11 Dec 2016 08:12:50
I've watched the Xhaka penalty a few times and at first glance it looks like he intentionally raises his elbow into Allen's face. However, the referee is very close and he doesn't even book him for the offence, which if it is a deliberate elbow, surely he would have been sent off. Perhaps it looked far worse than it was as Allen is a short player and in effect Xhaka is merely using his arm to shield himself, as many players do. If it was against a taller player then his arm/ elbow simply forms part of a shield to stop the opposing player getting the ball. Hence, the ref who in my opinion is one of the poorest in the PL, got it right. Yes it was a foul, but there was no intent to hit Allen in the face with his elbow.
11 Dec 2016 08:53:12
Only xhaka knows if he meant it and he will never tell us. He does need to concentrate on his weaknesses to be a great player or he will fail badly. Van persie was like him and grew into a great player. I know they are different players but they both had/ have petulant natures. Xhaka is one of the worst tacklers I have ever seen and if he can improve that he has a chance to make it big.
11 Dec 2016 09:28:12
The more I see of Xhaka the bigger bargain Kante looks at the same price, that might change over time but right now Xhaka looks over priced and Kante the bargain of the season.
11 Dec 2016 11:04:18
Careful 62 you will get strung up for saying that about Xhaka
My point yesterday was that Xhaka needs to sort that side of his game out.
Funny that the boys on MOTD thought the same.
The boy is Talented but 8 reds in 30 months is a bit much IMO.
11 Dec 2016 11:13:08
Normally agree with you 62 but I almost agree.
Kante was a bargain - full stop. No need to bring Granit into the valuation of Kante.
BUT I don't believe that Kante was the player we were after as we were after a Santi back up not a Coq back up.
Granit is a talented young player in a position that there are limited option so he won't be a bargain
He is young and aggressive in a very quick league - it will take him time to adapt. Raw ingredients look like they are there, his passing and vision is exactly what we need. Let's get behind him just like we did Cole, RVP, Kos etc who needed time and a run in the team. Even DB10 and TH14 needed time
Remember PV4 missing lots of games and getting 2 reds in 2 games.
I trust Wenger and based on what I have seen he looks pretty good.
11 Dec 2016 11:22:18
BG. We agree he needs to improve but he has not had a lot of games and he is young and the league is fast. Give him time. I issue is that you are judging him and want to be right rather than actually be wrong for the benefit of the club. I am happily wrong as I didn't think Sanchez could be our striker.
Give the guy a chance and judge him after a decent run of games. Pretty sure Coq picks up lots of silly bookings and will miss games.
Pretty sure you like Cole when he was a Gooner, as with RVP and Kos who all did stupid things when they started.
That was my issue - I agree he needs to watch his nasty side.
I guess you would have sold DB10 or TH14 after 10 games also? Or judge them as failures? Let's give the young man a chance because as supporters we seem awful at judging our players too quick and giving them stick - didn't we boo Coq off the pitch when he ended up being subbed as a sub? Look what we are doing to Jenkinson.
11 Dec 2016 11:26:24
For the record I am not saying it wasn't a stupid challenge and those things can cost us games - I am not blind to our players wrong doings.
Webb said it wasn't a penalty - place value in his opinion.
Either way - stupid to even put us in that position but I am not sure it makes in a liability just yet. Sure he has plenty positive impacts in all games he has played. Wenger now needs to educate the young man which he has successfully done with many Arsenal players.
11 Dec 2016 12:29:15
Anyone with eyes can see xhakas faults and strengths, if he doesn't sort his faults he's an accident waiting to happen. So far that's his career in a nutshell. The question is when is he going to realise and sort it because if and when he does we have a player, i'm not just on about yesterday, i'm talking about his reputation, which so far he's living up too. The difference between him and vierrra, vierra was a warhorse and 95% of the time was a brilliant tackler.
11 Dec 2016 12:37:18
Sy if you know anything about football, look at coq when he tackles, he is a brilliant tackler, that doesn't mean he won't pick up the odd yellow and red like vierra. Picking a red up for constant fouling and bad positioning is totally wreckless, there is a massive difference.
11 Dec 2016 15:18:49
And Steve, if you look back at Coq over the last season you will know he got a stupid red against Spurs which cost us and was lucky to stay on against Palace. Get the blinkers off when you discuss your favourite players and ones you use to prove points as you are consistently inconsistent with your facts.
11 Dec 2016 15:49:00
Sy you are the one with the oversized blinkers on. If you can't see someone who can tackle and someone who can't then I give in.
11 Dec 2016 16:02:26
Steve,
Pretty sure you will see that I say Granit needs to adapt and improve. where are my blinkers on this debate
You seem to avoid my comments on your opinion of Coq, Granit, Kante.