As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
augie wrote:In my opinion sagna is THE best right back we have had in the last 20 years Is he a great wing back and great crosser of the ball ? No he clearly isn't but first and foremost he is meant to be a defender and his reading of the game, his prowess in the tackle and his aerial ability makes him one of the best in the game imo. We Gooners are a funny lot............on one hand we berate our full backs when they don't offer us anything going forward, but 5 minutes later we slate them for going bombing up the field and leaving the centre backs exposed In our system we don't play wingers but opt to play the likes of podolski and cazorla out there, and that leaves our full backs having to provide all the width in our team whilst also having no cover in front of them defensively and I don't think there is a full back in world football capable of doing all that week in and week out
You guys that are labelling him as rubbish should look around and tell me, zabaleta (and maybe coleman) aside, who is better than sagna right now cos going back to the days when we had an eboue type playing there, scares the bejesus out of me
PS Not racist or anything but we shouldnever sign any player that will be competing in the can again - it totally fcuks me off when these players going travelling around the world in January's and end up missing an important month of the season
If you look at the overall product then I'd say Sagna isn't as effective as either Dixon or Lauren because both offered so much going forward. But purely as a defender I'd agree Sagna is the best RB we've had in the last 20 years. And defending (in my mind anyway) should be the priority of a defender! But the modern game dictates that full backs work also as wingers effectively, getting down to the goaline and whipping in crosses. And it's that part of Sagna's game that is very poor.
As for not beating his man and nearly always checking back? I don't recall him doing it that much before about 2 years ago tbh. What changed? His confidence on the ball? Maybe because of the two leg breaks? Or possibly input from Arsene?
As I say I rate him defensively, and would rather we hang onto him in the hope his probable long term replacement Jenko can learn the defensive side of the game from him. But if he leaves I'd hope we get in someone that can offer more going forward without sacrificing the defensive bit. Do I think either thing will happen? No.
We agree on most of that but let me ask the sagna bashers.....would he get such a raw deal from you if he had been playing behind overmars in a 4-4-2 in the '97/98 season ?
p206ab wrote:United got Kroos and Shaw, now in for Hummels and Robben.
NOBODY will sign ANYONE until world cup ends, right Arsene?
According to both clubs there has been no official enquiries so no they haven't. Hummels said on Monday he doesn't want to leave the Bundesliga.Robben will get booked countless times in our league for diving. There are decent young prospects in Europe that I would go for before him.
Pjanic is 23,right footed and a good dribbler. A much better investment than a thirty something dirty little diver, although he'd fit right in with januzaj and Young.
SPUDMASHER wrote:
Regardless of his world cup comments, Wenger is probably aware that until we qualify properly for the CL (which this year looks easier than many previous years) we probably cannot sign anyone.
And why not?
Man U aren't in the CL, how come they are able to make signings and we can't?
Sagna, for me, is the best RB we've ever had under Wenger simply because he's the best defender.
I'll always gauge a fullback's quality based on their defensive proficiency: preventing the opposition from scoring is paramount, and should always take precedence over bolstering our own attack. I don't really care about them bombing forward and being able to whip crosses in - it's a nice bonus, yes - but the main duty of a fullback is to defend - hence the reason they are "defenders".
In that respect, Sagna is one of the PL's greatest ever RB's, let alone Arsenal's: I'm struggling to recall any RB's who were superior at defending to a prime Sagna...
SPUDMASHER wrote:
Regardless of his world cup comments, Wenger is probably aware that until we qualify properly for the CL (which this year looks easier than many previous years) we probably cannot sign anyone.
And why not?
Man U aren't in the CL, how come they are able to make signings and we can't?
No one as of today. Official bids, none. If they pay £30miilion for Luke Shaw,then they need their heads read.he is good but he is no way worth that. Shows how desperate they are
augie wrote:We agree on most of that but let me ask the sagna bashers.....would he get such a raw deal from you if he had been playing behind overmars in a 4-4-2 in the '97/98 season ?
Augie, seriously?
16 years later ??????????
I despair mate. That is clutching at straws. I expect better of you mate.
VAVAVOOM 14 wrote:Sagna, for me, is the best RB we've ever had under Wenger simply because he's the best defender.
Lee Dixon was a better defender than Sagna. They arent poles apart as some might suggest but I'd have Dixon ahead of him. I like Lauren a lot too but his positioning wasnt the greatest, it was easy to see he was a converted midfielder sometimes.
I'll always gauge a fullback's quality based on their defensive proficiency: preventing the opposition from scoring is paramount, and should always take precedence over bolstering our own attack. I don't really care about them bombing forward and being able to whip crosses in - it's a nice bonus, yes - but the main duty of a fullback is to defend - hence the reason they are "defenders".
I dont actually think this is the case anymore, which is why its a little difficult to make comparisons from even 15 years ago - It's a pre-requisite for any modern day full back to be adept at attacking from wide positions - The current fashion for 433 means that most teams only width comes from the full back positions, which leads to criticism for the likes of Sagna who arent particularly good at crossing or linking the attacking play.
In that respect, Sagna is one of the PL's greatest ever RB's, let alone Arsenal's: I'm struggling to recall any RB's who were superior at defending to a prime Sagna...
SPUDMASHER wrote:
Regardless of his world cup comments, Wenger is probably aware that until we qualify properly for the CL (which this year looks easier than many previous years) we probably cannot sign anyone.
And why not?
Man U aren't in the CL, how come they are able to make signings and we can't?
Because they're offering £100-£250k a week to people. We generally tend to offer £50 and a fully expensed oyster card! If you're going to take a lower wage it sure as hell better be because the opportunities to play in the CL are there!
were stuck with oliz never rated him like giroud..
utd have the money to buy players but it's a knee jerk reaction . when you are the undisputed champions for so long and have a season like they have just had it's understandable. They will take time to gel and have the Advantage of NO CL .. lol.
I think our philosophy is to buy good players and make them world class . We we play and we're on it , there's no team that can touch us how we move the ball how we score. As much as i would like to see a change at the helm wenger has a good football brain and can spot talent. ( Apart from the above)
I would love to see Ross Barkley play for us how much would he cost even baines .. If i could have a striker of my choice ABRACADABRA Zatlan ..
defleppardisking wrote:It's just a matter of time that city will announce they have signed sagna.
That's what I've read as well....
If he goes , then thanks for his year at AFC and hard luck at Citeh..
He'll go there to probably sit on the bench as Zabaleta should be their 1st choice RB.
This was his last contract so wanted to get as much as possible... And Citeh of course jumped at the chance of taking him away from our squad and disrupt our starting back four as much as possible.
Uefa should hand out tougher bans to 'clubs' like Citeh.
Is he a great wing back and great crosser of the ball ? No he clearly isn't but first and foremost he is meant to be a defender and his reading of the game, his prowess in the tackle and his aerial ability makes him one of the best in the game imo. We Gooners are a funny lot............on one hand we berate our full backs when they don't offer us anything going forward, but 5 minutes later we slate them for going bombing up the field and leaving the centre backs exposed
In our system we don't play wingers but opt to play the likes of podolski and cazorla out there, and that leaves our full backs having to provide all the width in our team whilst also having no cover in front of them defensively and I don't think there is a full back in world football capable of doing all that week in and week out
