Our glaring weakness at LB, will it be fixed?

Zabaleta's best years are behind him, I could see him remain as a rotation player but I wager Pep will bring in someone new...and would love to take Alaba with him
 
We won't get Alaba, but Bernat would be very realistic. He's got to see that playing behind Alaba at Bayern is hindering his chances for Spain with how deep they are at LB, could try to force a move and Bayern would be much more likely to sell him than Alaba
 
KCblue said:
We won't get Alaba, but Bernat would be very realistic. He's got to see that playing behind Alaba at Bayern is hindering his chances for Spain with how deep they are at LB, could try to force a move and Bayern would be much more likely to sell him than Alaba
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Depends on Ancelloti. Alaba has said he sees his future in midfield.
 
Zaba is more versatile and much better on the ball, you can see from the way he linked up with silva and navas, you dont lose that. See lahm. Besides, if pep is happy with rainha at rb, do people really think he will toss zab aside. Sagna will go, probably to china. Clichy and kolarov will go, one big player in and then angelino.
 
KCblue said:
We won't get Alaba, but Bernat would be very realistic. He's got to see that playing behind Alaba at Bayern is hindering his chances for Spain with how deep they are at LB, could try to force a move and Bayern would be much more likely to sell him than Alaba
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His chances for Spain? To get Alba benched he probably would have to be good enough to bench Alaba or be as good - he is not.
 
Maldeika said:
His chances for Spain? To get Alba benched he probably would have to be good enough to bench Alaba or be as good - he is not.
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Chances of making the Squad ( not starting) if he is a bench warmer at Bayern. He is not beating out Alba but all of , Gaya, Azpiculetta and Nacho havr starting roles at their respective clubs. That's his competition at the national team level.

For Bernat to become a regular squad (not starting) member with a decent chance of making the 2018 WC squad, he needs to be a starter. Not Alaba's back up.

That's my thinking. Hence why I think he will come with Pep.
 
Dax777 said:
Chances of making the Squad ( not starting) if he is a bench warmer at Bayern. He is not beating out Alba but all of , Gaya, Azpiculetta and Nacho havr starting roles at their respective clubs. That's his competition at the national team level.

For Bernat to become a regular squad (not starting) member with a decent chance of making the 2018 WC squad, he needs to be a starter. Not Alaba's back up.

That's my thinking. Hence why I think he will come with Pep.
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A fair deduction that Dax.
I would prefer Gaya but Bernat is no mug so win-win really.
He can play left wing and like Angelino he can get about. It wouldn't surprise me if those two could rotate on the pitch and keep the left fluid depending on situations.
 
BlueDeadHead said:
So few out there for the Right though. Someone like Fabinho next year with Zabs and then replace Zabs with Maffeo the next season?
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Yup this is my thinking.

I Sagna leaves. New RB. Zab backup for 1 more year. New starter. Hoping for Bruno Peres.

Kolarov leaves. New LB. Hopung for Juan Bernat. Keep Clichy 1 more year as backup.

Mangala and MDM leave, Laporte and Denayer replace them.

Defense
Bernat/Clichy
Peres/Zaba
Kompany/Otamendi/Laporte/Denayer

That will be a strong backbone regardless of starters.
 
Zab's ready made for a pressing game and a far better footballer than Boateng and looked how faired under Pep.
Slightly off topic I know but I feel some of you are surely mistaken if you think he'll just be used as a make weight.
 
Gaylord du Bois said:
Zab's ready made for a pressing game and a far better footballer than Boateng and looked how faired under Pep.
Slightly off topic I know but I feel some of you are surely mistaken if you think he'll just be used as a make weight.
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Who? Zab?
 
mancity1 said:
That's part of the reason he is paid so well.

To make the right calls on players.

No room for sentiment in this business and making the wrong calls on and off the field the manager is and should be the first under the gun.
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But what has Zab done wrong apart from get an injury and be sidelined for half of the season? He never gets involved in silly off field antics and has been one of our most consistent performers during the past 4/5 years.
 
yatesy94 said:
But what has Zab done wrong apart from get an injury and be sidelined for half of the season? He never gets involved in silly off field antics and has been one of our most consistent performers during the past 4/5 years.
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I am not saying he has done anything wrong on or off the field.

What is beyond dispute is that our squad needs a shake up and personally I think Zab might not be part of Pep's plans into the future.

I have said I believe he has enough to offer to be a squad member and we know with our injury record which hopefully will improve under new management he will get ample game time as a non first eleven selection starter when fit I also believe we need quality that is better than what we already have in the left and right back positions starting from day one next season.

Invariably no matter the number of games the team that does best is the one that is most stable especially in defence.

I have no qualms if he is still with us next season but provided we get better players in that role over the summer and I would expect we will I have no qualms if he goes.
 
Sandro, Gaya, Bernat or Ric Rod, and use Angelino and/or Maffeo as backups. Alaba is ideal but i see no way hes leaving bayern ever.
 
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