***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

[KG]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Here's the thing with Buendia...

We don't know the whole story, but we do know that he was Villa's top priority, and was clearly not ours. They were always going to pay more (seriously go look at their net spend) and despite how far this club has fallen, I do not believe for a second that he "chose" Villa over Arsenal—I just don't.

However, I'm still very, very worried, because I have zero faith that the club will have a successful Summer. I wanted us to sign Buendia because frankly I don't think we're getting Ødegaard again, and Buendia would be a great signing.

I'm beyond frustrated at hearing "he had a great season in the Championship" because it's intentionally misleading. He had a great season in the Championship, then a good season in the Premier League, than another great season in the Championship. He's not someone who just came out of nowhere—at all. I was so frustrated in our fantasy league that KG drafted him right before I was going to two years ago, and when I expressed my frustration he said he didn't even know who he was hahaha. I wanted us to sign him.

I'm not worried because Villa signed him, I'm worried because I don't think we have any plans and are instead "waiting until after the Euros" or some nonsense. I want to be proved wrong, but I'm sure we'll encounter another Summer of waffling and waiting while other clubs do their business.

—

If we send Saliba back out on loan, Arteta and Edu can get ****ed. Seriously sick of them thinking they can take years to build their own team of hand-picked players instead of working with what they have to a degree. "He was an Emery signing waaaaa" cry me a ****ing river and work with the talent you have—please.

lol...Yeah I'd had never seen Buendia play. Only saw his name on a few "fantasy sleeper sites" and by looking at his stats the year they got promoted the first time it looked like he was a player who created a lot.

I was shocked he stayed with Norwich when he went down considering how many of their young defenders went for crazy fees even after they had a terrible defense.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Thoughts on your possible bid for Ruben Neves?

Lots of different reports saying you guys are in for him.

If we sell Xhaka and bring in Neves, I'd call that a positive. Everyone comparing their stats, to me, is odd because they're all focusing on the progressive passes. Well, that's literally what Xhaka's job is in our squad. There's no doubt in my mind that Neves can do the same, and I'd take his...physicality over Xhaka's clumsiness.

I was shocked he stayed with Norwich when he went down considering how many of their young defenders went for crazy fees even after they had a terrible defense.

If Arsenal signed Buendia last Summer instead of Willian they'd not only have a great asset on their hands, they'd also most likely be playing in the Europa League next season.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Xhaka looking closer and closer to heading to Roma. Please, make it happen.

As for the talk of how we'll miss him, he's so important to how we play, etc, I think the role is important to how we play but not him. He's severely one-footed, is slow on the ball, moves like a brick, and the opposition know they can easily get in his head and frustrate him.

It hasn't worked for years, and it's insane that he might just now be moving on. He'll do great at sitting in front of the back four at Roma hacking away at the opposition while everyone talks about how much of an impact he's having.

And seriously, Xhaka out and Neves in would be great. Remember two years ago when everyone was raving about how good Neves was and how it's crazy he was with Wolves in the Championship? Yeah, he's still that player, and more than half of his transfer funded by moving out Xhaka sounds great to me.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

ESR set to sign a new contract—woo!

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Certainly not saying they're of the same quality, but I do enjoy the idea of Arsenal replacing the immobile Xhaka with an equally immobile Neves.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Certainly not saying they're of the same quality, but I do enjoy the idea of Arsenal replacing the immobile Xhaka with an equally immobile Neves.

I'd say that one doesn't rely on pace, or a lack of it, as much due to having better positioning and making better decisions.

It's not just that Xhaka is slow, it's that he puts himself in positions where his lack of pace and poor decision making can be exploited again and again and again.

I could be wrong, but I feel like Neves more knows who he is, and what he can and can not do. Xhaka has always seemed to be doing things, or putting himself in positions he should not be in.

[KG]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

I can’t believe Neves is only 24. He looks like he’s 34.


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[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

I can’t believe Neves is only 24. He looks like he’s 34.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow, me too. I thought he was much older than that, close to Moutinho's age.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

And he captained Porto at age 20 or something like that?

But Xhaka, well we've all heard what an amazing captain he was. He was very diligent when it came to collecting fines from the squad! (Seriously, this was a thing that was said/leaked during stories of him being praised internally for being a good captain, meanwhile on the pitch he'd lose his head constantly).

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Xhaka to Roma looks near completion.

[~LiverpoolRed~]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Xhaka to Roma looks near completion.

Donnarumma is thinking, "Um, can I get loaned somewhere else instead?"

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

with the recent history of PL players going to Roma and performing well, I'd imagine Xhaka will somehow manage to play within himself and stop being a liability, which outside of the players nearing retirement and Mustafi, seems to be a trend.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

with the recent history of PL players going to Roma and performing well, I'd imagine Xhaka will somehow manage to play within himself and stop being a liability, which outside of the players nearing retirement and Mustafi, seems to be a trend.

He and Mustafi always seemed like the two that just needed a change of scenery. Different club, different league, and a new start in a way. Both are of course very talented, but the mental aspects of past mistakes at Arsenal were surely always haunting them.

In the case of Xhaka, he also became a symbol of greater issues at the club. No matter the mistakes he'd make or how they impacted the team, he seemed unable to lose his spot and never seemed to face accountability for his actions the way other players would.

It's insane to me that Xhaka has been at the club as long as he has. I'm sure he's beyond ready for a new start, especially as he nearly had it in January of 2020 before agreeing to stay.

[Suntan Superman]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

He and Mustafi always seemed like the two that just needed a change of scenery. Different club, different league, and a new start in a way. Both are of course very talented, but the mental aspects of past mistakes at Arsenal were surely always haunting them.


It's insane to me that Xhaka has been at the club as long as he has. I'm sure he's beyond ready for a new start, especially as he nearly had it in January of 2020 before agreeing to stay.

Mustafi will also probably do better away from the circus that was Schalke, though he was certainly not very good there.

I always held out hope that Xhaka would find himself. I love a lot of what Xhaka brings to the table, but when he first arrived he kinda got Partey'd where he just had to be the whole midfield after Cazorla got injured, and Coquelin was still kind of finding out who he was. Ramsey often got caught out going to far forward(a good and bad thing) and Elneny was the same as he's ever been, a hard worker, but just lacking in that natural talent sector. He basically never recovered from that, even as his midfield duties became more reasonable, he still tried to do everything.

Anyway, unlike many I've always rated Xhaka, and much like Arsenal supporters and as you eluded to Xhaka himself, I'm excited to see him in a different uniform, and for him and Arsenal to get a fresh start, Maybe he comes good elsewhere, maybe he won't, but new beginnings can't hurt.

[Krebstar]

Re: ***The Official Arsenal Gunners" Thread***

Would just like to say...if we sell Salbia this Summer, I think it'll be a regret that hangs over both Arteta and the club for several years.

If, if the club is seriously going to pursue Ben White—great. But that shouldn't mean we move on from Saliba. Sell Holding and Mavropanos, but not Saliba.

But if we're seriously pursuing Ben White, KSE must have opened up the war chest.