Mikel Merino (now playing for Arsenal)

[PtNufc]

Imagine being a Man United fan from Wales and signing up to a Newcastle forum just to slag off Mikel Merino.

Imagine being this fragile. You genuinely think he’s class, don’t you?

[Greg]

Who the fuck is this guy?

[Bimpy474]

Is this a Brexit thing ? 

[Dave]

Seems to have logged off forever.

[Greg]

Seems to have logged off forever.

 

[Bimpy474]

Shame.

[Kanj]

[Hanshithispantz]

Seems to have logged off forever.

:lol:

[Hanshithispantz]

I don't see how Xhaka would look class if he played for us like. I don't think any great player other than a keeper or a striker who do things alone would look great for us.

[sbnufc]

Imagine being a Man United fan from Wales and signing up to a Newcastle forum just to slag off Mikel Merino.

[triggs]

I don't see how Xhaka would look class if he played for us like. I don't think any great player other than a keeper or a striker who do things alone would look great for us.

 

agreed, considering he doesn't look great for a much better side than ours

That's not how it works. Loads of players who look great for bad teams get exposed playing for better teams. "Class" was maybe a bit much but I think he'd look like our best player by a considerable margin

[triggs]

I don't see how Xhaka would look class if he played for us like. I don't think any great player other than a keeper or a striker who do things alone would look great for us.

 

agreed, considering he doesn't look great for a much better side than ours

That's not how it works. Loads of players who look great for bad teams get exposed playing for better teams. "Class" was maybe a bit much but I think he'd look like our best player by a considerable margin

 

It works both ways. For example Xhaka has three assists for Arsenal, not that bad but considering who finishes their chances its not that surprising.  Were people thinking Coquelin was a top 4 player when he was out on loan at Charlton Athletic? Cleverly absolutely awful since leaving Man United but was getting Enlgand call ups there.

 

A player like Xhaka who isnt the best at passing and is extremely ill disciplined would look worse in amongst our garbage

 

Xhaka is a deep midfielder. He's never going to get that many assists.  He also earned his move to Arsenal by playing well,  he didn't just get there by coming through the youth academy. Xhaka's a better passer than Merino like. Merino is inconsistent in his passing when he passes it longer

 

He's also looked really good for Switzerland anytime I've seen him

[triggs]

I don't see how Xhaka would look class if he played for us like. I don't think any great player other than a keeper or a striker who do things alone would look great for us.

 

agreed, considering he doesn't look great for a much better side than ours

That's not how it works. Loads of players who look great for bad teams get exposed playing for better teams. "Class" was maybe a bit much but I think he'd look like our best player by a considerable margin

 

It works both ways. For example Xhaka has three assists for Arsenal, not that bad but considering who finishes their chances its not that surprising.  Were people thinking Coquelin was a top 4 player when he was out on loan at Charlton Athletic? Cleverly absolutely awful since leaving Man United but was getting Enlgand call ups there.

 

A player like Xhaka who isnt the best at passing and is extremely ill disciplined would look worse in amongst our garbage

 

Xhaka is a deep midfielder. He's never going to get that many assists.  He also earned his move to Arsenal by playing well,  he didn't just get there by coming through the youth academy. Xhaka's a better passer than Merino like. Merino is inconsistent in his passing when he passes it longer

 

He's also looked really good for Switzerland anytime I've seen him

 

Never said he did, but that's not relevant. Lots of players play well in other leagues and earn their moves, its probably harder for an academy player to break in to a first team. Doesn't mean he's a good player.

 

He's already had 2 reds at arsenal, i'd double that playing for us as we don't have the ball for very long in games. Some players rise above the players they are surrounded by, Xhaka is not one of them imo.

 

In terms of Merino its all context isnt it? I wonder what his passing accuracy is for the Spanish side, or dortmund. Xhaka is playing in a team absolutely packed full of options to pass to, Merino really isnt. Fwiw xhaka has 84% to merino's 79%. Prob very similar in terms of the teams they are playing in respectively

If its not relevant then why bring up Coquelin and Cleverley? You made the point that Cleverley and Coquelin hadn't impressed at lower levels, well Xhaka had.

 

Most of Xhaka's fouls happen when the other team is countering and that wouldn't happen as much here. Merino also generally passes the ball pretty safely whereas Xhaka is a bit more adventurous. I don't even think Xhaka is that good really but I think people are overrating Merino based on what we've seen so far, which is understandable given how shit the rest of our players are. Most aspects of his game are very inconsistent at the moment which should improve with age you would think

[xLiaaamx]

I like Merino, but I think we overrate him on here.

[triggs]

I don't see how Xhaka would look class if he played for us like. I don't think any great player other than a keeper or a striker who do things alone would look great for us.

 

agreed, considering he doesn't look great for a much better side than ours

That's not how it works. Loads of players who look great for bad teams get exposed playing for better teams. "Class" was maybe a bit much but I think he'd look like our best player by a considerable margin

 

It works both ways. For example Xhaka has three assists for Arsenal, not that bad but considering who finishes their chances its not that surprising.  Were people thinking Coquelin was a top 4 player when he was out on loan at Charlton Athletic? Cleverly absolutely awful since leaving Man United but was getting Enlgand call ups there.

 

A player like Xhaka who isnt the best at passing and is extremely ill disciplined would look worse in amongst our garbage

 

Xhaka is a deep midfielder. He's never going to get that many assists.  He also earned his move to Arsenal by playing well,  he didn't just get there by coming through the youth academy. Xhaka's a better passer than Merino like. Merino is inconsistent in his passing when he passes it longer

 

He's also looked really good for Switzerland anytime I've seen him

 

Never said he did, but that's not relevant. Lots of players play well in other leagues and earn their moves, its probably harder for an academy player to break in to a first team. Doesn't mean he's a good player.

 

He's already had 2 reds at arsenal, i'd double that playing for us as we don't have the ball for very long in games. Some players rise above the players they are surrounded by, Xhaka is not one of them imo.

 

In terms of Merino its all context isnt it? I wonder what his passing accuracy is for the Spanish side, or dortmund. Xhaka is playing in a team absolutely packed full of options to pass to, Merino really isnt. Fwiw xhaka has 84% to merino's 79%. Prob very similar in terms of the teams they are playing in respectively

If its not relevant then why bring up Coquelin and Cleverley? You made the point that Cleverley and Coquelin hadn't impressed at lower levels, well Xhaka had.

 

Most of Xhaka's fouls happen when the other team is countering and that wouldn't happen as much here. Merino also generally passes the ball pretty safely whereas Xhaka is a bit more adventurous. I don't even think Xhaka is that good really but I think people are overrating Merino based on what we've seen so far, which is understandable given how shit the rest of our players are. Most aspects of his game are very inconsistent at the moment which should improve with age you would think

 

He was alright at BMG, nothing special imho, I just don't think he has very many good attributes. He's extremely rash and makes bad decisions.

 

He'd get countered here as well, he should have got a red against us on a counter and we aren't very good. That was from him giving a way an easy ball as well wasn't it? square? I don't think he's any better than Merino, in fact I think Merino has a much higher ceiling as player and if you stuck him in that arsenal side it would be evident.

 

We'll never see anyway but I think he'd be way more exposed here and look at lot worse. Him and Shelvey would be wild as a two, discipline wise

Xhaka was poor yesterday I agree and probably shouldn't start for them if Wilshere is back to his best. I would agree Merino has a higher ceiling also but he makes lots of mistakes at this stage, even yesterday which was his best game in a while. I rate him but someone said we'd get £30m+ for him in January if we wanted and I think that's mental

[Lush Vlad]

FWIW there are a lot of Arsenal fans in my family and a fair few in general in my neck of the woods. To a man, most of them think he ranges from inconcistent to shite.

 

I don’t think he is good enough for Arsenal and he was a waste of money. But he would still probably be our best player if we signed him. Although thay says more about how shit our squad is, as opposed to how good Xhaka is.

[Happinesstan]

FWIW there are a lot of Arsenal fans in my family and a fair few in general in my neck of the woods. To a man, most of them think he ranges from inconcistent to s****.

 

I don’t think he is good enough for Arsenal and he was a waste of money. But he would still probably be our best player if we signed him. Although thay says more about how s*** our squad is, as opposed to how good Xhaka is.

 

Aye. Mickey Quinn would be our best player if he came out of retirement to help us out.

 

[Kanj]

That nerd has signed off and hopefully never returns let’s end this stupid discussion of Xhaka in the Merino thread

[sempuki]

Bilbao want him if we go down apparently. He could probably do better I think. Hope it doesn't come to that...

[steve_69]

Bilbao want him if we go down apparently. He could probably do better I think. Hope it doesn't come to that...

 

Bilbao can suck a dick! I wouldn't take any pleasure in seeing him play for a club of their lowly stature

[Infinitely Content]

Bilbao want him if we go down apparently. He could probably do better I think. Hope it doesn't come to that...

 

Would make sense with him being from Pamplona & with Bilbao's transfer policy (if still Basque Country specific for their players). Just as easy could be papers creating a story for these same reasons.

[triggs]

Bilbao want him if we go down apparently. He could probably do better I think. Hope it doesn't come to that...

 

Bilbao can suck a dick! I wouldn't take any pleasure in seeing him play for a club of their lowly stature

Bilbao are a great club

[Infinitely Content]

Yeah, I've got lots of respect for Bilbao as a place & as a club. Their stadium is fantastic and they have, and often have had, a very talented set of players too, which is all the more admirable given their strict transfer policy.

[HawK]

Bilbao want him if we go down apparently. He could probably do better I think. Hope it doesn't come to that...

 

Bilbao can suck a dick! I wouldn't take any pleasure in seeing him play for a club of their lowly stature

 

Lowly stature lol, bigger than us by almost any measure.

[Nattfare]

He's just a little hobbit. He can keep the ring if we keep Merino.