Time catching up with Zabaleta?

[HelloCity]

What you have to realise with Sagna is that he's 33.

He's playing well but Demichelis was playing well, very well in fact, this time last year also. When they're that age at this elite level the drop off can be quite sudden.

It'd be a huge mistake not to have a new right back next season. Could Denayer play there?

 

[5948947]

The full backs don't bomb up and down in peps system,they defend and wingers take it foward so zabba will be better with that

Dani alves?

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

It's actually a little painful watching him right now.

Best rightback in the league for a couple of seasons and heroic for Argentina also.

Sadly, time has rushed up on him at a great rate of knots it would seem.

Will go down as a City great without question and one of the best fullback's the Premiership has seen.

 

[kunaguero10]

I'm still clinging to the hope that a more intense training regime can bring him back up to proper match fitness next season.

I'd also keep one of the right backs this summer and with Sagna 33 now I'd like to think Zab will still be utilised. He is more tactically flexible/intelligent than Sagna and better going forward, maybe Pep will value those strengths.

 

[Balti]

sadly yes

still an asset squad wise right now but time is running out

:-(

 

[Dribble]

Sadly Zabaleta seems to have regressed to the player who first arrived here. He was being beaten with ease today and was a second off the pace which meant he was lunging in giving away free kicks and risked being sent off in the process

After all he's done for us, I'd still buy his replacement but keep him as part of the squad to see if Pep can turn his form around or at the very least use his experience to bring along the next generation and to provide defensive back up if needed.

 

[pee dubya]

I think he's looking a bit bulkier, like he's been working out whilst injured, and he's lost a yard as a result. Maybe slim down a bit. 31 is normally not past it for pros these days.

 

[bluedreaming]

I think he's been playing catch up all year after injury and no real rest for the past few summers. I would not like to right him off, I hope he gets a full pre season with us injury free, then you can judge him next season

 

[capiloton]

since we are lack of winger, we depend a lot to attacking fullback to cover for width.
the problem are all our 4 fullbacks already in their 30s.
dani alves still thriving because he's playing in slower league.
premier league is a past pace game, for 90 minutes in every matches.
there is no way old fullback can play with physical consistency against young fresh legs.

no time for sentimental sentiments. either one of them from each side needs to go.

 

[malg]

The last couple of games he's looked off. We need to judge him once he's got a good few games under his belt. However, I've said Pellegrini has left our defenders out to dry by not giving them any cover in front, if Zabaletta's form doesn't pick up, then it makes the CB's jobs even harder. It's a shame really, as the bloke loves us, and the fans love him, however a bit like one of our midfielders, we can't let sentimentality get in the way of the team.