Date: 19th October 2014 at 7:00pm
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If there were such thing as a positive to come from an injury crisis, it would be the decreased competition for places and the simplified decision making process for mangers. Injuries often give the manager little to no choice when it comes to replacement players, and this is the case with Santi Cazorla.

He has always been a natural central play maker but has been cast out wide since the arrival of Ozil. Ozil’s injury leaves Wenger with no real choice but to move Santi back into a central role. And considering Ramsey and Arteta were down as well until recently, Cazorla was the only real choice to replace Ozil.

Injury crisis aside, Cazorla should be playing centrally. He has a natural eye for a pass and his ability with both feet make him extremely difficult to predict and stifle. He has scintillating close control an his low center of gravity makes him a real handful for defenders.

The problem arises however when Ozil is in the picture, and the German’s defectiveness when out of position. Cazorla can play on the wing, Ozil can’t. Comparing the two would be difficult as they are considerably different players. Cazorla’s two footed ability (still have no clue which foot he favors) and shooting range are a notch above Ozil’s, but Ozil’s vision and passing ability would always give him the nod (when he’s on form that is).

Wenger’s dilemma is figuring out how to include them both and get the best out of both players. Playing them alongside each other centrally would limit space for those behind them and most likely mean either Wilshere, Ramsey, or Arteta would make way. That would make for an awkward formation and tactics as well (4-2-2-2?) and simply not feasible.

Cazorla’s best position is unequivocally in the centre. He should get a decent run their with Ozil out, but Wenger still must sort it out when the pair of them are available.

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6 responses to “Is THIS Arsenal star better deployed in a central position?”

  1. Panther says:

    That is the problem, Wenger has bought so many of the same type of player and he wants to play them all at the same time. Wenger needs to add variety to his teams for example; buy defensive midfielders to play in front of the back four and rotate the attacking midfielders according to the opponents.

  2. sunny says:

    Personally, I prefer Carzola to Ozil in the middle on present form. Ozil is out of form and too lazy for my liking.

  3. atid says:

    ozil, cazorla, rosicky, wilshie, chamberlain – I don’t think who plays the no,10 role out of any them is the problem, its who plays around that position is this issue. the fact that we have 5 players that can compete for the no.10 role yet hardly any that can play in the holding roles or left wing is down to the manager. instead of buying square pegs then fitting them in round holes he needs to buy some round pegs.

  4. Twivil says:

    Caz can’t run- can’t close down- can’t tackle, can’t cross- never runs beyond and never moves after a pass. In short- he is totally unsuited for wengerball in attack or defence. No other top side would play him by choice. Playing him and Mert makes sure we will not do anything in the Prem or CL. Some of us have been saying this ever since they came to the club. They are not fit for purpose- decent reserves or 75min substitutions. That’s it.

  5. david k.mandona says:

    Thanks RAY PARLOUR, for introducing the wenger cup, which arsene wenger would be delighted to win and get excited all over, its not possible to keep club money like in the bank and want to compete with clubs that has quality players, why keep expired players like, roscisky, arteta, diaby, mertsucker, these players do not add value to the club, you shouldn’t have let go varmelien first. you tweet.