Player Topic: Pablo Zabaleta (2015/16)

[The Fat el Hombre]

Absolutely miles off the pace last night. Hopefully Kolarov can start Sunday and sagna can go right back

 

[MCFC1993]

Not switched on defensively since he's been back from injury, when Kolarov's back Sagna should go to right back and Zaba should be put through some fitness training because he's not ready yet.

Sagna by far and away our best defender so far this season.

 

[supercity88]

Sagna has to start on Sunday. Zabaleta hasn't looked the same player for a while now. Last season wasn't a good one for him which I put down to the World Cup and long season previously. He needs time to rest and recover and get his form and fitness back. Sagna is the better defender at the moment and if things are tight the rags will start hoofing the ball into the box for Fellaini and Sagna will be better to stop crosses coming in and reading the game. It should be Kolarov at left back and Sagna at right back on Sunday. I just hope Pellegrini has picked up on it, he often doesn't.

 

[worsleyweb]

Its clear he has peaked. He has not been brilliant for us for 18 months now and travelling all around the world, his Mrs having a kid and hitting 31, a couple of injuries suggests although he has been magnificent for us, we have to start thinking about his long term replacement next summer.

Maybe he could stay as back up or a squad player but we have to be ruthless.

 

[meeesh]

He be OK for rest of this season I reckon,I mean yea Sagna has started this season great,took the opportunity so to speak,but he looked a bit off last night as well at times,a bit lethargic,PZ for me everytime I'm afraid

 

[hihosilva]

Too many people on here writing him off.

Don't forget he had a busy summer with Argentina then missed pre season. After that he got injured which he's just getting over.
It will take time for him to get back to full fitness. We won't see the best from Zaba till the new year.

 

[Phil1]

Too many people on here writing him off.

Don't forget he had a busy summer with Argentina then missed pre season. After that he got injured which he's just getting over.
It will take time for him to get back to full fitness. We won't see the best from Zaba till the new year.

People write him off because they don't know their arse from their elbow.
He's obviously a yard off the pace because he's just coming back from an injury - that said he wasn't even the worse full back last night!
Sagna was awful and we could have lost the game quite easily had they made more of all the chances that came from his ball watching and overall cluelessness of his surroundings. To balance I accept he was on his weaker side but fuck me he looked lost at times.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Too many people on here writing him off.

Don't forget he had a busy summer with Argentina then missed pre season. After that he got injured which he's just getting over.
It will take time for him to get back to full fitness. We won't see the best from Zaba till the new year.

Hopefully. My gut feeling with Zab is that defensively we have already seen his peak. He still offers a lot going forward but his defending has declined.

 

[schfc6]

He be OK for rest of this season I reckon,I mean yea Sagna has started this season great,took the opportunity so to speak,but he looked a bit off last night as well at times,a bit lethargic,PZ for me everytime I'm afraid

That can not possibly be based on performance surely? I love Zabaleta as much as the next man, but he's way off this season. The moment Sagna went to right back we looked much stronger.

He is playing like its pre season, for him it is. Leave him out of the Derby, Palace and Norwich give him 90 minutes, then I'll judge him. Hopefully he's just not up to speed yet.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Positional sense was really poor, often quick to go forward, but very slow to get back. Konoplyanka really worried him on occasion.

Absolutely this. He's been positionally poor for a while, not just last night. I was in the Family Stand last night rather than 109 so got a better view of the game. There was one moment in the second half when he was upfield, we lost the ball and Sevilla went forward. He barely even jogged back and hadn't even got back in position when Sevilla took a throw-in. In the first half, they were attacking down our right and he hadn't a clue where he should be. Someone (KdB I think) had to tell him.