Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna recently said:
‘Cesc is a great player. He was one of our best players but that’s part of football.’
‘Every season we start a season and some players leave at the end of it. That’s what happens and I just want to wish him good luck.’
‘I will miss him of course but Aaron Ramsey did very well and he will show he is a great player as well.’
After Tuesday’s narrow victory against Udinese, Sagna paid tribute to our departed skipper, but also took time to praise Aaron Ramsey and talk him up as a replacement in the making.
Now whether we all agree or not about Ramsey being the ideal replacement is debatable, but we should look deeper, we should stop and admire the man that Sagna has become. He is always positive when quoted in the media, quick to pay tribute to colleagues and the coaching staff, and diplomatic when speaking on those departing or departed. In short, The Frenchman is a credit to Arsenal Football Club.
His illustrious predecessor Lee Dixon is always generally articulate and intelligent both on television and in the media and I believe Sagna, like Dixon, is a worthy ambassador for our club – off the field and probably a more talented footballer on it.
We are struggling within our present squad for world-class talent (assuming Nasri goes) and in reality, whilst we may have a few in the making, we have 4 players who could walk into any team in Europe – RVP, Thomas Vermaelen, Jack Wilshire and Sagna himself.
Sagna has been our most consistent player for 4 seasons and never falls below 7 out of 10 for me. He has played in 132 of the 153 Premier League games he could have played in, which for a tough tackling defender is amazing. He has certainly been our best and most reliable back four member in that time and has surged down the wing and overlapped to provide 19 Premier League assists for the Gunners.
If you are not convinced by me, then let’s check out the views of his peers.
Twice in his four seasons, 2008 and 2011, Sagna was voted into the Premier League Team of the Year by his fellow professionals – a feat only matched by Fabregas from our own ranks. Indeed, only Evra and Ferdinand amongst defenders can equal 2 selections, only Vidic has 3 appearances.
Is there a better right full back in world football currently? There is certainly no better right-back in the Premier League, that’s for sure. At the moment, monsieur Sagna is content at Arsenal, but we owe our world-class performers more experienced support to blend with our blossoming talent like Ramsey. Arsene Wenger and the opportunity we gave him has made Sagna a regular international for France. He has played 31 times for Les Bleus all since signing for the Gunners, but the same could be said for Nasri, and it would appear gratitude in his case, extended only so far.
I believe that like RVP, Sagna wants to repay Wenger and Arsenal, but Arsene must reward this loyalty and faith with some quality additions.
A world-class performer and a model professional deserves medals, but please let us ensure they come to him whilst he is still in the red and white of Arsenal.
Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/daveseager66
Visit and Join our Facebook page, click HERE to do so.
Gunnersphere is currently looking for new writers to join the squad. Contact via twitter or at Gunnersphere@snack-media.com for further details.
Great article.