All the latest Arsenal transfer rumours are saying that the deal to take Lucas Torreira to Emirates is all done and dusted, although nobody has given us any proof that there is any truth in the gossip so far, and now today it has been announced that the Gunners have given Granit Xhaka a new contract making it very clear that the Switzerland midfielder will not be leaving us any time soon.
Our other new signing Stephan Lichtsteiner is currently with Xhaka in the Switzerland national team, and the veteran defender has high hopes that Granit can improve even further. “I’ve known Granit now for more than six or seven years, so he’s just an amazing player,” Lichtsteiner said.
“He’s very good and he’s still young. It’s not easy for him to be the direct leader at 23 or 24 years old, so I hope I can help him to become bigger and bigger.
“He had a very good season and I hope next year he will do even better.
“Off the pitch he is just a great person, a great character, very calm, he knows when he can joke and he knows when to concentrate. A top professional player on the pitch, great passing and just a great player.”
And Unai Emery also thinks that he can help Xhaka to grow into his role at the club as well. The new Boss said: “I’m delighted that Granit has extended his contract with us. He’s an important member of the squad and is still young so will be able to develop even more. I hope he has a successful World Cup with Switzerland and comes back fit and ready for the new season.”
So with this new deal we now know for sure that Xhaka will not be moved on, so why would Arsenal still need Torreira. It is now very likely that Jack Wilshere will not be returning to Arsenal, but with Ramsey, Xhaka, Elneny and Maitland-Niles all competing for the midfield slots, why would we need another one in Torreira?
Unless of course Aaron Ramsey could me moving on?
Admin
To answer the question, no! Of course we still need Torreira because Xhaka is not a DM.
Yes, Torreira would play as a DM, like Kante in France national team today. With Xhaka, Elneny, Ramsey, Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Torreira competing for three central midfield positions, I think Arsenal would offload at least one of them:
– Most of them are in long term contract, except Ramsey (still in negotiation)
– The gap between Ozil’s salary and the other central midfielders is very far
– Emery already stated he will build his team around Ramsey, Xhaka just renewed his contract and Mkhitaryan just joined
Based on these facts, I bet Ozil, Ramsey or Elneny would be sold if Torreira or other CM joins
All we need now is for mustafi and iwobi to sign new long term contracts like xhaka.. Lol. But seriously, out of xhaka, mustafi and iwobi, xhaka is the one that still has a chance of being good enough to be in the squad. Mustafi should just be sold while iwobi should be loaned out for a couple of years to see if he can improve by playing regularly. Xhaka is an enigma though because when you watch him, he has some glaring deficiencies in his game but has a few good strengths. He is slow, immobile, lacks tackling ability, lacks defensive awareness, lacks agility and for a guy that is supposed to be a deeplying midfielder he will be a liablity. His strengths are his passing and shooting but are those enough to keep him in the team? He also can’t play further forward because of his lack of agility and close control of the ball. So i am not sure about him signing this new contract or is it just me that thinks this way?
Iwobi has signed a new deal. I see only 5players competing for the central midfield. Xhaka elneny Niles who have all just signed new long term deals Ramsey, who I think will be made captain and torreira when he joins. There is also willock daSilva and forgotten man zelalem, who has been in the gym for a year and it shows.
Emery might just play the Xmas tree formation which would really suit the players we will have with ozil and mkhitaryan being the two behind the striker aubameyang. With the likes of lacazette Welbeck iwobi Adelaide Perez Campbell nelson and nketiah providing the back up. A 60+ game season awaits, so we will need a big squad
I don’t see da Silva, willock, zeleam making it and Adelaide is injured AGAIN so I see him being another diaby! Perez will be sold and Campbell released or sold! The only young players that are on corse are Nketiah, AMN, Mavropanos and maybe Nelson but one player who looks a beast at CB is Bielik at 20yrs old should be kept in the squad next season! We really need to sort the CB
Situation out bcoz Sokratis, Mavropanos, Chambers, Holding, Mustafi, Kos and Beilik are all wanting to become starters I’d sell Mustafi and premote Beilik and assume koscielny is gone so that’s 5 CBs to play in 4 competitions unless we buy another CB which I can’t see!
?
Actually he is trying to replicate the kinda squad he had with PSG,,, a diminutive aggressive midfielder ( verrati-torreira) , an all rounding midfielder full of running ( Rabiot- Ramsey) , and a slow paced passer ( Motta – Xhaka). Man for man , PSG’s players are miles better….
You could be right. Would that mean he would use 4-3-3 again?
Cavani could be replicated with Aubameyang, but I don’t think Neymar and Mbappe can be replaced by Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Lacazette. Those there are not as fast as those PSG attackers
Aubameyang has the pace. Mkhitarian and Ozil need only feed the beasts and we will score plenty of goals. Lest we forget that Emery was unable to be as tactically astute as certain individuals weren’t prepared to be part of a system that they weren’t the focal point of.
Comparing a three-time Europa winner wt Brenda Rogers is laughable..nt evn wt Wenger who wil retire wt no European trophy..d Xhaka i alwys see at Switzerland isnt d same wt d one coached by Wenger..i av no doubt he wil do beta under Emery
Arsenal has only played Europa once in 22 years, It’s obvious we don’t belong there
Did you see how awful Mbappe was for france today ? he is good but not THAT good and Aubameyang is WAY faster than PSG players.
No they are not even better , i don’t know much about torreira so i cant compare him to verrati , Ramsey is miles better than rabiot at the moment , rabiot is still young and can develop , Motta was awful for PSG last season just go watch a few matches of last season that he was in and if you actually watched Arsenal games toward the end of season you could see the that Xhaka was one of out better players . these opinions of lowballing our players are disgusting and makes me question if you actually are a fan of Arsenal , because right now your pathetic negativity is the last thing fan base needs.
Motta was injured most of the season, and he’s old and probably won’t be playing top level football much longer.
Torreira, Xhaka and Ramsey… Midfield trio..
Surely they can play together? I hope so as I’m quite excited about the little fella!
4-2-3-1
no both play.pressing system with rambo as no.10
leno
kolasinac mustafi sokratis lichsteiner
torreira xhaka
mkhitaryan ramsey (c) ozil
aubameyang
no soyuncu because we don’t have 35 M to spend on a centreback.
Ozil sucks in other position, especially he sucks as a winger. He can only play as CAM and Ramsey also sucks in the wings
Either Ozil, Ramsey or Elneny would be benched/ sold if a new CM comes
i agree.
ramsey and aubameyang according to sky sports are the main men for unai emery.
so it will be interesting to see where the likes of ozil and lacazette fits.
The FIRST name Emery will put down on the team sheet is Mesut Ozil.Played in a centrally floating free role.Wearing the No10 shirt.Ramsey might be his Captain and Sokratis May be his leader at the back But this Manager knows how good Ozil iwnen played in a position and with tactics to suit his game.
phil number 10?
have you already sold wilshere ??
Quite obviously Ozil will wear10 when Wilshere goes
He is the epitome of flop, spinelessness and cowardice if people on here r being honest. If we had the chance to keep Sanchez or Ozil without a doubt, ozil would be on the next plane to united/Juventus exc. He’s worth about half of that 350k he’s being paid and must be licking his lips at how him and his agent have absolutely finessed arsenal in negotiations. Just look at what ballack and Lowe have been saying about him recently. He’s a sorry player from the spineless Wenger era who I would love to see the back of if I’m being honest
I disagree with you. How many chances do we create whenever Ozil doesn’t play, how many misplaced pass has Ramsey done. The two players are different and one is a classier player than the other. Ramsey’s passes are not as accurate as Ozil.
Ozil has been German PoTY 5 times in last 6 or 7 years, and he is the main guy in Lowe’s squad, so that tells all about what they think of him in Germany. We are lucky to have him and he will play season of his life under Emery
?
Mustafi. Is not a Gooner for much lon GER
I keep saying that a deal must be done before a player can be signed.For example how can you tell me that at the medical stage of a transfer the deal isn’t done before it gets to that stage?”DONE DEAL” can be used in a way to express a completed task.For e.g DONE DEAL ARSENAL SIGN ALEXIS SANCHEZ.But in actual sense “done deal” cos used to imply a deal which is done.Where a done deal means transfer fee,contract terms all other bonuses or other required have all been agreed.
Having said all this Torreira is already an Arsenal player and I’m 200% Sure of this.No jokes.
Soyuncu news will soon start surfacing and as I said don’t be shocked to see us in for another CB and CM.
Hope so Kev just the thought of Xhaka and mustafi depresses me
How people want Xhaka to stay and Mustafi sold is beyond me.Or are some other people here telling me Xhaka has potential but Mustafi does not?Did people watch Mustafi at Valencia?I’ve heard some call him an Everton reject.Laughable.
I’d even prefer keeping Mustafi over Xhaka because I can see Mustafi becoming like Koscielny with the right coaching.
A world class CB who continually made mistakes season after season just like Koscielny.Kos always had mistakes in his game though he’s world class.
Too late coz Xhaka’s contract has been extended
No media/ insiders/ Mr Know-it-alls could predict this
We will listen to offers for Carl Jenkinson, Callum Chambers, Shkodran Mustafi, Joel Campbell, Chuba Akpom, Lucas Perez and Emiliano Martinez.
David Ospina to Fenebarche is already a done deal.
Kev you are not an itk.
you are just someone who goes on twitter and looks at what the likes of moleyfootball and indykalia say,then you come post here.
otherwise none of you said emery was the next manager.
you just post alot and wait for one to go through,then claim to be an itk.
I haven’t claimed to be an ITK and just because I post this stuff doesn’t mean I am.
Funny thing is some ITK’s copy a lot of stuff from media and fellow ITK’s.I pick the truth from the lies.Theres thousand of news I could posted here but I knew they were lies.I make sure I follow transfers very carefully and put everything together for a specific transfer whether it will happen or it won’t.
then why claim you are 100% sure if you are just reading newspapers like us.
giving us false hope.
I don’t read newspapers.You’re not getting my point.There’s no need in posting stories in newspapers.I don’t ask people or beg them to believe me
I say what I’ve done from my checks.You can choose to ignore me if you want to
soyuncu will not come.
stop lying to us.
for 35M…doesn’t take an itk to know that.
that is why we are looking at people like david luiz,cheaper options.
you are basing your arguement on what an agent said while trying to drum up interest in his client.
Soyuncu won’t come.Why?Because you think he’s too expensive?This is a Minslintat signing we are talking about bro.He couldn’t care less if it’s expensive as long as the price is within our budget.
With any outgoings expected we are gonna get some money back.As far as I’m concerned Soyuncu will join Arsenal.The player has already made a decision as I’ve been saying.Bayern Munchen were our strongest competitors but even they have failed.I’m not even going to pretend Soyuncu to Arsenal is news.
How ever much Kronke is despised by this fan base there is no doubt he knows how to run a business.Soyuncu at 22 is an investment for the future.Signing Sideshow Bob from the Chavs is for the here and now with little if any value in a few seasons.I would go with Svens judgement on this every time
Soyuncu agreed to come verbally before Emery came along and Sokratis has been signed since then plus beilik could be premoted to first team squad This season and Mavropanos is looking ready so £35mil on a player who is not very experienced is to much of a risk and we need other areas sorted like wilshere and a winger maybe!
you claim soyuncu to arsenal.
ospina to fenerbache.
wait till when they don’t happen.
you disapper for a few weeks then you come back with another bs story.
I feel I’m bothering lots of people so I 100% wont post about transfers anymore but these two transfers are surely happening.
Just learn to speak to people without being aggressive.Some Arsenal fans are really annoying in the way they respond.Its a shame the fans will never be united.
Kev stop letting the negative idiots influence u, they know fa so try and pass their negativity on others
Nope.I won’t waste my time reporting news anymore.I’d just keep enjoy the truth alone in my corner while I watch others nailbiting themselves over lies.It feels so good when you know the truth.
Some people are just too negative.They’ve allowed the failures of Arsenal turn them into that.Its a shame really.Unai Emery will really feel the heat when he doesn’t excel trust me.Just because we’ve had a change of manager doesn’t mean we can’t fail woefully.
I don’t care if anyone cares.Funny enough none of us know each other personally.Lets not make this transfers thing look like an achievement for me or anyone at all.Because tbh it isn’t all.Its just nice and exciting but nothing more to that.
Nayr can u tell everyone why u are so sure soyuncu isn’t coming. You are being too aggressive to Kev, just convince us about t the source of ur claims rather than attack kev.
Kev said he doesn’t beg anybody to believe him
You have a choice to believe what he says or choose to ingnore
I fail to understand your bitterness and hatred towards Kev.
Kev does his research. Do yours too
everyone knows torreira is signed.
that is not news.
david ornstein confirmed talks ongoing.
Laughable so you are you trying to imply I waited for David Orstein who everyone knows to tweet before I say that the deal is done?How funny.
I was stressing that Torreira is done long ago and will continue to stress.I said Litchtsteiner was done and people didn’t believe because of his comments yet people decide not to believe clubs’ Presidents because they feel they just have to say they won’t be selling a player when in fact they are selling them.
fake itk.
You’re such a funny guy and not only that but a keyboard warrior.You release your anger on others because you feel it’s manly when in fact it’s cowardice.Some people here won’t have the audacity to say some things they save on this site to people’s faces.Clear cowardice really.
kev if its cowardice telling you the truth then yes i am one.
you clearly know nothing about transfers.
and when you are told the hard truth..you start whining and claiming how you will never post again.
makes me wonder.
I keep telling you I never said I was an ITK so I don’t know what truth you’re talking about.
I already knew that truth long long ago.
There’s a way to speak to a person and these days lots of people aren’t really nice in their approach to speaking to people.These days people judge people for the same mistakes they’ve committed before.
It’s only a coward who attacks someone on a site like this but thinks it’s a manly way of getting his or her message across.That right there is the truth bro.
Idiotic comment admin
Tell me what about Xhaka in the last two years thinks he’s anything above average
Litchsteiner must be a very observant person because the only thing I ever thought Xhaka was good at is passing.Apart from that to me he’s average.Even Rosicky in his last season was better than Xhaka and I doubt many here even remember Rosicky in his last season.He was almost always impressive when he started from the bench and at times run the show when given the chance to start.
Rosicky was a worldclass player (to become), but due to injuries he never made it. He had the talent plz don’t compare him to xhaka who is just a squad player. even in passing rosicky always passes the ball forward.
Youre not getting my point.Even Rosicky at his worst is better than Xhaka at his best.
he is paid to play football and you are not.
It doesn’t mean anything.It doesn’t change the real quality of the player which is truly average.
What is wrong with you ? @nayr
Yes Xhaka is more of a deep lying midfielder and no way is he a DM. Torreira is and will be our much needed DM.
I think the most important thing Unai Emery can do is to clarify once and for all just what position it is exactly that Xhaka plays. If it’s CM, then he is by no means a Santi Cazorla replacement. If it is DM, he lacks the defensive competence required to constantly break up play and stamp out the fire. My guess at this point is Xhaka is some kind of a holding midfielder, who can play alongside an out and out DM to grind out draws or one nil wins. So definitely if we are to continue pursuing an attacking, gang-ho style of play, we need a DM. My preference was Doucoure as I have actually seen how good he is though again with his bursts tgrough midfield am not entirely sure he is a DM. Am willing to trust our Serie A followers on Torreira’s glowing reports though. Just my opinion, I could be wrong on Xhaka’s quality though at this point it doesn’t really matter what we think of him he already has a new contract.
I agree with what you’re saying.I must stress that a deep lying playmaker is a role under a position and not itself a position.Xhaka is such a liability that I just can’t believe people rate him.For the experts and his lovers explain to me what role Xhaka will play in a two man midfield if he’s not a DM.Are you telling me you’d play him as a DLP which is a role and pair him with a DM in which case you’d ask yourself is he good enough to be the one in pair who attacks?Also explain to me his role in a three man midfield.Or are we happy that after all in a three man midfield we can cater for his shortcomings?Or in a three man midfield he’s still gonna be a DLP or what?What an average player we have on our hands.
Agreed! How about Xhaka himself tells us what he thinks his position is?! Nobody seems to know exactly what he is other than some kind of midfielder.
What Xhaka I think has been trying to tell all of us is that he wants to be the one doing the attacking in a two man midfield.People have been saying he’s a DLP but they’ve forgotten that to answer the question that do you a pair a DLP with a DM or CM?If paired with a CM who does the defending because we are being told he can’t defend.If he’s a DM then we know he can’t defend.In a three man midfield people seem to be okay with him in it because they believe it caters for his shortcomings. The question is what role exactly will he have in a three man midfield?
He will control the tempo of the game, add height to a very short midfield and will have a physical presence. I would add that he also possesses a long shot threat which will be much more threatening when he is playing higher up the pitch. He is the best long passer we have had at the club since Fabregas.
Sure he’s not our ideal of the perfect midfielder. I personally hate the lack of pace, but Wenger and now Emery are backing him as a top player. We need to trust that there is more to come from him.
I give credit where it’s due and say if Xhaka is at his best his passing is world class.As you can see I don’t hate him.The thing is to me the guy is not good enough and if people here are saying Maitland Niles isn’t a DM but a CM this means Xhaka and Niles should be or will be competing for the same spot.I’d choose Niles over Xhaka any day of the week.
Alex Song was even better and even Song wasn’t rated.Our club is becoming filled with some very average players these days.Its de ja vu all over again.When things go wrong Emery won’t have anyone to defend him and I’d feel very sorry for him.
Everyone please watch switzerland play,
note which position xhaka plays
then see how good he is.
xhaka if patnered with a proper DM where he has the licence to pick passes,go forwad he is lethal.
he even owned pogba and france at euros.
wenger is the one who messed both xhaka and mustafi
So is that what he is, a CM? If that’s the case, can you describe him as nearly as good as or better than Cazorla at that position? Because that’s who we will be comparing him to, Cazorla.
the same cazorla who was injured 90% of the time.
if you are so obsessed with cazorla you can go support villareal.
arsenal fans we are going to support xhaka.
I agree with the fact that Xhaka is a topclass player for his country @nayr
I think torreira and Xhaka may complement each other very well. People r forgetting how good Coquelin looked with Santi and how poor he became when Santi was injured. It does make me wonder where Ramsey AND Ozil fit into this system tho. Guess we’ll wait and see
Lol, you are quite a character bro
I have watched Xhaka play for Switzerland and I already know Xhaka is a CM.The question is are telling me we should pair Xhaka with a DM and allow him to be the one in the pair who does the attacking?Can he dribble?can he get himself out of tight spaces?Can he drive very well from defence to attack?Can he more than most times retain the ball under immense pressure?There’s a lot of questions I can ask.Even Maitland Niles is better than Xhaka in attacking sense and why would I bench Niles to play Xhaka as the attacking member in a pair in midfield?Because he’s young?
can he dribble,can he get out of tight spaces…
why don’t you watch switzerland play then tellme.
I watch Switzerland play and let’s not even dedate that he can dribble.
All I see is him giving passes here and there.I give credit where it’s due and say Xhaka’s passing is world class at his best.
But to me he’s an average player and we’d find out soon.Thats just my opinion.I don’t hate him but this is my observantion.
Yes, I agree. I would call him very limited and average is the best I would rate him, overall. So many seem content with mere average players. BUT WE REALISTIC ONES ALL KNOW WE NEED FAR BETTER THAN AVERAGE IF WE ARE TO CLOSE THE INCREASING GAP ON THOSE ABOVE US. To my thinking , he seems just not switched on enough -nowhere near enough- to the fast PREM style used by all the other top clubs.
Awful player no matter what shirt he has one
Has no clue about the third man running and neither do you
I’d like to ask a question to everyone.Is the Alex Song who played for Arsenal not better than Xhaka?
Was the Alex Song of Arsenal even rated?Wasn’t he called useless?
Is the Adebayor who played for Arsenal not better than Giroud?Was the Adebayor who played for Arsenal even rated?
A lot of average players keep playing for us yet we always keep defining new lows for our team signing even worse players.Laughable.
Adebayor was NOT useless he was fantastic for us in his last season, he’s tally speaks for itself. Same with song. His assistsin rvps last season were the reason we finished 3rd after being humbled by united and having our worst start for over 25 yrs. What are you on about?
Xhaka and Song have very similar playing styles and that imo is great news. We lack that physical presence in our team when he’s not playing. He’s our Deep lying playmaker who will spray the ball around, control the tempo and hopefully develop tactically to improve his intercepting skills and decision making (this is where he currently lacks). He is not a box to box midfielder or a defensive mid, Xabi alonso, Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic, koke, Modric, kroos exc are not fast players, they’re are smart players, theyre not made to chase a ball or be the last man in a defensive line up. The same way Mertesacker was the smartest player on the pitch in the correct formation and looked like a donkey in a highline, WE NEED A COACH TO PLAY TO OUR PLAYERS STRENGTHS. Xhaka needs time and coaching and I’m sure we’ll discover why he is so highly coveted by the coaching staff at arsenal
Xhaka is an average player plain and simple.
I just don’t what special about him.I open my eyes wide open trying to find a big positive and I come to the conclusion that he’s just like those who people thought were always good but were never ever really that good.
Unfortunately at Arsenal this is our story as we always take several seasons to realize an average player is truly average.
Agreed. 12 seassons in Walcotts case. I knew he he was a spineless coward aftr a mere handful of games. His timidity shreiked this fact loud and clear. And It never left him. HE IS STILL A COWARD BUT THANKFULLY NOW AT EVERTON. Your correct point about barely average players being kept by WENGER FOR SEVERAL WASTED YEARS IS SPOT ON.
Xhaks is good in passing, long shot and set piece, bad in tacle, marking, and some peoples still said he is a dm
Seem wenger success to fool some of arsenal fans, to think xhaka is a dm
Silly article! Xhaka is NOT a holding player. I feel for him as he gets so much stick but often exposed by Ramsey going forward. Xhaka will be great with a proper holding player behind him as he is for the Swiss. Emery can see it and straight in for a proper holding player where Wenger dithered.
France a talented squad with a clueless manager, 1:1 so far and its only Australia,Griezemann is a cheat,mbappe is overrated
counsel for once i agree with you.
Xhaka for and against:
For
Handsome
Excellent passing range
Against
Coaching by Arsene has left him confused
well said mate.
wenger messed him.
FACTS
Malch95,
Sorry, but I might have missed the FACTS your bringing to the discussion…… could you please provide the FACTS one more time?
Robin,
Left him confused?
He’s just signed a new contract and Emery rates him highly, so perhaps it’s you who are confused?
If he’s not good enough, and both our ex and current manager rate him so highly, should we start looking for a new manager?
Obviously Wenger and Emery have different opinions to you.
Wenger didn’t coach, he hasn’t been on a coaching course for 25 years and it showed. Wenger simply managed and dictated to his coaching staff and players his ideology. He swallowed his own bullshit and expected everyone else to swallow it too. For the first 8 years of his reign, his freshness shone through. However the staleness started setting in and eventually he saved a bit of face with 3 fa cup wins, with two of those against relegation fodder and most of the time not having to leave London to get them.
Emery is going to be a head coach, ably assisted by a team of assistant and specialist coaches, the managing will be left to Sven and Raul. Whilst Per will operate under a similar model with the 2 new guys just brought into the academy. Ljungberg ampadu bumstead, etc will be head coaches to the u23, u18s, u16s, etc, again supported by a team of assistant and specialist coaches.
It was time for the club to change its ways and Gazidis will be licking his lips at finally being given the power a CEO should enjoy at a major club. The business deals and player deals that he will now have the autonomy to sanction, without the dictator clipping his wings, will prove whether he is worthy of that role, just like David Dein once was for Arsenal.
Wenger didn’t coach? Which cave did u come from? For 22 years under wenger only man u won more epl matches than arsenal, only man u lost less matches than arsenal, only man u had a better head to head count than arsenal among every other team in English football, wenger remains the only arsenal coach in history that has crowned word best, a record 4 times onze d’ or and world best coach for 10 years (2001-2010) wenger’s class of 2004 is still been rated the best assembled team in epl history,no player in wenger’s 22 years become a better player when he left arsenal, the likes of Patrick viera, Lauren,thiery Henry, berkamp, Ashly Cole, kolo ture,pires, adebayor, song, fabrefas, nasri, rvp, helb, clichy, sagna, koscienly, flamini, Ramsey, Santiago cazorla, etc etc etc all became better players under wenger, how some one could ever think wenger isint a coach is beyond me, for 22 years he operated with a restricted budget, he built and paid off the emirate stadium(the best stadium in English football) even with a restricted budget, he build and paid off the best training centre with the best training facilitaties in English football with a restricted budget, he unearthed gems, and nutured legends with a restricted budget, how can someone in his normal sense ever said wenger isn’t a coach? Even from a restricted budget he gave us 17 trophies with the one and only golden epl title, u can say any rubbish against wenger,buh don’t come here and ridicule he’s legendary status, emry is like a new wine, very soon the honey moon will be over and the reality of things will stare us in our eyes, if u think its easy to achieve what wenger achieved @ arsenal with such restrited budget then u deserve to go back to that cave and improve that cave, wenger has gone we should allow him to enjoy his deserved rest, he remains our best in history, till some one else toppled him he remains our best, having a great summer is different from having a great season, everton last season will tell u!!!!!
Now my turn: For; same two as you(and the first is of zero importance). Against: No pace at all, immobile, turns about as fast as Mertesacker did, can’t tackle, can’t mark, can’t and won’t track back, has poor goals and assists stats,, always first to start a fight and get involved in “handbags”, clearly still a boy in a mans body.
We need a carlzora replacement, Isco type of player xhaka and elneny earn their wages for passing the ball sideways, even my grandmother can pass and pass the ball, no skill we need a dribbler who’s technically gifted a player who can do something special.Xhaxa is mediocre if Emery can’t see that then he’s not up to the task
Why the Comment about Emery?It was Wenger that bought the player you fool.
There is no doubt there is a player in Xhaka.If Emery is ably to produce the Quality and Consistency of performances that Wenger was totally incapable of doing then it will finally confirm how outdated and clueless Wenger and his archaic and prehistoric methods really were.
Emery will be worse than Wenger,stop this blind faith faith in the Spanish Brendan Rodgers.You purport xhaka is good and bad at the same time! Stop thinking like an animal with two legs.Wenger is an icon you are an empty bucket
Counsel, please give the man a chance; the transfer window is still open and Arsenal are yet to kick a ball.
So then you have never noticed his excellent CV , all of which happened in recent years , unlike WENGRERS ANCIENT HISTORY FOOTBALL DEGREE. You are the SINGLE exception I have seen on here who does not rate Emery , EVEN BEFORE you have seen him manage one game for us. Frankly, your comments are way beyond mere silliness.
Counsel, the best Isco we can possibly afford is Ozil and Mkhitarian. Theres absolutely zero chance of Isco leaving Madrid with the new manager. If he moved, City would snag him up, wrecking the competitiveness of our league. You’re also talking down Xhaka’s passing too much. Like him or not, the guy knows how to pass.
Perhaps Phil, it was the never ending criticism of the ex manager that blinded you to the fact that Xhaka was and is s very good player?
After all, it’s only taken Emery six weeks to realise this and offered him a new long term contract.
Congratulations to Arsene for the original signing and playing him in every premier league game last season.
Really pleasing to know that Emery has also seen the player that Wenger saw, wonder what he thinks about Iwobi?
I’ve yet to see evidence of Xhaka being VERY GOOD PLAYER as you suggest he is.And Wenger failed to get even AVERAGE performances out of him on a consistent basis.This does not reflect well on Wenger as it was him that bought the player yet could not get the performance he was no doubt capable of giving.
Even now it is impossible to understand exactly what Xhaka has as his skill set other than his passing ability.He is certainly not a leader.He has no pace.He seems unable to track back and defend.His goals to game ratio is not good.Very rarely does he supply the final ball that leads to a score.Wenger had two years working with a player he paid £35m for and here we are now not understanding what we have.Yet Emery sanctioned an improved contract.This to me suggests he WANTS the player and will use him in a system that will produce more for him and the team.
So in reply to your post Ken I can only trust our new Manager has a more Technical and Coaching approach than the previous one and try to turn Xhaka from the Pigs ear Wenger left us with to the Silk Purse the player COULD become.
As for Iwobi?It took The Lord Almighty 7 days to create the Earth.With Iwobi I feel it would take even God longer.
Just wondered what your reaction would be to the Iwobi question Phil.?
With regards to Xhaka, I see him playing a very important part of the new manager’s set up.
It does seem that he and Ramsey are definitely part of his plan, so how we will line up is a mystery, especially if the signings that seem to be ‘done deals’ actually materialize.
Just goes to show though how two managers see the potential of a player that a majority of fans can’t!
Phil, Could not agree more with your comments. IF, and I think it an enormous if, Emery can prove me wrong, it would only then show how much better than Wenger, Emery is in coaching and tactics. But I still hugely doubt he can improve your “pigs ear”, at least not to the vast amount needed, which to me is accurate. “As for Iwobi” you say. Well I know what I would do with Iwobi but the Admin might well remove my comment if I posted it.
But Jon and Phil, we have to rely on our ex manager and current manager’s views on Xhaka, despite your obvious reservations.
I have great faith in both men’s ability and our club has been privileged to have them.
As far as Xhaka not being coached properly, are we now being asked to believe that in six weeks the man has improved so much the club and manager offer him a long term contract?
Are you saying that we have just given a long term contract to a pigs ear in the hope that he turns into something better!
Isn’t that what you have both criticised our ex manager for in the past with the likes of Walcott, Diaby, Mustafi and even the man in question himself Xhaka?
Is it only you Jon who sees everything as a contest to prove who is the better manager?
What on earth does that do fo Arsenal Football Club and the supporters?
Nothing whatsoever, unless you can show otherwise of course.
We have moved on(well most of us anyway) from Wenger and this blame game is so childish and boring.
I really hope that Emery does go on and become a great success because I want my club to be successful.
If that means Emery endorses more of Wenger’s signings then so be it!
If, however, he sees fit to transfer some of Wenger’s signings then he will also have my support.
So it seems Jon, our manager has seen something in Xhaka that you cannot and Phil, just maybe, his views on Iwobe might just prove the same scenario for you.
But of course if this does happen to be the case, it will ALWAYS be Wenger’s fault and not a vendetta against the man clouding the issue.
Ken , To make my position clear , I HAVE now no beef at all against Wenger for the simple reason that he is now history, as is Bertie Mee and Billy Wright and many others. BUT, Wengers buys and his failures are still here and so it is impossible not to mention why they are poor or even bad players, without giving the reasons. I usually give full details of my thinking and dislike unjoined up thinking. This will still be so until all Wengers players have left, so you will feell frustrated reading my comments for some time to come, seemingly. I mind not a jot if, when you see my profile, you don’t read the comments under it. IT IS A FREE COUNTRY.My views are always what I actually think. And in a free country I WILL CONTINUE TO EXCERCISE THAT RIGHT, JUST AS YOU AND OTHERS DO AND SHOULD TOO.
Jon
I always read your post, along with Phil’s amongst others, because I know that you speak with passion for the club.
What I find so frustrating is the fact that most of your posts keep referring back to the old regime.
Why is it that whilst one side of the great debate regarding Wenger want to move forward, the other side still want to keep opening old wounds?
I see no positives coming out of this continuous blame game, if anything it keeps the fan base continually at loggerheads.
If the new regime think highly enough of Xhaka to offer him a new contract, why does it become a old regime discussion?
Surely the debate should be about what plans Emery has for the coming season now that we know Xhaka and Ramsey are definitely part of his plans, while Jack isn’t?
As sure as night follows day, for every time an anti Wenger post appears a pro one appears.
Aren’t we all, as supporters, better than this?
NO, no, no, Emery is not Wenger. Emery wants a DM for his system, and he knows Xhaka is not a DM.
Torreira could actually be just what is needed to make Xhaka tic 100%.
They could be a very good pairing.
emry can never be wenger!!!! Ungrateful beings
We keep thinking it is the Wenger arsenal, how Emery uses our players may be different from Wenger, also system used and if it is the pressing game we are about to play Elneny, Ramsay, Torreira and AMN are high energy players who will be suited to such a game in the midfield. My question is how Ozil reacts to the pressing game at arsenal
Ozil is the most overrated player in the world and I’m German
No, you aren’t German you are Kenyan!!!
????
Always fun reading some comments here….
We got keV working too hard to be something he ain’t…
We got Mr fox who keeps reminding everyone how long he as been a fan(1958)..and how that makes him a better fan..hence the right to bash everyone with a contrary opinion….
Oh my favorite being counsel…man jumps into conclusion like a child…I really just laugh reading his comments.
Anyways we all one family… different characters keeps the house fun.
? hilarious!
POTD, well done
best comment ever ???????
Spot on
Spot on
Well at least you have the courtesy to your elders, and also wiser, to address me as Mr.Fox. To my friends , Jon is fine. But YOU may still call me Mister. Shame though that your post had nothing to say about the club we are on here to discuss. But perhaps you will learn , with increasing age. And wisdom! Meanwhile, back on the actual topic, I do not rate Xhaka but am prepared and hope Emery can prove me wrong. From the very little I have seen of Torreira, he seems just made for a pressing and combative system; something Wenger always shunned as “not our style”, more fool he!
I agree Counsel. Australia was unlucky to lose 2:1. According to Fox Sports France is being slated on social media as a team of divers.
Lucas Hernandrz should be cited by FIFA for numerous cases of simulation; every time he was touched regardless of where on his body, he went down clutching his head. Football loses its credibility when such behaviour is rewarded with free kicks.
Very proud of Australia.
Elneny and Ozil jobs look in jeopardy.
“Clueless” Wenger would turn France into a free scoring beast of a team. Mbappe already begging him to takeover. I think Admin might be bantering us a bit here for some good chat contributions. Surely there is no argument that we need a midfielder in, after losing two players in Wilshere and Cazorla. The fact that we are getting in a player with some of their attributes but whose main job is to defend, is a masterstroke imo.
That was for YOU Counsel
Another braindead article. Xhaka has hit the lottery with this new deal given that he was the worst midfielder all season.
Xhaka not a DM, and Emery will use him in a slightly more advanced position. I don’t know where Ozil fits in this lineup honestly. Out wide with freedom to roam is the only thing I can think of. Certainly he won’t be in Emery’s midfield 3 because his characteristics don’t match with what Emery likes. Torriera (if it happens)/Xhaka/Ramsey midfield seems to be the way we are going.
Want to know what position should Xhaka play in? Think about the positions Michael Carrick and Xabi Alonso used to play in
Agree and we will see the real Xhaka next season under Emery…….
Pls leave kev alone, is not forcing anyone to believe. Personally I like his transfer post so also some other people here. Post ur own let him post his, stop challenging him pls
@Counsel-it seems Admin continues to remove my replies to you.Shame because I am sure everyone would continue to have a good laugh at your expense.Still – we can pick it up again when you grow up a bit more
If Emry want to work with Xhaka so b it, he is d manager.
I can’tt even remember one player @ psg emry made play better pls can some one tell me?
Personally, I am dismayed that Xhaka seems to be staying with us. I have never rated him at all. I think him too one paced, slow witted, immobile and emotionally immature for Prem success. HOWEVER, if Emery does play him , it CANNOT be as a DM, for the reasons I give. To me he always looks to be playing catch up with the game, except when we are up against a lowly team when he has time to spray his long passes, which do not fool me into thinking that he is a top player. Against top opponents he is a real liability. I would sell him were it up to me.