Sagna to prove he’s no one-season wonder

Bacary Sagna may have enjoyed one of the best debut seasons in recent years but he is not resting on his laurels.

The right back is well aware of so-called “second season syndrome” and hopes to inoculate himself by winning a trophy with Arsenal in the coming campaign.

Speaking from the team’s training camp in Austria, the muscular 25-year-old intends to barge aside any lingering doubts with the same positive attitude that helped him excel last term.

“When I arrived people told me that the first season would be very difficult and you had to adapt,” he said. “But why wait? Why not play straight away?

“I just tried to do my best for the team and I was voted the best right back in the Premier League. But now I would like to achieve other things. Why not lift a cup?

“I know I have to confirm [my first-season form] but I feel confident and good in this team. I want to do a lot of things. I want to score and be more decisive now. I will try to do it.”

Twelve months ago, Sagna was a rookie in a position where Arsenal already had options, could he have imagined his first campaign going any better?

“No,” he replied flatly. “I did not know anything about English football when I arrived, only what I saw on TV. But I was not scared and adapted very quickly because of my team-mates and work of the staff.

“Everything was good for the first season and I thank the people who helped me. But now I want to fulfil more of my ambitions.”

Sagna - I will be fully fit in time for the start of the season

Bacary Sagna expects to be fully fit and raring to go when the season gets underway in less than four weeks time.

The Frenchman completed 45 minutes in the Gunners’ pre-season friendly win at Barnet on Saturday, his first appearance since an ankle injury against Chelsea bought his superb debut campaign to a shuddering halt in March.

Despite the weekend run-out, Sagna remains cautious but two weeks of pre-season training has already bought about a sharp rise in fitness. He expects that trend to continue.

“I still feel my ankle a little bit, but I can run and play football normally and I am confident it will improve every day,” Sagna told Arsenal.com. “It was good to play on Saturday and it is a nice feeling to be back in front of the fans. I haven’t played since March so I was pleased to be with my team-mates as well.

“I feel better now and I hope that I can feel better and better with every new game.

“The last couple of weeks have been hard because it is the first time since my injury that I have been in training. I needed to find my performance level again and be prepared to give more than I have before. I do think, though, that I will be fit for the start of the season.”

So fitness isn’t a worry, but is he worried he may suffer a bout of the infamous ‘second-season syndrome’?

“No not at all," he replied. "I am not even thinking about that as a possibility. I only want to focus on my own game, perform for Arsenal and see what the season brings. Hopefully it will be some cups.”

Sagna fired up for new season

Bacary Sagna is hopeful of being fit for the start of the new season, but has admitted Arsenal need to learn from the mistakes of last term.

The right back’s season came to a premature end when he picked up an injury against Chelsea in March.

The 25-year-old is back in full training and has issued an upbeat bulletin on his fitness.

“I’m okay,” Sagna told L’Equipe. “I was back at training last week, a bit before everybody, to accustom myself to running at a high rhythm again.

“In principle, if everything goes well, I should be ready when the season starts.”

The defender has high expectations for the new season but is still concerned by Arsenal’s late capitulation.

He added: “Lots of people tell me it must be a season to confirm the last one, but last year I was already told it was a season to settle. At the end of the day, I did not put myself under pressure and gave my all.

“Of course I’ve been surprised that everything went that well, most of all because I scored my first goal (laughs). But the objective is always collective more than individual.

“We have regrets following last season and we can legitimately aim for higher. But I don’t think setting objectives is a good idea.

“We have to learn from our past mistakes and take the games one by one.

“It’s the best way to experience a good season and to my mind it will be the coach’s words as well. It’s useless to plan for March when you’re not sure to be still in the hunt for the title at that moment.

“When you’re a competitor you’ve to fight for whatever and that’s how you improve. Regarding the Champions League, we experienced very good moments last year, including against AC Milan. We can’t wait to play in it again.”

Adebayor would be a huge loss - Sagna

Arsenal right back Bacary Sagna understands Alexander Hleb is on his way out of Emirates Stadium, but feels Emmanuel Adebayor would leave a huge void if he followed the midfielder out of the exit door.

Hleb has made it clear that he wants to head away from London, having expressed his frustration with life in the English capital, and Barcelona are hot on his trail.

Sagna has resigned himself to seeing Hleb move on, but feels the club could find the ideal replacement in Samir Nasri.

As far as Adebayor is concerned, the French defender claims he would be less than happy to see the giant Togolese sign with another club.

“It’s part of football…we also lost Mathieu Flamini, who was an important player in midfield,” Sagna told L’Equipe about Hleb.

“That’s a shame, but I’m not worried. Samir [Nasri] should arrive soon and then there are a lot of young players knocking at the door.

“It may be a good chance for them to make the step. Then, of course if Emmanuel [Adebayor] was to leave, it’d be a massive loss.

“But we’re not there yet.”

Sagna is fourth in Player of the Season poll

The right back received 10.03 per cent of the poll which is some achievement in your debut campaign.


The impact of Arsenal’s foreign legion will never be forgotten. But few of the Club’s overseas stars have made the immediate impact of Bacary Sagna. In the past, the likes of Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Marc Overmars, Robert Pires, Nicolas Anelka, Alex Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and Emmanuel Adebayor have all needed the luxury of weeks or months before settling into the groove of English football. Only really Patrick Vieira drew applause and admiration from the Arsenal supporters on debut.

Then Sagna arrived.

To be honest, right back was not really looking like an area in need of strengthening last summer. Emmanuel Eboue and Justin Hoyte had shared the role quite comfortably in the previous campaign. With Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry leaving, it seemed that the acquisitions would be needed elsewhere. But to re-apply a phrase used about another Arsenal manager - Arsène knows.

From the opening game of the season - the last-gasp comeback against Fulham - Sagna looked like he could add an extra 10 per cent to this Arsenal side. Right back is hardly the most influential position on the pitch but the 25-year-old still caught the eye.

Fast, aggressive and powerful, he bulldozered down the flank when the opportunity arose to attack but was ever mindful of his primary job. These days there is a tendency to judge a full back on his attacking prowess. It is as though the defensive security he can offer is ‘a given’. It is not. Yet Sagna can certainly do both.

He was not ‘skinned’ in any game and his tally of four Premier League assists last season puts him fourth in the list of full backs behind Nicky Shorey, Pascal Chimbonda and Gael Clichy.

But that does not tell the real story. In reality he reached the byline countless times causing persistent consternation. The perfect example came at Manchester City in February. Ten minutes in, Alex Hleb spotted a sprinting Sagna approaching the edge of the area. One touch took him past Michael Ball but there was plenty of work to do. The left back desperately tried to scramble back and Richard Dunne came across to help. However the speed and strength of Sagna meant he reached the byline first and managed to hook the ball back for Emmanuel Adebayor to convert scruffily at the near post.

Tragedy struck the Sagna family late in the season but the only way time you could see its influence on the pitch was when he celebrated the first professional goal of his career against Chelsea. That strike gave Arsenal a crucial lead and Arsène Wenger later admitted the loss of his right back late in that game seemed to unbalance his defence at Stamford Bridge as the home side came back to secure a crucial win.

According to the Premier League players themselves, Arsenal have the best full backs in the country. Clichy and Sagna were both voted on to the PFA Team of the Season.

A casual trawl through website messageboards for thoughts of Sagna brings up phrases like “best Wenger signing for years” and “most consistent performer last season”. The fact that the French international only finished fourth in our official Arsenal.com poll would suggest the majority of you don’t actually agree with that fully. But few could argue with his contribution.

Considering he occupies arguably the most anonymous position on the pitch, Bacary Sagna has made one hell of a first impression.

Sagna pens Gunners deal

Arsenal have handed a new contract to right-back Bacary Sagna.

The French international full-back had an outstanding maiden campaign in England following his move from Auxerre last summer, and was named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Now, despite only being less than 12-months into his original deal, Arsenal have moved to tie him down for a further two-years, taking his contract up to 2014.

Sagna himself was delighted to have put pen-to-paper.

"I love Arsenal, they are a great club," Sagna stated.

"The manager is also very good and next season we will be fighting for all the trophies."

Arsenal to give four stars big rises in salary

Arsenal are poised to reward arguably their four outstanding players of the season with improved contracts this summer.

Manager Arsene Wenger has made it a priority to tie up Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna on improved deals.

Representatives of the key first-team players will meet up with acting managing director Ken Friar within weeks as Wenger seeks to put an end to speculation linking Fabregas and Adebayor, in particular, with moves to the Continent.

The Arsenal boss has repeatedly said that it is just as much of an imperative to keep hold of his existing players as draft in new ones, an especially topical issue as Alexander Hleb prepares to follow Mathieu Flamini to Italy.

Wenger has a large input in contract discussions and will recommend that the quartet are given significant pay hikes that reflect their status.

Although Fabregas has six years remaining on his contract, which has annual increments built in, and earns about £60,000-a-week, Arsenal know it is a priority to make him the club's top earner to keep Barcelona and Real Madrid at bay.

Fabregas wants to stay, but his new advisers have told him that he now has 'galactico' status and should expect a contract to match.

Adebayor signed a two-year extension to his four-year contract last spring but he is in a strong negotiating position after scoring 30 goals last season.

While dismissing suggestions that he was seeking to leave the Gunners, the Togolese said this week that he would like to play for Barcelona one day, and while this comment may be designed to draw Arsenal to the negotiating table, he can expect an offer that nearly doubles his £35,000-a-week salary. Sagna has had a superb debut campaign and will seek a contract that doubles his £20,000-a-week wage.

His fellow Frenchman, Clichy, will also expect to join the squad's middle bracket of earners after establishing himself as Ashley Cole's successor at left-back.

The club's main attention will focus on keeping star men Fabregas and Adebayor happy.

Sagna: I reached my goal

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna is delighted to have reached his objective in his first ever Premier League season - being voted best right back of the year.

The Frenchman moved from Auxerre in summer 2007 and did not need any time to adapt, as he immediately became Arsene Wenger’s first choice.

The Alsatian tactician played Emmanuel Eboue in midfield and continues to trust the promising Sagna week in, week out, on the right side of his defence.

Sagna has logically been voted right back of the year and revealed it was his aim.

“Being the best at my position was my goal,” Sagna told Le Parisien.

“I knew it would be difficult for a first season but I succeeded.

“Here there are more challenges, more rhythm.

“You have not the right to make mistakes and I love it.”

The 25-year-old regrets Arsenal’s disappointing end to the season but claims that The Gunners have learnt a lot from their mistakes and will be a more competitive team next year.

“We had the qualities to win silverware but we managed badly some vital moments.

“But we learnt so much that we will be even stronger next season.

“We will be even hungrier for titles.”

The Frenchman's older brother Omar died last February, two days before his birthday, and Sagna emotionally revealed that he is scarred by the loss.

“I think of him every day,” he said.

“Nothing can replace a brother.

“Something will always be missing.

“I do a job that I love, I earn a lot of money, but nothing will ever be the same.

“It is destiny and you have to accept it, I have no choice.

“But I still do not accept it.”

Sagna is hopeful he has impressed France manager Raymond Domenech and will be called up to play the European championships in Austria and Switzerland next month.

The young right back is in competition with Lyon’s Francois Clerc and Bayern Munich’s Willy Sagnol.

“I have given everything to be in this list,” he added.

“Now it is Raymond Domenech’s decision.

“If he does not take me, it will mean he has thought I have not been good enough.

“Then I will work even harder for him to call me up after the Euros.”

New Arsenal deal for Sagna

Arsene Wenger has promised to reward Bacary Sagna with an improved contract after the right-back's outstanding first season in English football. A strong presence both in defence and attack, the Frenchman was last week named in the Professional Footballers' Association's team of the year and has attracted the attention of a number of moneyed clubs.

Already likely to lose the out-of-contract Mathieu Flamini to Serie A and concerned that Alexander Hleb is ready exploit Fifa transfer regulations to buy out the remainder of his contract, Wenger is eager to tie key players down to revised deals. 'The situation at the moment has become much more unstable with the Webster clause,' Wenger said recently. 'Before, when you had a player under contract for five years, they were your player for five years; now, they can leave after three years [if] under the age of 28 [when they signed the deal]. You are always confronted with potential instability. Players are admired all over the world, they are tapped up, agents are tapped up, agents get nervous and they see if they can do a deal.'

Sagna, 25, signed from Auxerre for a reported £6million. The France international has been ruled out of the domestic season with an ankle injury suffered in March, but may yet be called up for his nation's European Championship campaign.

Source:Guardian

Four Arsenal Players in PFA Team of The Year

Arsenal's Clichy,Sagna,Fabregas and Adebayor have been selected in the PFA Team of The year.

The full list is

Premier League Team of the Year

James, Portsmouth;

Sagna, Arsenal

Ferdinand, Man Utd

Vidic, Man Utd

Clichy, Arsenal;

Ronaldo, Man Utd

Gerrard, Liverpool

Fábregas, Arsenal

Young, Aston Villa;

Adebayor, Arsenal

Torres, Liverpool

Sagna: I'll stay a Gunner for life

Bacary Sagna has claimed he is ready to end his career at Arsenal after having an impressive debut season in English football.

After joining from Auxerre last summer, the France international adapted immediately to the pace of The Premier League and was a stalwart of the Arsenal side before picking up an ankle injury in the defeat to Chelsea at the end of March.

The right back now admits he would be happy to stay in North London for the remainder of his career having settled so quickly after leaving France.

“I like to play all my life for Arsenal,” Sagna told Arsenal TV.

“I feel very good in this team and country and I like English football, I miss one thing, my family.

“Arsenal are a very good team, known all over Europe, there are a lot of young players. We all want to go forward and that’s I wanted to play here.

“Yes, [it was also the chance to play total football]. We can go forward easily, we are young together, we can show we can play good football. And that’s why English football attracts me and that’s why I wanted to play for Arsenal.

“Yes of course, [it was also a big thing that Arsene Wenger was here]. He’s French and he showed he wanted me.”

Sagna’s brother, Omar, died suddenly just days before the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League tie with Milan, and the defender won widespread admiration when returning to the side for the draw at Emirates Stadium.

Now Sagna will play in honour of his brother as he continues his career in North London.

“It is life you know, it was sudden and my father asked me to come back [to Arsenal],” Sagna said of Omar’s death.

“That’s why I came back for Milan and I think I made a good choice, I can’t stop playing and living, it is difficult but life continues and now I am playing for him.”

Flamini ruled out for three weeks with ankle injury

Mathieu Flamini has been ruled out for three weeks after picking up an ankle injury against Liverpool on Tuesday.

"I believe Mathieu will be out for three weeks," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon. "It is a big blow but Gilberto has a lot of quality and experience. He will come in. He can help the team recover and focus.

"Apart from that we don't have any other injuries from Tuesday. We have a few bumps and bruises but nothing special.

"Robin van Persie is available. He had two good sessions yesterday and today. He looks to be OK and we'll see how we go from here. But Bacary Sagna is out."

Van Persie only '20 per cent' chance for Liverpool

Arsenal have doubts over their two main strikers ahead of the Premier League game against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Speaking to Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon, Arsène Wenger gave Robin van Persie only a 20 per cent chance of playing because of the thigh injury that forced him off at half time in the Champions League tie between the sides on Wednesday evening.Adebayor (ankle) is more likely to figure but both players will be assessed on Friday morning.

"If you ask for my gut feeling right now I would say no, Robin won't play," said Wenger.

"At the moment it is 80 per cent no and 20 per cent yes. But he has a scan this afternoon and he is better today than he was last night. That is positive for a muscle problem. But we'll know much more about it on Friday morning."

"We also have Adebayor who has a little ankle problem. We'll see how he is tomorrow. I hope he'll be OK. But the time is so short between the games it is very difficult to make a decision the morning after a game. You don't know if it is a bruise or a little twist and the first 24 hours doesn't tell you a lot about that."

"They will not be back for the Liverpool games," said Wenger. "But Sagna is making good progress. Manchester United is the earliest for him. We are trying everything we can to get him back for that game. But we'll know more when he starts to run outside and he has not begun that."

Sagna Out For At Least Three Weeks

Bacary Sagna's injury woes are set to leave a gap in Arsenal's right-back position until mid-April at the very least.

The boss told Arsenal TV, "He has an ankle injury and the first news that we have is that he could be out for quite a while," said the manager. "I don't know how long he will be out but I feel it will be three weeks at least."


Indeed, Wenger would not rule out a worst-case prognosis of up to five weeks.

"I have seen the injury again on tape," continued the manager.

"He wanted to kick the ball out and he twisted his ankle. That made it a bad injury."

"The international players are not all back yet," said Wenger early on Thursday afternoon.

"But we have no real bad news. I have not spoken to some of them on the phone but if they were injured then they would have called. So it does not look bad.""

Manuel Almunia set to return for Arsenal

Arsene Wenger is set to axe Jens Lehmann after Arsenal's FA Cup mauling at Manchester United.

Arsenal boss Wenger has been boosted by the return to fitness of Manuel Almunia after illness and the Spanish keeper is ready to come straight back to face AC Milan in the Champions League tomorrow night.

French defender Bacary Sagna, who missed the defeat at Old Trafford because of a family bereavement, also trained yesterday and will face AC Milan.

However, the big injury doubt is left-back Gael Clichy, who was on the bench at Old Trafford but is struggling to be ready to face AC Milan.