We miss Xhaka much more than I think most people would have guessed.
He was absolutely sensational last season, and is such a rare profile to replace. Havertz has much larger boots to fill than Xhakas reputation suggests.
Also, we reeeally miss Partey.
Rice has obviously been incredible, but without both Partey and Xhaka our progressive passing from midfield has taken a huge, huge dip.
Overall I agree. We need another elite passer in midfield.
A mainstay in that Leverkusen side as well and based on his match ratings, doing very well still. Don’t think many people would have anticipated how big the hole he left would be.
100% Xhaka vs Havertz it’s an immediate upgrade he’s better at creating and taking opportunities, that being said I think Zinchenko missing at the start of the season, White being out of form and Partey out injured has had a knock on effect.
Xhaka quite obviously couldn’t handle the tempo of the Premier League and was struggling when he was put under pressure. The same is happening at Leverkusen now as well. I wouldn’t re sign him if we could
Last season Partey was doing that while Xhaka was playing a box to box role. While Havertz is trying to do Xhaka’s work, he is just too indecisive, lacking in composure and energy to be effective.
Kai Havertz shouldn’t be what Xhaka was. He should be more of what Odegaard was last season, or a bad mockery of what KdB is to City. He shouldn’t do any build up.
A Thomas problem that wasn’t discussed is that he had become more of a Pirlo than an actual DM. Putting him out there as the defence protector is one of the reasons we were getting skinned in transitions. A Thomas - Rice Midfield would have done wonders.
Now the problem with it is that both don’t have tempo control as their strongest point. It sort of makes sense why the manager kept talking about using all three. And why in a desperate attempt to pull this off, shipped Thomas to RB.
This is why we need a Xhaka profile. Combining grit and ball skills. That’s why names like Zubimendi and Douglas Luiz are being tabled. They’re perfect clones of Thomas + Jorginho. They solve the problem.
We miss Xhaka much more than I think most people would have guessed.
He was absolutely sensational last season, and is such a rare profile to replace. Havertz has much larger boots to fill than Xhakas reputation suggests.
Also, we reeeally miss Partey.
Rice has obviously been incredible, but without both Partey and Xhaka our progressive passing from midfield has taken a huge, huge dip.
Overall I agree. We need another elite passer in midfield.
A mainstay in that Leverkusen side as well and based on his match ratings, doing very well still. Don’t think many people would have anticipated how big the hole he left would be.
100% Xhaka vs Havertz it’s an immediate upgrade he’s better at creating and taking opportunities, that being said I think Zinchenko missing at the start of the season, White being out of form and Partey out injured has had a knock on effect.
I’m glad this comment isn’t aging well.
Xhaka quite obviously couldn’t handle the tempo of the Premier League and was struggling when he was put under pressure. The same is happening at Leverkusen now as well. I wouldn’t re sign him if we could
I don’t think we miss Xhaka the player, but rather his profile.
Someone who pings balls to everyone.
Last season Partey was doing that while Xhaka was playing a box to box role. While Havertz is trying to do Xhaka’s work, he is just too indecisive, lacking in composure and energy to be effective.
Kai Havertz shouldn’t be what Xhaka was. He should be more of what Odegaard was last season, or a bad mockery of what KdB is to City. He shouldn’t do any build up.
A Thomas problem that wasn’t discussed is that he had become more of a Pirlo than an actual DM. Putting him out there as the defence protector is one of the reasons we were getting skinned in transitions. A Thomas - Rice Midfield would have done wonders.
Now the problem with it is that both don’t have tempo control as their strongest point. It sort of makes sense why the manager kept talking about using all three. And why in a desperate attempt to pull this off, shipped Thomas to RB.
This is why we need a Xhaka profile. Combining grit and ball skills. That’s why names like Zubimendi and Douglas Luiz are being tabled. They’re perfect clones of Thomas + Jorginho. They solve the problem.