He was a walking red card for Gladbach as well. Pretty much all the scouting reports highlighted his awful disciplinary record. I can’t imagine he’s going to change the way he plays and it doesn’t help that Arsene is more of a “express yourself” coach. On the whole I haven’t been too impressed with his signing yet. He’ll play nice long balls with his left (and only his left) but he’s been caught napping a few times and made some REALLY dumb decisions like today.
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They aren’t consistent b/c it is really hard to judge real-time without benefit of video unless you are perfectly positioned. I am an advocate of post-game review of bad tackles and handing out more cards for them b/c the really dangerous/reckless ones have no place in the game. (I didn’t watch the one on Ozil but it looks like others commented on the difference).
And yeah, Xhaka’s was stupid and clear red. You can jump/lunge like that into the tackle and have your studs showing.
Well I completely disagree. He lunges at him without an ounce of control and is basically driving his entire body weight through the player when he had no chance of getting the ball. Xahka honestly had more control in the tackle he made evidenced by him almost being able to pull out of it.
Which is not going to happen with the options the club currently has. Best hope for improved football is a couple of creative wingers whom can create and when they receive the ball we don’t have to worry they fumble the ball away as soon as they receive it. A player like Hleb was a great outlet in that manner.
It’s about the technique of the tackle. Xhaka enters with more control, yes, than the Burnley player, but it’s simply not a situation/technique of tackle that’s going to create real danger, whereas Xhaka’s is. That’s demonstrated by that type of tackle being about as reckless as it can be but no real harm coming to Özil. Take the same type of tackle that Xhaka did and put it at that intensity, and the player ends up like Ramsey against Stoke.
It’s a problem with coaching, as well, tbh, because it’s clear Wenger allows this kind of tackle from his players…you need not look further than Flamini who made a tackle like this every game and continued to be played. A good manager should see that in training once and say: never again, or I fine you. It’s really pretty simple.
Yeah I watched it again as well and agree 100% - I remember that play well that Ozil got fouled on. When you are running in the same direction and use a “collision” to take the player out, it is a bad foul and a professional foul and is yellow all day long, but the risk of injury is much, much lower.
Xhaka also could see the play in front of him develop and still decided to jump the way he did… it is really stupid.
Fucking chocolate boy 
He’ll sort it out. Was my MOM until then too 
Marek Hamsik, seriously? Benitez tried to play him as advanced playmaker and he failed. He is a classic box to box midfielders, not capable to play the ball, not capable to play into a squad with a spanish style.
Good enough for the italian league, but probably a little bit overrated.
Probably he had the qualities to became a good playmaker, but his decision to not change squad and try to play for top teams, hasn’t helped him to improve.
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The recklessness in his game is concerning. Didn’t need to lunge in like that at all. The club invested a lot in Xhaka, but as of yet he’s been disappointing. Steve Bould has his work cut out. Can imagine plenty of reverse engineering will have to take place in training.
Needs to cut out those sort of reckless tackles from his game if he wants to continue holding down a starting place in the team. He is not a young player who is still learning his craft at the highest level. Xhaka needs to be more disciplined and patient. Still a quality player.
Good player but needs to sort out those stupid tackles, he is going to cost us if he doesn’t.
Funny thing with him and his reputation on these cards hes not a particuarly physical player.
Doesnt have an overly aggressive attitude. Think id be a bit more understanding if he did. Just has very amaturish judgement at times.
Good that Wenger seemed annoyed about it in his interview yesterday. Hopefully he can sort this now, otherwise hes turning into a liability.
Not sold on him yet myself, but lets see how the season pans out first.
Am I the only one who doesn’t mind Xhaka being a bit ruthless? I mean, for years we’ve been crying how we have no steel in midfield, how our players are a bunch of wimps that get rolled over - blah blah blah.
Vieira used to get red cards all the time in his early stages, and he turned out to be a General. For me it’s character building, he’s playing the long game. In a season or two after about 5/6 red cards to his name, no one will want to challenge a 50-50 with him, and if they do, you’ve seen what happens (lol). I actually like the fact we have our own little psychopath, we just have to manage without him from time to time.
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It’s nice being a bit ruthless when you’re playing well. He’s barely managed to string together a consistent run of good performances so his lack of discipline is definitely being amplified as another negative so far.
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Hes got no menace about him though. Nobodys intimidated by him on the opposition.
His cards havent been done in malice in running battles, just dumb play.
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If it was really for being ruthless I’d agree, but both of his red cards so far and at least one of the penalties were just pure stupidity and nothing else, so not really something you’d build a (positive) reputation with.
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Am I the only one who thinks that he has been extremely unlucky with the decisions that have gone against him?
Both penalties were dodgy af, the first red was a joke and the one yesterday was nothing more than a yellow, especially considering what has been allowed to pass this season
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:per: