+801 – [Samuel Jay] Xhaka: “We don’t deserve champions league. We don’t even deserve europa league. I don’t know why we didn’t listen to the coach. It’s not about age. If your 18 or 35. If you’re not ready, if you don’t have the balls, stay at home. Sorry to the fans.” #AFC
2022-05-16 21:38:57
[+801] |
Listen. I’m plenty critical of Xhaka. But he’s right. The team absolutely folded and played with zero cohesion.
That’s brutally honest, and I feel like Xhaka is the only one who could deliver that message and take the flack for it.
Bad mentality and bad performance today, but I respect him for putting it out there.
I felt like it was misinterpreted. He meant we didn’t deserve it based on that performance today. He was asked if it was due to the inexperience and he was stating, albeit bluntly, that no it wasn’t. That the players on the pitch wouldn’t be out there if they didn’t have the confidence in themselves or “balls” to do the job regardless of their age.
Good to see some honesty. It’s clear he is angry about the result and that he cares. But fans here are calling him a cunt for caring? Wtf
He very much includes himself in this. I can’t stand Xhaka but he looked more heartbroken than Arteta.
You don’t want to hear that but he is absolutely spot on here. Everyone including him
Gary Neville can fuck off btw
Mad respect to Xhaka for that.
I think the “we didn’t listen to the coach,” was telling. The failure to press properly and movement in transition was extremely obvious. Players were improvising all over the pitch, trying to be a hero and lacking trust in the system and their teammates. It’s the same story in each of our clusters of losses. This impotent frustration, pressing early, pressing late, refusing to make sacrificial runs and every single forward asking for the ball to feet like they’re the second coming of Maradona.
Xhaka didn’t play particularly well today but he was clearly fucking trying as best he could against a side that knew exactly how to exploit his weaknesses. The number of times that he’d narrowly avoid a challenge and get some daylight, only for there to be jackshit on in front of him was infuriating.
How was he among the worse players today? Did I watch a different match because I distinctly recall him actually moving the ball forward a couple times today. He’s not wrong, everyone was timid and fucking afraid today. Unfortunate as it is, Saka, Ode, ESR all played like garbage – he’s absolutely right here.
LOVE THE BRUTAL HONSETY. Players were so damn nervous. Completely bottled it
Respect him immensely for coming out and saying this to be honest.
Gary Neville is either a proper weirdo or his agenda has completely taken over his brain, how he managed to twist this I have no idea
Hmm this actually is leadership. Now the question has to be asked, who does he mean?
Xhaka saying what other players wouldn’t dare to say. He’s completely right and the team as a whole played like shit. We didn’t deserve a win today
Appreciate the honesty, doesn’t excuse the performance from the whole team (including him) but it’s a brutally honest assessment. To those saying he was the worst player out there, think Odegard would like a word.
Xhaka going ham on ESR or Ode.
Holy shit. The real Balkan Xhaka just came the fuck out.
I desperately need him to explain the “didn’t listen to the coach” part.
Like what? You saying he said one thing and they did another?
He’s 100 % correct
“We knew this game was maybe the most important for us but with a performance like this, its not acceptable. I’m very, very, very sad for us, very disappointed and I feel very sorry for the people who came here to support us. I feel very, very sorry for the Arsenal supporters. this is not the way we wanted to go. It’s the only thing I can say, it’s to say sorry. Other things, I don’t have other words.”
Nothing wrong with this
he’s absolutely right
It’s incredible how Neville you thinks Xhaka is having a go at everyone else…when the damn quote begins with WE.
So Xhaka was a cunt when he didn’t care, now he’s a cunt for caring? No pleasing anyone
Hot take – – this will weed out who is willing to dig deep and make the jump and who doesn’t. I am happy to see this. Tonight will make or break Arsenal in their attempt to make CL and concrete requirement or just a dream as we enter the next decade.
The protectionism tge players give towards arteta is what makes me believe he is a good manager. To defend him so staunchly after a disappointing end to the season must go to show how highly the players view him
I think he’s been too harsh on himself and the team. A small squad was always gonna get dragged like that at this end in the season, especially the way we play and long term injuries to key players hasn’t helped at all. Let’s not get too bogged down with it. Time to move on. Time to focus on the last match day, and then next season.
seems quite harsh, but necessary?
fairs
our players seemed too exhausted to do anything besides defend. whatever gameplan Arteta had, we just couldn’t execute
Bang.
Fair enough
https://arseblog.news/2022/05/xhaka-we-didnt-do-what-the-coaches-asked/
The post has combined two different quotes. He was specifically asked whether the youngsters were not ready. He didn’t say the age quote out of the blue.