Player Topic: Pablo Zabaleta (2015/16)

[almir]

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.

+1. People are forgetting that his last season wasn't spectacular at all. Back then was World Cup, now it's Copa America and injury.

Well, that's happening because he peaked. He is not young anymore and his playing style make people like him peak earlier. He was warrior his whole career, running up and down the pitch for 90 minutes, throwing himself at anything, not having free summers with all competition Argentina are playing in - you can't do that and play at same level at 30+.

I was hardly criticized for my words on match thread but I'll say it again - Zab we all knew is not coming back, that level of football is finished for him. Currently he is defensively worse than Kolarov by a mile and currently is probably not proper word, he is like that for 18 months. Any tricky and fast player can past by him like he is not there. Heart is there but legs are not and when legs are not head is not in great shape too. Ivanovic was brilliant for Chelsea last year but he is awful this season. Terry too. It happens, almost overnight.

With both him and Sagna 30+ and Kolarov and Clichy being just good and nothing more, we'll need to invest lot of money in next two seasons on those two positions.

 

[BlueDeadHead]

What like people are cutting Zabaleta a break? I said he was on his weaker side but that doesn't negate the fact it was the worse ive seen him play for us.
He has been brilliant this season, no complaints there. The discussion centred on Wednesday night though so if we're going to use past performances I'd say Zabaletas got more fucking money in the bank with fans than pretty much every player out there. That doesn't seem to be the case though does it?

Back off pal. Find a post anywhere on this Forum where I have ever said a bad word about Zabs. Just because you let your self get wound up by a bunch of idiots on here, don't take it out on Sagna.

 

[Phil1]

Back off pal. Find a post anywhere on this Forum where I have ever said a bad word about Zabs. Just because you let your self get wound up by a bunch of idiots on here, don't take it out on Sagna.

Haha! Back off? Get a grip. Everything I said about Sagna was the truth. He's been great this season, he was crap on Wednesday - albeit played out of position. So what exactly am I taking out on him?
You're right about the idiots winding me up though. It's quite hard not to reading the shite that's posted in regards to Zabaleta.

 

[Phil1]

+1. People are forgetting that his last season wasn't spectacular at all. Back then was World Cup, now it's Copa America and injury.

Well, that's happening because he peaked. He is not young anymore and his playing style make people like him peak earlier. He was warrior his whole career, running up and down the pitch for 90 minutes, throwing himself at anything, not having free summers with all competition Argentina are playing in - you can't do that and play at same level at 30+.

I was hardly criticized for my words on match thread but I'll say it again - Zab we all knew is not coming back, that level of football is finished for him. Currently he is defensively worse than Kolarov by a mile and currently is probably not proper word, he is like that for 18 months. Any tricky and fast player can past by him like he is not there. Heart is there but legs are not and when legs are not head is not in great shape too. Ivanovic was brilliant for Chelsea last year but he is awful this season. Terry too. It happens, almost overnight.

With both him and Sagna 30+ and Kolarov and Clichy being just good and nothing more, we'll need to invest lot of money in next two seasons on those two positions.

What's all this "we all knew he was finished at this level"?
Speak for yourself because I think you're talking out of your arse.

 

[almir]

What's all this "we all knew he was finished at this level"?
Speak for yourself because I think you're talking out of your arse.

I don't know what needs to be explained there Mrs Christel. I'm not a naive English speaker but that sentence should be easy to understand.

 

[Phil1]

I don't know what needs to be explained there Mrs Christel. I'm not a naive English speaker but that sentence should be easy to understand.

As should my reply.

 

[malg]

Been shite this season, but let's see how it pans out. He has an opportunity on Sunday to show us his old self.

 

[Burtonblue]

Sagna should start on Sunday
His performances at RB have earned him the right this season.
Zabaleta is still coming back from injury and has yet to hit form. I am sure the old Zabba will be back in due course.

 

[mosssideblue]

Sagna should start on Sunday
His performances at RB have earned him the right this season.
Zabaleta is still coming back from injury and has yet to hit form. I am sure the old Zabba will be back in due course.

Agreed. Not match fit at the moment. Play him on Wed and bring him back into the fold slowly

 

[BlueDeadHead]

Haha! Back off? Get a grip. Everything I said about Sagna was the truth. He's been great this season, he was crap on Wednesday - albeit played out of position. So what exactly am I taking out on him?
You're right about the idiots winding me up though. It's quite hard not to reading the shite that's posted in regards to Zabaleta.

Why say anything about him at all? Do you really think he wanted to play LB? He stepped up when the club needed him just like he has done all season long in Zabaletta's abscence. You don't need to abuse a player just to defend your favorite.