He was frustrated and trying to make a point. The whole atmosphere around the club was awful and he was pissed that he got substituted because if there’s one thing we learned from the documentary about Xhaka (if you take it at face value) is that the guy believes he’s giving 100% every time he’s out there, so getting subbed probably upset him.
We should definitely explore upgrading that position but I’m not in a hurry to sell him this summer. We need a slightly larger squad next year anyway.
And just because I’m very sentimental, it would be a shame to have him leave after qualifying for the CL and not playing in it.
Well that ton of sentiment just bought Klopp a ton of trouble this season not breaking up players passing their sell buy date.
Fergie was the master on this. Good enough for now isn’t necessarily good enough for next season.
Happy to upgrade him and it should be this summer but think we should retain him for at least another season. We are dangerously shallow in midfield as it is and going 1 in and 1 out isn’t really helpful at this stage.
Is that true though?
Gary Neville, Scholes, Giggs lasted longer than they should have. Big players that Ferguson did sell, seem forced transfers to me.
Man is good enough to be a starter back in Germany, Spain or Italy for sure.
I do feel though this squad will be looking to evolve and should do.
The probability is that Xhaka role will not be a starter and CL games are not like Europa a means for rotation.
We actually could get a decent fee for him as his style of play is suited in other Leagues.
He’s done well this season, but even so there’s been games we’re he doesn’t have the all around ability Arteta needs.
Viera hasn’t been good enough yet to challenge him and Sambi never will.
The midfield is a key part of Arteta coaching and I don’t see him being a go to starter here next season.
Even his senior leadership role becomes a bit less of an issue after this season in reality.
He knows Arteta’s system and requirement.
Don’t think we will get two CM/CDM in summer, so having a quality backup/rotation that knows the team is as important as just simply buy from somewhere else.
If Granit is willing to do what Arteta ask, and able to, there are more positives to keep him than getting rid of.
That’s because your viewing as the team of now playing the same system next season.
The technical level will go up. Your virtually saying it yourself and relegating him to the bench.
He’s not multi functional and I don’t see him being able to cover enough rolls.
Age isn’t on his side. It’s on him ultimately if he wants to be a highly paid bench player or if he wants first team football at the last couple of seasons of his career abroad.
Its not gonna be a ton tbh… maybe one or two extra stages in Europe (we hope)… and we should go farther on FA Cup (let’s say 3 games).
Reality is we’re talking maybe 7 or so more games… having said that, it is a LOT if you think about it as more than half of the months you are adding one additional game to the schedule.
We need more depth for this reason as well as to better sustain injuries and general rotation - it will catch up to us eventually if players like Partey, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli, Saliba, Gabriel, etc. are playing every single game. Partey is another year older - Xhaka is definitely entering years of at least some decline (he’ll be 31 early into next season)…
Plus, you have to factor that there will be possibly some regression from a player (we hope not but it happens).
Anyway, not sure why I felt compelled to reply to your discussion b/c I’m not even sure of the full context lol - but I am intrigued to see how we manage this situation over the summer… plus we have to deal with Balogun, Nketiah situations; extend some contracts; think carefully about CM with aging and depth, as well as figure out what is going on with depth at wingbacks.
We should improve upon Xhaka, but let’s not forget that he’s been a reliable cog in a team that has 69 points after 28 games.
Buy a starter which pushes him to the bench, but we need experienced, reliable players in this squad. CL football ain’t no joke, we need 17-18 players who all could start at any given moment and not degrade the team’s output levels.
Xhaka is a big component of our team spirit now as well. He’s done wonders to install himself as an important player for us. A new contract which keeps him here on respectable wages for another 2 seasons is fine by me. Can’t believe I’m saying that. Arteta has developed a position for him that he’s been really dependable in, and at various points, enabled him to put MOTM performances in.
I’ve just noticed this thread has just got to 10k posts and Xhaka is our longest serving player.
Who would’ve thought it would take him this long before he’d have his best season with us and get the respect of the supporters?
