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| BACARY SAGNA has revealed his distinctive hairstyle came about following a BET with his father. The Arsenal right-back says his blonde braids were the 'reward' for winning a wager with dad, Bassirou. Sagna told Champions Magazine: "I was 17 or 18 and playing in the fourth team against the seniors. "They were 25 to 30 years of age, and we were teenagers — a young team like Arsenal. "But we were playing better than them because we played as a team — we used to do everything together. "The bet was I had to score two goals to change my hairstyle. That's my father - not one goal, two! "Afterwards, I called him and told him I'd done it. "He didn't believe me but I did it and I remember thinking, 'Now, I can do what I want.'" |
| QUOTE (Der_Kaiser @ Sep 7 2009, 11:55 PM) |
| Best hair in the EPL after Almunia and Feillaini tbh. Sagna :bow: |
| QUOTE (The Emirates Gallastico @ Sep 7 2009, 07:27 PM) | ||
:goodpost: |
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| Arsenal star Bacary Sagna says his trademark locks were the ‘reward’ for winning a bet with his demanding father, Bassirou. “Ah, the hair,” the Frenchman told Champions Magazine, who produced the feature on behalf of Goal.com. “I was 17 or 18 and playing in the fourth team against the seniors. They were 25 to 30 years of age, and we were teenagers, a young team like Arsenal. “But we were playing better than them because we played as a team; we used to do everything together. The bet was I had to score two goals to change my hairstyle. “That’s my father – not one, two! Afterwards, I called him and told him I’d done it. He didn’t believe me, but I did it and I remember thinking, ‘Now, I can do what I want.’” While Sagna no longer remembers why he selected his attention-grabbing style, he is amused by the idea that the bouncing braids might be enough to stop an opponent in his tracks. “It can happen, no? They have to be careful, stay away from me,” he chuckled. There is another warning when it comes to his team. Sagna agrees with Arsene Wenger in that Arsenal are close to achieving something special, to making the beauty of their passing game into a weapon consistently lethal enough to win silverware. “Of course we can do it [win trophies],” the French full-back said. “Last year I don’t know what we missed, but it was nothing. “At the beginning of last season we were sleeping. I don’t know why… maybe we were still on holiday. “But when we started playing our own game, when we realised, we played better football.” |
| QUOTE (Syn @ Sep 7 2009, 07:30 PM) | ||||
:goodpost: |
| QUOTE (Der_Kaiser @ Sep 8 2009, 02:04 PM) | ||||||
:goodpost: |
| QUOTE (Der_Kaiser @ Sep 8 2009, 02:04 PM) | ||||||
:goodpost: |
| QUOTE (The Wengerbabies @ Sep 8 2009, 10:12 PM) | ||||||||
:goodpost: |
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| Juventus have laid eyes on Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna as they draw up plans for the right side of their defence. According to Tuttosport, Sagna is on top of the hit-list at Vinovo and director Alessio Secco is reportedly very keen to land him. The Gunners man has all the qualities Secco is looking for in Turin with his experience and defensive prowess, but he is unlikely to be cheap. It is said that Arsene Wenger could consider a sale, but the price is likely to scare off the Bianconeri. With that in mind, Juve are also looking at alternatives. Hamburg's Jerome Boateng, who is wanted by Jose Mourinho, and Hoffenheim's Andreas Beck have also been mooted in Turin. Despite the report, Juventus have not confirmed their interest in any of the players. |
| QUOTE (The Wengerbabies @ Oct 13 2009, 09:01 PM) |
| Thats a bit off topic Cripps :coffee: |
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| Juventus are following Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna with a view to signing him in January, according to Tuttosport. The Bianconeri's 3-2 loss to Napoli at the weekend further underlined a defensive weakness as Jesus Datolo had no trouble in meandering around Zdenek Grygera on the Old Lady's right flank. The report suggests transfer director Alessio Secco and president Jean-Claude Blanc are now making plans for the January sales. It is said they are studying the French right-back. They could use the funds set aside for next summer's transfer campaign early to secure the 26-year-old. Sagna is not the only name on their list. Napoli's Juan Camilo Zuniga, and Schalke's Rafinha have also been linked with the Turin side. Juventus have not confirmed their winter transfer plans, but Blanc suggested more quality is needed following the loss to Napoli. |
| QUOTE (bergstar @ Nov 2 2009, 06:19 PM) |
| "Thou shalt not cross" |
| QUOTE (Syn @ Nov 2 2009, 01:42 PM) |
| but either way, if the instruction is "thou shall not cross", Sagna does an awful job of following the orders. |
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| BACARY SAGNA believes Arsenal's win over Tottenham last Saturday proves they are the best team in the Premier League. The French ace was part of the side that strolled to a 3-0 win over their arch-rivals at the Emirates. And that performance has convinced him that silverware will return to the club sooner rather than later. Sagna said: "It was a great win against Tottenham. Last year we deserved to win but it finished 4-4 and that was disappointing. "On Saturday we showed our fans we are better than them. "There was no extra pressure — we worked very hard in training to stay focused until the end of the game. "We know if we are focused, we are the best team in the Premier League and we have to keep going that way. "We know we have to win everything at home to be competitive in the League. We are on the way to winning something and lifting a trophy." Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...l#ixzz0VoREmEO8 |
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| Juventus transfer director Alessio Secco is still looking to shore up the right side of the Bianconeri's defence, and he is reportedly closing in on Arsenal duo Emmanuel Eboue and Bacary Sagna. According to Goal.com Italia, the Bianconeri are looking to open up dialogue with the Gunners over one of the two players. Coach Ciro Ferrara is eager to bolster his defence during the winter transfer window, and a right-back is top priority. Sagna falls into that category, but Eboue, who is a midfielder, could also adapt to play in that position. Jonathan Zebina is currently injured, while Zdenek Grygera has blown hot and cold this term. Martin Caceres has played well, but his loan deal from Barcelona expires in the summer and Juve are unlikely to pay the €13 million required to keep him permanently. Secco is currently surveying the market. Napoli's Juan Camilo Zuniga and Schalke's Rafinha are also on his list. |
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| One of football's longest-running disputes has always been about the value of statistics. In this day and age, we are bombarded with numbers and percentages for ball possession, passes made, tackles launched and shots on and off target, or saved. What does it all mean? As Mark Twain, among others, wrote: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." And, in football, it is pretty much the same story because, as we all know, one pass and one shot can change a match if all the rest are merely mediocrity. In the end, as the current Arsenal team keep showing, it is all about moments of real quality. That is why the great debate about the Gunners' goal rush is misleading if we forget that it is the product of a more important creation: the sustained high quality of the team's football and the terrific improvements made by individual players; and, of course, moves and goals that lift football-loving fans from their seats in appreciation. Take a look across London. When Chelsea beat Manchester United on Sunday, much of the post-match talk was focussed on the peripheral movements around the decisive goal and the referees' decisions. But the key factors - the perfect flight of Frank Lampard's free-kick and the timing of John Terry's run and placement of his header - were almost forgotten. Sometimes, as this example showed, all the analysis and statistics that can be found do nothing more than obscure the truth: only one team scored and only one conceded, whatever the reasons and excuses. And that is why, also, it is good to make note of the improved performances of so many Arsenal players this season - young players who are striding forwards with confidence. Cesc Fabregas, of course, catches the eye. He is back from injury and approaching his best form and a high level of fitness, too. Robin van Persie has also revelled in his new role and taken a step up in performance levels. And several more, including Alex Song and Abou Diaby, among others, have developed their potential. In recent weeks, notably against Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bacary Sagna has also shone. The confidence created in the team by a sparkling run of 13 unbeaten outings has surged through everyone and the French international right-back is playing better than at any time since joining the club from Auxerre. Two assists against Spurs and another at Wolves signalled his improvement. It may seem harsh, but last season, at times, it seemed he could not cross a road let alone deliver a pass that was not blocked by the first defender... Great runs, good interplay and then a chance to flight the ball towards a striker so often ended with a clearance, a throw-in or a corner. Now, he is proving to be capable of making his final ball count on a regular basis and has added accurate distribution in the final third to his obvious athleticism and enthusiasm, not to mention stamina and technique. He is clearly a player of great heart, too. Like most men in the squad, Sagna clearly thrives on the space and responsibility that the 4-3-3 system has given him. The fluidity of the forwards ahead of him creates opportunities for him to make runs and he is making the most of them by producing passes that punish. On current form, he is likely to be involved, too, with France this week as they seek to overcome Liam Brady's Ireland - the Arsenal academy director is on the Republic's coaching staff - and qualify for the World Cup finals. Sagna is one of 15 members of Arsenal's first-team squad away on national duty, of which only six are taking part in competitive World Cup fixtures. The rest are involved in friendly games or under-21 matches. Sagna will be at Croke Park Dublin on Saturday, along with William Gallas and Diaby, and France should draw strength from the Arsenal trio's current form. As Brady will know from watching the games rather than studying the statistics, all three are enjoying their football and playing with a swagger that could prove infectious. And it will not be down to data analysis that Brady will warn his men to beware Sagna's powerful overlapping runs, clever link-up play and sharp passing and crossing from the right. All that is best seen by the naked eye -- an instrument that can also sense anticipation, subtle diagonal runs off the ball and good positional strengths, qualities that have shone through in the ever-improving performances of the Sens-born defender this season. |