Thank you, Bacary Sagna

Bacary Sagna: Arsenal’s best full-back in the last decade.

Just as Elias Sagna strolled around the Emirates kicking the ball about now and then, his father seemed more interested in waving to the fans and clapping. It was evitable how un-involved Bacary Sagna was with many of his teammates and their kids. He had only one thing in mind and that was to have a really long lap around the stadium; the stadium that he spent eight years in putting in nearly cent percent every game!

I’m a huge fan of Bacary Sagna, most Arsenal fans are. He’s the only ‘great’ right-back I’ve witnessed playing for Arsenal apart from Lee Dixon. Defensively, he’s been solid apart from the few months last year while he was recuperating after having destroyed his knee by some Spurs player.

He made it into the PFA Team of the Year twice, not that it really matters because the timing of the award is so crap that every year, some of the most deserving of players don’t get it. Still! He was recognized by his fellow competitors as an incredible talent and that, if not anything big, is still an achievement. If someone as rascalous as John Terry or Ryan Shawcross tells you you’re a good player, you take it.

Against West Brom yesterday, a team I thought played really well, Sagna was still able to keep his defensive duties in check. It was noticeable again how an opposition had a strengthened right-flank when we have Nacho Monreal playing. They can’t do the same on their left, it isn’t getting back at Sagna, he’s strong, he’s quick and he heads well making him a truly complete full back.

Apart from being so solid, he loved the club and that just makes everything a lot sweeter. The question now is where he’ll be playing next season. According to newspapers across, there are offers from a lot of clubs across Europe.

Hopefully, he can ply his trade abroad at clubs Paris St Germain, Inter Milan or Monaco. But apparently, Manchester City have a huge offer on the table which tempts him. Let’s face it, he’s given us everything without actually winning anything and if an oiled team like City come calling with the chance of winning at least one trophy a year, and when you’re nearly at the fag end of your career slowly developing wrinkles, you’ll probably consider it strongly.

As much as I wish he doesn’t go there, I still want him to win trophies wherever he goes. He’s deserved our respect ever since he came here and he deserves it till the last day. Hopefully, we can keep him quiet when he does play against us in the future and hopefully he’ll win at least one trophy at Arsenal.

Thank you, Bacary Sagna.