Pablo Zabaleta - 2016/17 performances

[The Fat el Hombre]

I think zaba will oust sagna from the starting right back spot. Sagna looks too lumbered (at the moment at least) to slot into that midfield role when we have the ball. Zaba more refined and has played in midfield before.

Either way, good to see zaba do ok tonight

 

[Gundogan's Moustache]

Well done zab - looks fitter leaner and up for it! Nasri take note.

Couldn't believe how lean he looked leading the team out. No more pizza snacks for Pablo

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

Two footed skills as well as M?F experience, going to be even better for us this season.

 

[93.20]

Great to see Zabba still in the team. I'm very much a remainer as far as he's concerned.

 

[stonerblue]

Guardiola obviously reads my posts.
And the fact that he made (or the players) Zab captain shows what other qualities he brings to the team apart from just playing. Great to see.

 

[jollylescott]

I know many people wrote Zab off after last season. To me he looks a completely new person this season, and I would swear he is a stone lighter. We must not forget that he is actually two years younger than Sagna, and to my eye looks far more comfortable in the inverted fullback role than Sagna.

So welcome back Zab, and it was so pleasing to see Pep recognise that with the captaincy. There are so many small decisions that Pep is getting right that lead to the sum being greater than the parts - the captaincy, the huddle after scoring, the acknowledgement of the fans after the game, the praise of individual players like Kolarov and Sterling. All of these relatively minor matters bond the team, and the fans, together.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

I think zaba will oust sagna from the starting right back spot. Sagna looks too lumbered (at the moment at least) to slot into that midfield role when we have the ball. Zaba more refined and has played in midfield before.

Either way, good to see zaba do ok tonight

Not a prayer, sagna is the better option as he can bail himself out, Zab showed a vast improvement last night, however, he looks like an old man at times. Glad he's here, we can utilise over the course of the season, a consistent starter? Not anymore for me!!

 

[Walking on the blue moon]

Not a prayer, sagna is the better option as he can bail himself out, Zab showed a vast improvement last night, however, he looks like an old man at times. Glad he's here, we can utilise over the course of the season, a consistent starter? Not anymore for me!!

But at the moment Zab seems far more comfortable with the new role (how do you call it, false fullbacks?:) than Sagna. Perhaps on current form he will start?

 

[Terra Passenger]

But at the moment Zab seems far more comfortable with the new role (how do you call it, false fullbacks?:) than Sagna. Perhaps on current form he will start?

Zab was excellent last night. Great that he's decided to stay at the club. I too thought that Zab performed far better in the "false fullback" role than Sagna did.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

But at the moment Zab seems far more comfortable with the new role (how do you call it, false fullbacks?:) than Sagna. Perhaps on current form he will start?

Just my opinions of course, we dont want people getting all vexed by treating it as gospel, however, the prem pace may be a little too much for zab in that role now, especially starting. He's technically better than sagna, not even up for debate, but as I said, sagna possesses greater recovery, something that is needed in this system...

Contrary to that, zab will get plenty of minutes and I'm happy as Larry he'll go out the 'true' legend he is!!!