BWoolley wrote:

You don't think he is too attacking and will leave Per hanging? My nightmare scenario is Debuchy getting caught up the pitch like a lot of attacking fullbacks often do and Per forced wide - we will leak goals like a sieve if that happens. Hope we get a defensive mid who can cover at RB - will also mean shifting Ramsey out onto the left of the midfield pairing.

You haven't seen him enough. Covering for CBs was one of the biggest strengths in his game.

That's good to hear - it's my single biggest worry about any attacking fullback we may sign. And you're right - I haven't watched him much - just in the international tournaments - Euro '12 and the WC. Sounds like a reasonable signing then.

Gazza M wrote:

if verms goes i could see jenks and flamini being used as utility cbs. i doubt we'd be buying a dedicated verm replacement, unlss it were a loan deal

Guaranteed we won't sell Vermaelen unless we first buy a CB.
Won't happen the other way around.

I love twitter stats

@Orbinho wrote:

Sagna v Debuchy 2013-14 Mins 3060-2494 Goals 1-1, Assists 2-3, Chances created 21-23 Pass% 85%-72% Pass % Final third 79%-56% Cross %15%-16%

Sagna v Debuchy 2013-14 Mins 3060-2494 Duels success 63%-64% Aerials won 122-116 Headed clearance 106-79 Blocks 7-11 Interceptions 51-69

Edges it in most defensive stats.

Sagna is honestly the most overrated player in the history of football.

If you look at stats, Debuchy is the best. If you watch football, Sagna is clearly better.

We're going to miss those 27 extra headed clearances next season, mark my word. Not to mention all those crosses Sagna used to prevent from reaching the box. Debuchy is bang average. You don't need a statistical breakdown to show you that.

122 headed clearances from a RB is a great stat. Plus so many of them have been vital headed clearances as well, wonder whether opta logs those.

Sagna was strong defensively but we'll get a lot more from debuchy in terms of flowing football.

Looking forward to seeing someone less mechanical on the ball in advanced positions

Personally I think we're going to continue to look awful until we stop playing the ball out of defence through Mertesacker.

Biggus wrote:

Meatwad wrote:

let's not be over dramatic. in a situation where a coach has the choice between sagna and debuchy, debuch is the one selected. this isn't some wenger project player or some washed up player (silvestre).

maybe we just overrate our own players. i'm watching the game right now and it just hit me that of the 3 (the 4th couldn't even make a weak england team) first team defenders we sent to the world cup none of them are starting.

Mert was sick and Dechamps decision not to start Kos cost them the game.

Had Kos played it would have been for that lump Sakho; that wouldn't have stopped Hummels dominating Varane on every set piece, and certainly not for the goal which decided the match. Varane was very poor in his duels with Hummels.

Think it's obvious that neither Sakho or Varane is anywhere near Koscielny's level.

Klaus wrote:

Think it's obvious that neither Sakho or Varane is anywhere near Koscielny's level.

Kos has been shite for france though. His mistakes at arsenal seem to happen with even greater frequency for the national team. He almost cost them qualification, while sakho's goals got them there. Deschamps has been right in continuing to back a guy who got them to the finals.

ludovic van zis wrote:

I love twitter stats

I love watching football.

evoh wrote:

Klaus wrote:

Think it's obvious that neither Sakho or Varane is anywhere near Koscielny's level.

Kos has been shite for france though. His mistakes at arsenal seem to happen with even greater frequency for the national team. He almost cost them qualification, while sakho's goals got them there. Deschamps has been right in continuing to back a guy who got them to the finals.

You play your best players and make sure they work in the team if you want a result. Good international managers get this while guys like Deschamps get knocked out of tournaments.

Klaus wrote:

evoh wrote:

Kos has been shite for france though. His mistakes at arsenal seem to happen with even greater frequency for the national team. He almost cost them qualification, while sakho's goals got them there. Deschamps has been right in continuing to back a guy who got them to the finals.

You play your best players and make sure they work in the team if you want a result. Good international managers get this while guys like Deschamps get knocked out of tournaments.

I don't think Kos has performed well enough to get that position back though. His mistakes over the course of a season are fine as they are massively outweighed by his defending talent. In knock out tournaments 1 mistake can kill you, as was the case with jagielka and gerrard for england.

France's defense wasn't the element that put them out of the WC anyway. They lost it by failing to take chance presented and a general laissez faire attitude to the germany match.

marv3llous wrote:

He is at his prime, he knows the league, he is best mates with some of our players

All more or less irrelevant.

Klaus wrote:

Personally I think we're going to continue to look awful until we stop playing the ball out of defence through Mertesacker.

Yeah, I'm not sure why we continue to do this. Why doesn't Koscielny take more responsibility there?

Klaus wrote:

Think it's obvious that neither Sakho or Varane is anywhere near Koscielny's level.

Well fixing part of the problem is a good thing

Sagna is on the decline anyhow

I'm not bovved by him going

Klaus wrote:

We're going to miss those 27 extra headed clearances next season, mark my word. Not to mention all those crosses Sagna used to prevent from reaching the box. Debuchy is bang average. You don't need a statistical breakdown to show you that.

Sagna played 600 minutes more than Debuchy if you realised.

We won't miss Sagna a single bit.

evoh wrote:

Klaus wrote:

You play your best players and make sure they work in the team if you want a result. Good international managers get this while guys like Deschamps get knocked out of tournaments.

I don't think Kos has performed well enough to get that position back though. His mistakes over the course of a season are fine as they are massively outweighed by his defending talent. In knock out tournaments 1 mistake can kill you, as was the case with jagielka and gerrard for england.

France's defense wasn't the element that put them out of the WC anyway. They lost it by failing to take chance presented and a general laissez faire attitude to the germany match.

Yep. Kos is obviously better than those 2 but I completely understand Deschamps position of not playing him because his performance for France just doesn't deserve it. He came on against Switzerland and was at fault for 2 goals as well, be it consolation or not. Deschamps is quite a great motivator of a coach, what he did with France this tournament is respectable. Don't forget he is without his best player. Imagine Argentina without Messi.

Clrnc wrote:

Klaus wrote:

We're going to miss those 27 extra headed clearances next season, mark my word. Not to mention all those crosses Sagna used to prevent from reaching the box. Debuchy is bang average. You don't need a statistical breakdown to show you that.

Sagna played 600 minutes more than Debuchy if you realised.

Great. So not only is he a lesser player - he's also having trouble staying fit.