If we get a new RB in January...

[christened at st marks]

Keep Ned at all costs, and let the other two take care of themselves, I supported MR over Zab put have now given up he has no concentration allowing for his age within a couple of years, probably half of this squad will of been turned over

 

[Fanzone Danny]

Get rid of both and have Neds as a back up right back!

 

[MeatnSpudsMCFC]

Keep Richards, hes still young and for all we know... he could be a world-class RB in 3-5 years time.

Richards - D.O.B - 24 June 1988
Zabaleta - D.O.B - 16 Jan 1985

woops... taxi for me then?

 

[lafitz2008]

Must admit I thought Zab was older than that as well.
Would keep hold of Richards for now ,may well come good again .

 

[Cambridgeblue]

Richards - D.O.B - 24 June 1988
Zabaleta - D.O.B - 16 Jan 1985

woops... taxi for me then?

Not quite sure what you're aiming at here by selectively quoting me here... my point was that Zab is still young too. He may not look 24 (Anyone else think his hair looks like it's thinning? Perhaps he's been using the same shampoo as Ireland and Petrov...) but he isn't exactly old either.

The OP's question was if either had to go which would it be... for me Zab is the more polished article already, and should be even better in 3-5 years (conventional wisdom is that defenders have their peak between the ages of 28-34). Certainly Zab is more likely to be playing regular international football in the next few years.

One thing to consider is that City CANNOT afford to give Richards 3 years of regular first team action - the guy is just too error prone. I can't see him accepting loan spell after loan spell during that time without wanting to move somewhere else.

 

[sam221985]

Both can play positions other than right-back so it's a bit of a false dichotomy.

But, I'd keep Zab.

 

[Nial Barry Boswell]

id be Happy to
Zabba ( he been quality 4 us since he signed )

but if we do sign sum1 i say
sum1 like

Maicon
Serigo Ramos

 

[PragueBlue]

I'd keep Zab.

 

[banbury_blue]

As a squad player than I would prefer to keep hold of Zab, he can cover a far wider range of positions to RIchards (who I feel can now only cover RB as he was pretty woeful at Wigan at CB) and feel he can still only get better.

Richards is one of my biggest disappointments now, he showed so much promise and ability early on, but since we managed to get him to commit to a new contract then he has just seemed to go backwards, whether its his ego, outside distractions (rosie webster?) or just he has been found out at this level.

 

[msix]

Keep Richards, hes still young and for all we know... he could be a world-class RB in 3-5 years time.

plus we have to pay oldham a good slice if we sold him, dont we??