't want Xhaka he would gladly take the 10m instead of asking him to stay and giving him a contract extension immediately. If he felt midfield is a priority he would have gone out of the way to sign one like what he did for a CB time and time again.

Hang on, I thought we were discussing whether or not there is a desire to replace Xhaka? I'm not disagreeing that we've prioritised defence but there are reasons for that, whether we agree with them or not.

What I disagree with is that Arteta is happy to keep Xhaka as 1st choice. I think the decision-making here is borne out of pragmatism over idealism (ie. prioritising other areas that were considered more severe).

We extended Xhaka's contract last summer, doesn't sound very pragmatic if the decision making is just because we prioritised spending on defence and GK.

We ditched Aubameyang within weeks of an issue flaring up, we've frozen loads of players out without a real long term plan yet Xhaka keeps starting for two years and four transfer windows straight under Arteta. Of course every manager wants to work with the best players he can get but where do you see this concrete desire to replace Xhaka?