Granit Xhaka

[Salibatelli]

Doesn’t matter if he had a good game, his errors always cost us goals.

In my book he had a bad game as he cost us the points, it’s not a one off like Gabriel either it’s s regular occurrence.

[Arsenal Tone]

Need Roma to come back in for him

[KG3]

Love him or hate him, Xhaka is a key player and our system and no one else can play his role in this current side better than him

We need to go all out for pogba on that free contract, him and Partey together would be monstrous

[Power n Glory]

Actually, I've just watched MOTD and I think Xhaka fouled the player before the shirt pulling. He pushed his thigh into the player.

There was contact on the tackle attempt but Xhaka still had a hand full of shirt as their legs make contact and continues to pull even as he protests Silva's dive. I swear he's on the take because he wasn’t even hiding the drag and kept pulling as Silva falls.

[FrustratedGooner]

Not sure if anyone has seen or noticed but earlier in the game he did a really poor tackle that I’m sure was 2 footed but missed the player by some distance. If he made contact or was closer at that time I’m sure he would have been off. I’ll try look through my recordings later but think was first half.

[jayramfootball]

It wouldn't have been given a penalty had it not been Xhaka. It was because of his reputation.

The problem with VAR is that it still gives refs the ability to be subjective.

VAR just shows up how poor the ref standards are in the Prem. They pick and choose when they want to apply the rules. The VAR system is just another ref in a room watching replays which has its own set of problems because it's not an independent body reviewing the game just looking to apply the law. Bias, protecting the refs association and mates still come into play despite having video replays to aide.

The ref standards are the issue. It's the inconsistency since VAR came in. The ref didn't give a pen for the Odegaard one or the Silva one. VAR called him over to look at the Silva one. Why not both?

Refs see everything in real time. It's hard but they get most calls right. I don't know about everyone else on here, but talking points are what makes football great for me. I have 0% interest in watching overly perfect, computer football. I can only just accept digital offside calls.

Yup, this is the problem.

I also don't like the way VAR only seems to show the one angle of replay because in many scenarios there can be opposing evidence - showing the one angle seeks to force the ref to change a decision, it removes the fairness/balance of what happened.

Also reviewing an isolated, single picture frame does not show the context of the incident at full speed.

A pull or push needs to be seen in full speed as it may not be meaningful. There will always be pushing and pulling in the box, so if you stop at one picture frame, of course you'll always end up giving penalties. The actual push/pull may not be forceful enough to warrant a penalty being given though.

A pull of the shirt doesn’t need to be seen in full motion and player doesn’t have to fall over. Just the act and pulling the shirt away from the body is enough for a foul call. It's a crafty foul. Nit enough to make you fall but enough to slow someone down from taking a touch or striking the ball. That's why players tend to dive so refs can see clearly the player is being fouled.

I don't agree with that, you will often see players tug a shirt and then quickly let go, thats not a foul, its gamesmanship. Like giving an opponent a slight nudge to put them off balance just before the ball gets to them, not enough to be a foul but its gamesmanship.

Not all shirt tugs are fouls. Laca blocking off Ake for Saka's goal was not a free kick but technically he obstructed Ake. Football is not black and white.

Agree.
But there also lies the problem. You see if VAR had of been used and Saka’s goal reviewed and the ref asked to go look, he could technically have disallowed the goal. The usual suspects would say that Laca did obstruct and disallowing the goal was fair.
But it happens all game with no free kick.
That is what happened with the penalty Xhaka conceded. That is what happened with Gabriel’s first and second yellow cards…. Incidents that happen regularly without yellow cards or penalties.

[starmandb]

The point is that if you pull the shirt in the box, you give the referee a decision to make. That's why you don't do it. But of course, it's too much to ask a little bit of common sense of Xhaka.

It’s pretty simple really, don’t pull the shirt and there’s no foul and no penalty, nothing else matters.

Shirt pulling is cheating in any scenario, it shouldn’t happen and should be punished everytime it’s spotted because it gives you an unfair advantage.

Hear hear

[KG3]

The game against Nottingham forest proved how important Xhaka is to the team, he provides the link between attack and defence, I haven’t always been a fan over the years but it’s clear that the system can’t function at 100% without him.

We certainly could use another DLP though, but they have to an upgrade on Xhaka, no time for some kid with potential, we need someone who can start straight away so Xhaka can be a squad player.

My ideal player would be JWP he’s got it all long balls, set piece specialist, good defensively next to a DM, unfortunately though he’s on a long term contract until 2026 when you factor that in and the fact that he’s English and in his prime Southampton would be asking for a ridiculous fee.

Cheaper alternative is Tielemans going into the final year of his contract next season at Leicester so they’re not really in a strong bargaining position, 20-25M would be a generous offer based on the contract situation, could even throw in a player we need to shift to sweeten the deal.

[Goonerred]

The game against Nottingham forest proved how important Xhaka is to the team, he provides the link between attack and defence, I haven’t always been a fan over the years but it’s clear that the system can’t function at 100% without him.

We certainly could use another DLP though, but they have to an upgrade on Xhaka, no time for some kid with potential, we need someone who can start straight away so Xhaka can be a squad player.

My ideal player would be JWP he’s got it all long balls, set piece specialist, good defensively next to a DM, unfortunately though he’s on a long term contract until 2026 when you factor that in and the fact that he’s English and in his prime Southampton would be asking for a ridiculous fee.

Cheaper alternative is Tielemans going into the final year of his contract next season at Leicester so they’re not really in a strong bargaining position, 20-25M would be a generous offer based on the contract situation, could even throw in a player we need to shift to sweeten the deal.

If that's true, god help us.

[alexafc12]

This guy is ruining us season after season.

Mistake against City again tonight.

How much longer until we sell him

[Rastayouth]

Honestly think this man deserves psychological study. You would think he would be conditioned to be OVERLY cautious by now.... I mean Pavlov managed it with a dog.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

Here till 2025

[Ach]

Roma are still interested. It's January

Get rid

[Dejan]

Here till 2025

No mate.

He will retire here in 2032.

[Ach]

Mentioned it before

He'll be our manager