Xhaka sending off harsh but shows similarity to Vieira by Sam P.
Am I just imagining it or have a lot of Arsenal fans been moaning for years about the failure of Arsene Wenger to sign a proper replacement for the former Arsenal captain and central midfield warrior that was Patrick Vieira? So I am amazed to hear that some Gooners have been tearing into Granit Xhaka for doing something that the brilliant Frenchman would have had little qualms doing himself, even though it did result in a red card.
Even after the academy graduate Francis Coquelin came back from his loan spell at Charlton and surprised us all with his fine form and combative performances, recording the best stats in the Premier League for a defensive midfielder, lots of Arsenal fans were calling on the manager to go into the transfer market and spend some big money, which he did this summer to sign Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Swiss international was seen as a possible new Vieira and although it is still way too early to say, I think it is crazy for us to be down on him so soon into his career at the club, especially for something which was always in the make up of Vieira.
Are we forgetting the disciplinary problems which dogged his time at Arsenal? Vieira shares the unwanted record of eight Premier League red cards with Duncan Ferguson and Richard Dunne, but would you want him back? Of course, so can we just calm down and give Xhaka the same sorty of leeway and a proper chance to make himself a club legend like Vieira?
Sam
l rememeber a certain Steve Bould doing the same thing every week and everyone cheered him on so i dont see a difference he did what he thought was best for the team at the time.
He took one for the team cause monreal was struggling with that dude. So ya we can say that the team is playing for one another. If it were yesteryear’s arsenal he may have get another assist and 3-3 level. He took a risk ref was idiot. 3 points we care and we have a ample cover for him so no special worries.
COYG!!!
There’s photo’s that have come out at the moment and he stopped a 4v2! (Although… Bellerin probs would’ve made up the 10 or so yards to make it 4v3)
P.S. Was anyone else impressed with Mustafi’s long balls today?? A few very near releases.. Didn’t know he had that in his locker!
I love that he got a red card. About time Arsenal got a red card for getting stuck in. (It was never a red card)
I was livid at the time with the ref not Xhaka because I don’t know how that resulted in a red card, but it shows the competition that Arsenal will get stuck in and won’t be bullied off of the ball.
And these days we have the midfield depth not to worry too much about the suspension.
Good on you Xhaka I say for that challenge! Just don’t give the ball away on the edge of your own box.
It’s not as if we didn’t know about Xhaka’s disciplinary record before we signed him and I’m sure that he will end up breaking that 8 red card record Within his stay at Arsenal.??
Very harsh decision I remember Koscielny making challenge in similar location and being sent off for maybe his first game (was it Liverpool) and I thought that was wrong also but then there was the last man rule. There were a few decisions against us yesterday, I wasn’t happy with the ref.
I must admit when he cynically, with a C, brought the player down coincidentally Vieira did flash into my mind for a brief moment. I can half remember Vieira being fully extended and cynically bringing down players from behind. Now as I’m writing similar flashes of T Adams are entering my thoughts, now Wrighty stamping on Schmeichel. I better stop. Our team of two or more years ago would never have made a foul like that, that is what Souness meant by team of son in laws. Even if you don’t think that was the right moment to be so ruthless you have to admit we needed players who will not second guess and hope our players get back, we need, or we will need use of this at times. We will get bitten now and again but if harnessed properly like Vieira’s was, we could have a Monster!!!! in our side.
I don’t understand why some fans are so biased.
If he had let barrow go and they score from it he would have been slaughtered ..I for one is happy to have a player in our team who is willing to take one for the team. I remember 2 seasons back carzola was faced with similar situation but he choose not to take one for the team and we ended up loosing that game.
I am glad wenger is signing players with balls..
MustafI is worth every penny though I feel sorry for Gabriel whom I think should also be giving a chance too we all know koscielny is indispensable but he is good for Wednesday against ludogoret to give koscielny a rest to avoid injury..
I am so happy everyone is chipping in goals and Walcot and sanchez interchange it keeps defender guessing who our striker is…
Glory days
Our 2 CBs yesterday were brilliant i thought slight mispostion on 2nd goal other than that class havnt seen that since GG days.
thought barrow was an arrow in the ass and someone needed to stop him and xhaka did it. bravo xhaka.
i still don’t understand why it isn’t being appealed? Everyone in the press seems to roundly agree that it wasn’t correct within the rules of football, and the FA should ask more questions about whether Moss should still be on the pitch with his level of fitness and decision making, rather than Xhaka, so you would assume that it would be repealed.
Xhaka has a good potential and mental strength, but still makes mistakes.
Would Vieira lose the ball like Xhaka did on Swansea’s first goal ? Not sure.
Was his red the result of a “Vieira-like”-warrior attitude or just pure frustration?
Comparison is premature.