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Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Slim wrote:Thought he did quite well, his delivery could be a bit better but we've all seen zabs ping in some atrocious crosses before.

Not just about the delivery though. What Zabs does is stretch teams and make space in the box for our other players with his lung busting runs which drag defenders out of position. Something Sagna didn't.

And how much preseason had he played before that match? Give the guy a break and judge him after another game or two. I thought he played cautiously to begin with (understandably) and grew into his role as the match progressed

Dameerto wrote:

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Slim wrote:Thought he did quite well, his delivery could be a bit better but we've all seen zabs ping in some atrocious crosses before.

Not just about the delivery though. What Zabs does is stretch teams and make space in the box for our other players with his lung busting runs which drag defenders out of position. Something Sagna didn't.

And how much preseason had he played before that match? Give the guy a break and judge him after another game or two. I thought he played cautiously to begin with (understandably) and grew into his role as the match progressed

I think he'll be decent and capable back up but that's all.
The way we play it is not enough for our fullbacks to just be decent defensively, they have to provide width and attacking intent, especially as we play with 'inside wingers'.

Sagna didn't offer enough going forward yesterday quite simply.

He showed glimpses of what he can do (his cross to Silva where Silva was deemed to have fouled the defender) - in his first match back - he's not a fucling robot who can just turn his shit on and off at the drop of a hat.

Dameerto wrote:He showed glimpses of what he can do (his cross to Silva where Silva was deemed to have fouled the defender) - in his first match back - he's not a fucling robot who can just turn his shit on and off at the drop of a hat.

He did but yesterday like at Arsenal, Sagna strikes me as a player who likes to play and get crosses in from infront of the opposition. We're accustomed to seeing Zabs consistently and constantly get in behind with surging runs and these create so much havoc for the opposition.

Sagna actually to me looked like he'd be great on the right hand side of a back three and far more adept there than any player across the road in that system but he still is very much inferior to Zab at right back imo.

Sagna has always been miles miles better on crosses than Zabba imo. Just that Arsenal don't cash in.

Did ok; no better, no worse. Judge him in January.

Ted Hughes wrote:Sagna has always been miles miles better on crosses than Zabba imo. Just that Arsenal don't cash in.

He's better at crossing from a stationary position but he's nowhere near as good at getting into the box behind the defence and pulling the ball back. Sagna in truth looked like a centre back who'd been shafted to right back yesterday. He never got behind the stoke defence. He will be a capable back up though which is what we bought him for I guess.

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Sagna has always been miles miles better on crosses than Zabba imo. Just that Arsenal don't cash in.

He's better at crossing from a stationary position but he's nowhere near as good at getting into the box behind the defence and pulling the ball back. Sagna in truth looked like a centre back who'd been shafted to right back yesterday. He never got behind the stoke defence. He will be a capable back up though which is what we bought him for I guess.

Where I sit I get a great view of the overlapping position & imo although I love Zabba as a bloke & as a player, he has wasted 95% of opportunities right in front of me. Improved a lot since the Count came but still, gets it wrong much more often than right (as does Kolarov). It has actually driven me mental at times. True, he heroically charges forward relentlessly moreso than Sagna, but imo that's why he is effective; he keeps trying.

Sagna imo looked at least as good in the same situations yesterday & I think he is a better footballer. Zabba is Zabba, Sagna to me looks a very good alternative.

Ted Hughes wrote:

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Sagna has always been miles miles better on crosses than Zabba imo. Just that Arsenal don't cash in.

He's better at crossing from a stationary position but he's nowhere near as good at getting into the box behind the defence and pulling the ball back. Sagna in truth looked like a centre back who'd been shafted to right back yesterday. He never got behind the stoke defence. He will be a capable back up though which is what we bought him for I guess.

Where I sit I get a great view of the overlapping position & imo although I love Zabba as a bloke & as a player, he has wasted 95% of opportunities right in front of me. Improved a lot since the Count came but still, gets it wrong much more often than right (as does Kolarov). It has actually driven me mental at times. True, he heroically charges forward relentlessly moreso than Sagna, but imo that's why he is effective; he keeps trying.

Sagna imo looked at least as good in the same situations yesterday & I think he is a better footballer. Zabba is Zabba, Sagna to me looks a very good alternative.

We only need one or two to come off for it to be a success though given how much Zab and kolarov get forward. Whilst you're correct in that they both get it wrong a lot, there have also been countless times when they've put in a great ball and no one's been making the right run or the attacker misses. Under mancini especially how many times did we say 'great ball kolarov, shame no one was there'. Even if the cross isn't great or the ball doesn't get to them , the fact that they've charged forward drags defenders out of position. I'll judge Sagna properly after a few games but Atm Zab should certainly be first choice.

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Sagna has always been miles miles better on crosses than Zabba imo. Just that Arsenal don't cash in.

He's better at crossing from a stationary position but he's nowhere near as good at getting into the box behind the defence and pulling the ball back. Sagna in truth looked like a centre back who'd been shafted to right back yesterday. He never got behind the stoke defence. He will be a capable back up though which is what we bought him for I guess.

Where I sit I get a great view of the overlapping position & imo although I love Zabba as a bloke & as a player, he has wasted 95% of opportunities right in front of me. Improved a lot since the Count came but still, gets it wrong much more often than right (as does Kolarov). It has actually driven me mental at times. True, he heroically charges forward relentlessly moreso than Sagna, but imo that's why he is effective; he keeps trying.

Sagna imo looked at least as good in the same situations yesterday & I think he is a better footballer. Zabba is Zabba, Sagna to me looks a very good alternative.

We only need one or two to come off for it to be a success though given how much Zab and kolarov get forward. Whilst you're correct in that they both get it wrong a lot, there have also been countless times when they've put in a great ball and no one's been making the right run or the attacker misses. Under mancini especially how many times did we say 'great ball kolarov, shame no one was there'. Even if the cross isn't great or the ball doesn't get to them , the fact that they've charged forward drags defenders out of position. I'll judge Sagna properly after a few games but Atm Zab should certainly be first choice.

That's fair comment, we do also waste good crosses & of course right now Zabba is first choice but Sagna showed a lot of promise that he can be good at both ends imo.

Ted Hughes wrote:

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:

Ted Hughes wrote:Sagna has always been miles miles better on crosses than Zabba imo. Just that Arsenal don't cash in.

He's better at crossing from a stationary position but he's nowhere near as good at getting into the box behind the defence and pulling the ball back. Sagna in truth looked like a centre back who'd been shafted to right back yesterday. He never got behind the stoke defence. He will be a capable back up though which is what we bought him for I guess.

Where I sit I get a great view of the overlapping position & imo although I love Zabba as a bloke & as a player, he has wasted 95% of opportunities right in front of me. Improved a lot since the Count came but still, gets it wrong much more often than right (as does Kolarov). It has actually driven me mental at times. True, he heroically charges forward relentlessly moreso than Sagna, but imo that's why he is effective; he keeps trying.

Sagna imo looked at least as good in the same situations yesterday & I think he is a better footballer. Zabba is Zabba, Sagna to me looks a very good alternative.

We only need one or two to come off for it to be a success though given how much Zab and kolarov get forward. Whilst you're correct in that they both get it wrong a lot, there have also been countless times when they've put in a great ball and no one's been making the right run or the attacker misses. Under mancini especially how many times did we say 'great ball kolarov, shame no one was there'. Even if the cross isn't great or the ball doesn't get to them , the fact that they've charged forward drags defenders out of position. I'll judge Sagna properly after a few games but Atm Zab should certainly be first choice.

That's fair comment, we do also waste good crosses & of course right now Zabba is first choice but Sagna showed a lot of promise that he can be good at both ends imo.

I actually think Sagna looks like he could make a very steady centre back tbh. Good in the air, strong and reads the game very well. Reckon he'll ever be used there?

Bridge'srightfoot wrote:I actually think Sagna looks like he could make a very steady centre back tbh. Good in the air, strong and reads the game very well. Reckon he'll ever be used there?

I think it's very possible, if he settles into the team & shows a bit of defensive consistency at fullback, without too many fuckups.

To me he looked like Boyata yesterday which is bollox for a player who has his experience. Nervous, naive etc.

His natural game seemed to be 'go forward and overlap if I have to' which isn't good enough for us against a flat back 9

To be fair though, 10 times better than the tit in the 11 shirt playing as linesman on the other side.

did well today. i don't know if he was the reason or not but Hazard was very quiet. the only point in which Sagna seemed to lose him was when Hazard assisted the goal. no one is perfect though. Sagna has waited in the wings and he showed today that he could repay Manuel's faith in him and give his maximum.

phips wrote:did well today. i don't know if he was the reason or not but Hazard was very quiet. the only point in which Sagna seemed to lose him was when Hazard assisted the goal. no one is perfect though. Sagna has waited in the wings and he showed today that he could repay Manuel's faith in him and give his maximum.

He cant cross a ball for shit and when pressed he panics like fuck.

Did my head in today, when he got anywhere near their corner flag I just knew that ball was going nowhere.

A very good performance for me today! Pellers did the right thing to replace Zaba with him!

And me. Zabba has been poor of late

Better today than Zabba has played all season imo against the strongest opponent any of our fullbacks will face in this league. Great pity Hazard got an assist due to the team being pulled out of shape & it came through his side, because he didn't deserve it & there was little he could have done..

Seemed to have difficulty staying on his feet early on. What was that about? Just feel uneasy with him at right back. Unconvincing b

Looks better than Zabaleta going backwards if not forwards.