Is Sagna Arsenal's most over-rated player?

When Arsene Wenger signed Bacary Sagna in 2007, most fans were surprised. Another right-back?

Arsenal already had Emmanuel Eboue - who, that year, the BBC’s Alan Green called the best right-back in the Premier League - and Justin Hoyte, the perfect deputy. Post-Highbury, £6million signings were rare. Why waste money on a right-back?

And then Sagna played. Arsenal fans were, at first, amazed. He could tackle! He could head! When the other team attacked, he knew where to stand! After years of Eboue and Lauren, another midfield convert, this was a revelation: a right-back with a degree in defending. If Eboue and Hoyte were made of straw, Sagna was made of bricks.

In his first season, he made the PFA Team of the Year. Although right-back is, traditionally, the weakest part of that team - in 2006, it was Pascal Chimbonda, in 2003 and 2001, Stephen Carr - the award was deserved. Arsene, once again, Knew.

Since then, however, Sagna hasn’t progressed. Firstly, his defending is rarely tested. Arsenal’s opponents don’t often attack, and when they do, they're counters or set-pieces. In most games, especially at home, Sagna’s shorts stay clean.

Secondly - and most importantly - Sagna is poor in the opposition’s half. He’s like a jagged rock under the ocean’s surface: when Arsenal’s attacks reach him, they run aground.

Unless Nicklas Bendtner is playing centre-forward - and he rarely is - there’s no point playing crosses from the touchline. Arsenal don’t attack the ball at height. When they tried it against Chelsea, repeatedly, Petr Cech had an afternoon’s catching practice.

Yet Sagna constantly crosses, as if Eduardo, or Andrei Arshavin, will develop the height and heart of Les Ferdinand. Seemingly, Sagna views the side-foot, 30-yard ball as a get-out-of-jail-free card: if I lose possession this way, he thinks, no-one will shout.

But, with Arsenal, crosses have the same effect as ten-yard passes to the opposition. Those wouldn’t be tolerated. Neither should can’t-be-bothered crosses.

Instead of hitting and hoping, Sagna should be creative. He learnt defence in Ligue 1: now he must learn attack in the Premier League. He should make runs into the box, rather than down the touchline. He should play one-twos infield, rather than in cul-de-sacs. In short, he should watch tapes of Robert Pires and Ashley Cole.

In two-and-a-half seasons, Sagna has started 85 Premier League games. In that time, he’s scored one goal - a near-post header at Chelsea - and made eight assists. That’s less than one every ten games. If he’s graduated in defence, he hasn’t mustered a GCSE going forward.

Twenty years ago, attacking was a bonus for full-backs, like batting was a bonus for wicket keepers. (Jack Russell played 54 tests, despite an average of 27; Matt Prior’s average is 42). Times change. At the moment, Sagna seems like an unwelcome throw-back.

For the first time, Sagna has serious competition for his place. We know he defends better than Eboue. Now, please, he must attack better as well.