The Cult of Zaba

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/12/pablo-zabaleta-positive-manchester-city

"A wholly positive player, Zabaleta's consistency and brave, combative style have earned him many admirers in England and something approaching cult status at City. Unusually for an overseas player, he seems to embrace the physicality of English football rather than shrink from it."

As usual, the clichés are out, name me one Argentinian player in the prem who falls over like Bale or Young?
I think Zaba already has cult status at City, he's been here since 08


" ...In Argentina the people have always loved to watch football, but now they watch more English football because we have a lot of key players in this league. Real and Barcelona are still the top teams and everybody talks about Messi or Higuaín and Di María. But City is a massive club now in Argentina and I can see shirts with Agüero and Tevez when I go back. In my home city, at least, you see more City shirts than United."

Will go down in the same breath as a Dickov or Goater for me. Legend.

A couple of years ago I kept hearing comments from some corners about how Zab wasn't the player we needed to take us forward and he should be sold at the earliest opportunity. I always said no, I could see his commitment and courage on the field, his ability to fill a hole anywhere in the team... but was told I was wrong and we didn't need that sort of player.

The point that I felt a general change in attitude was that Everton game in 2010, when Fellaini and Arteta basically beat the crap out of him. In the replacement number 60 shirt and a bandaged and bleeding head, he still went for every header, every tackle, every loose ball. And all those naysayers in the crowd were cheering for him, saying how he's the heart and soul of City.

And he's just getting better and better. He's shown passion, commitment, desire, strength, courage and recently a decent amount of skill. And he's modest and generous too, as he shows in his total lack of bitterness at his countrymen wearing Aguero and Tevez, but not his own name on their shirts. If that's not enough to earn him legend status then I don't know what is. Maybe a few more goals will do it?