Top Gun, if you are using the mistakes leading to goals stat to say it’s a fact that Xhaka is the biggest liability then as Rich explains the definition of what is used to measure that, the gravity of an error, can only be based at least in part on subjectivity. That can only mean it isn’t a fact, surely?

Also, if any aggregate totals are measured since the start of the 2016/17 season, when Xhaka first became an Arsenal player, does it take account of games played, so average mistakes per game compared to everyone else? If not, it could be taken as an inadequate stat.

If you’re having a bit of trouble grasping what I mean, hopefully this will make it clearer. When I was a young kid Arsenal had a useless back-up keeper called Malcolm Webster. But he only played six games, one of which was a clean sheet. In his other five games I bet he gave away fewer goals because of errors than David Seaman did. But David Seaman gave away his goals from errors in 564 games. So it’s not surprising that in 564 games David Seaman gave away more goals from errors than Malcolm Webster did in the five games in which he conceded.

Alongside your alleged fact being based on no more than one single stat for errors leading to goals (which as Rich pointed out are also subjective viewpoints), it can only confirm your fact is a viewpoint. It ignores other criteria that are usable for assessing players, like forward passes in the final third making him the eighth best in Europe. Is it a fact he’s the eighth best midfielder in Europe? No of course it isn’t. Just like it isn’t a fact he’s the worst in England. Both claims would ignore other relevant measures.

In your case it is clearly a very firmly held opinion. But you claim it is a fact, and it isn’t. It’s an opinion, albeit as I said a firmly held one. It is not a fact.

Not it’s a fact. If you pass the ball to an opposing player in your own penalty area that’s an individual mistake. Xhaka has made more individual mistakes than any other player for the last 4 years. All fact. Not opinion a fact. To ignore it is denying the truth and obvious

Was the ball being passed to him on that occasion not a mistake then?

Good on you mate. In Australia, your comments mean something a little different. Still that is the great thing about the internet and this forum.

I am also rooting Atletico for the title

No I don’t think so. It’s a basic pass all of our other players would have dealt with. He’s got 2 players in acres of space to his left waiting for a first time pass but he tried to take 2 chances and fluffed it. It’s on him totally

As Alan Davies said on the link I posted Maitland Niles would have probably dummied his way out of it

As Alan Davies said on the link I posted Maitland Niles would have probably dummied his way out of it

Or he might have put it straight into the net...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs9SoWVBiN0

Or he might have put it straight into the net...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs9SoWVBiN0

This whole furore surrounding Meghan Markle is just deflecting attention away from the real issues facing this country, such as why Arteta is not giving Martinelli any minutes.

Who from the forum was in attendance for this game when this happened ?

https://youtu.be/vbLGnHmGg9Y

I was on the other side of the pitch from where hit the shot and I don’t think I’ll ever witness anything so absurd again at a football match.

If this was today Seaman would be done for with our fans demanding his immediate transfer