Santi Cazorla: My Friend, Is Adios, No?

[carlito'sway]

Our best midfield pairing is Coq and Zorla..period.

All Wenger has done is inverted the pressure origination when we are in defensive transition, which in my opinion is brilliant( disrupt attacks in their formative stages) . Coq sits higher for that and Zorla can initiate deep.

Ransey / Neny ? Still hanging unti the idea that Ramsey is an 8? Neny lacks the instinct and combativeness of a Coq.

Xhaka---well we know Wenger hesitates to start him, most likely because he wants him as an 8 and right now, he just isn't ready. I happen to to think this whole inverted 6/8 with Coq and Zorla is for his benefit as he will take over from Santi eventually .

Great post mate....Nailed it. The inverted pressure is definitely what Arsène is doing now. He did it before with Viera.
Some folks here are confusing the role of the CM/DLP that Santi is playing. It is key to have someone there with vision, creativity and technique able to initiate transitions from defense to offense. Nobody is better than Santi so far in that role and I would add that Ramsey is thw worst for obvious reasons.
Eventually Xhaka will get there, Arsène will want him to be a bit more mobile though.

 

[Trilly]

Still don't get the thread title tbh.

And I know what deus ex machina means.

 

[Aevi]

Still don't get the thread title tbh.

And I know what deus ex machina means.

It was made last season for last season, when he was supposed to save us when coming back from injury. It's now outdated, so you're right, it needs changing...

 

[carlito'sway]

It was made last season for last season, when he was supposed to save us when coming back from injury. It's now outdated, so you're right, it needs changing...

Let's think about a new title.....

 

[Aevi]

Let's think about a new title.....

I went a bit generic. If anyone thinks of something good, I'm all ears.

 

[razörist]

Santi Cazorla: Laughing At The Haters

 

[carlito'sway]

Santi Cazorla: Laughing At The Haters

I like this....

 

[RUS arsenal]

It was made last season for last season, when he was supposed to save us when coming back from injury. It's now outdated, so you're right, it needs changing...

Santi Cazorla: Pirlo 2.0, now comes in bite size!

 

[say yes]

Santi Cazorla: Dizzy, immobile and lacking penetration

 

[say yes]

Half kidding there because I love Cazorla - but I'm not convinced at all by having him&Özil in a midfield 3.

 

[carlito'sway]

Santi Cazorla: Dizzy, immobile and lacking penetration The Mummy...

FYP

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

I went a bit generic. If anyone thinks of something good, I'm all ears.

It's spot on lad .

Not sure if we should go with Santi against Chelski though, he won't be given the freedom he got against Watford and Hull- two games he was excellent in.

 

[celestis]

Our best midfield pairing is Coq and Zorla..period.

All Wenger has done is inverted the pressure origination when we are in defensive transition, which in my opinion is brilliant( disrupt attacks in their formative stages) . Coq sits higher for that and Zorla can initiate deep.

Ransey / Neny ? Still hanging unti the idea that Ramsey is an 8? Neny lacks the instinct and combativeness of a Coq.

Xhaka---well we know Wenger hesitates to start him, most likely because he wants him as an 8 and right now, he just isn't ready. I happen to to think this whole inverted 6/8 with Coq and Zorla is for his benefit as he will take over from Santi eventually .

Great post mate.

 

[celestis]

Santi Cazorla: Dizzy, immobile and lacking penetration

My ex said that about me too.

 

[Proof]

Xhaka or Ramsey will eventually take Cazorla's place.

Cazorla is an extremely useful player to have. Although his minutes must be managed very carefully. He's past his prime and coming off a long term knee injury. I don't think Wenger should have started him for two games in a week with all the options available and our terrible injury record. It was a risky move but fortunately it paid off.

I don't mind him as our CM against Watford, Hull City or other similar teams. He also isn't helped by the role Coquelin seems to have been given this season.

 

[carlito'sway]

Xhaka or Ramsey will eventually take Cazorla's place.

Cazorla is an extremely useful player to have. Although his minutes must be managed very carefully. He's past his prime and coming off a long term knee injury. I don't think Wenger should have started him for two games in a week with all the options available and our terrible injury record. It was a risky move but fortunately it paid off.

I don't mind him as our CM against Watford, Hull City or other similar teams. He also isn't helped by the role Coquelin seems to have been given this season.

Mate, what makes you think Cazorla is past his prime? I have not seen anything this season (and last season as well) that could remotely support that.
For my money, he has been one of our best if not our best player so far this season.

 

[Proof]

Mate, what makes you think Cazorla is past his prime? I have not seen anything this season (and last season as well) that could remotely support that.

I don't see him replicating the 2013 form, when he was our best player of the season, he was magical during his Arsenal debut season. He was the driving force of the team.

But being past your prime doesn't automatically make you a bad player because the football IQ is still there. Buffon, Lahm, De Rossi, Ibrahimović or Iniesta are also players who I think are past their prime but they would still start for most teams in the world and the same applies for Cazorla. If I was a manager I would love to have a team consisting all the players mentioned above.

Santi plays the game with such ease and grace. He is the kind of player you can't help but admire and respect because he just seems so likable as a person and footballer.

 

[carlito'sway]

He was playing a different role in 2013 though and it is even more impressive how he managed to reinvent himself as a CM.
I disagree with the "past in prime"comment but agree with the rest of your comments... (for once..). The dude is a joy to watch and seems to be such a likable person by all accounts.

PS. Lahm, Buffon for that matter are not past their prime.
They are like good wine! .

 

[Reverse Flash]

Dont think he is past it one bit, he has always adapted throughout his career to various obstacles. At Villareal he used to play with Riquelme on wings, brilliant pacy dribbler as he was. He moved to Malaga and played as advanced CM and was their heartbeat. He moved here and played at no 10, later moved to CM. I havent seen many players who can play multiple positions in their career and perform different roles with such a high level of class. Wenger has gotten the best out of him and he is doing everything the team requires of him.

He has lost a bit of pace and stamina but thats to be expected at this point. His desire and game has actually improved making him more combative.

 

[bingobob]

Mate, what makes you think Cazorla is past his prime? I have not seen anything this season (and last season as well) that could remotely support that.
For my money, he has been one of our best if not our best player so far this season.

Age. He is 31 about to turn 32 and at that age footballers generally aren't as good as they were in the mid twenties. Their body takes longer to recover and like an older car there will be several extra thousand miles on the clock. There isn't as much freshness as there once was. Players consider retiring at this point and normally followed through within a few years or goto a less demanding league.

Cazorla specifically has never had any real bad injuries with us and last year he had two separate bad injuries. As above recovery time takes longer and therefore longer rest period is needed. Given his age this is a double whammy.

Thankfully Santi never relied on his pace and that should allow him to keep going for longer at the top level but that doesn't mean how we manage him shouldn't change. Lots of factors going against him.