Arsenal playing Cazorla to STOP his summer transfer?

I have a feeling that one of the main reasons for Arsene Wenger to persist with the same Arsenal starting line up for the sixth Premier League game in a row at the moment, is to accommodate our Spanish international midfielder Santi Cazorla and that could be to ensure that the little magician is still an Arsenal player next season.

I am not saying that Cazorla is not good enough to be in our starting XI, of course, but that his new role in the deeper lying box to box role is not his best position. This was highlighted again yesterday as Cazorla struggled to really take the game by the scruff of the neck and control it from the centre and that we looked much more potent when Aaron Ramsey was moved back to the middle from his wide right role.

There have been various Arsenal transfer rumours suggesting that Santi was wanted back in the Spanish La Liga by clubs including Atletico Madrid, and maybe Wenger is worried that he will be sorely be tempted to go. Not only do Arsenal need to be capable of winning the Premier League trophy next season, but Cazorla needs to feel confident that he will be in the team as we do.

With very strong competition for places from the likes of Ozil, Ramsey, Walcott, Alexis and Welbeck, our number 19 may feel under threat and so Wenger is moving to reassure him of his importance to the team. But can we really afford to do that in important games like the one at Old Trafford? Do you expect him to start in the FA Cup final and if so, in what position?

Tags Ozil Ramsey

50 Comments

    1. Lately, carzola have not really been carzola (if y’all know what i mean)….. Its frustrating to watch carzola not being carzola.

      @ greg….he one time stated he wished to make a return to his boyhood club “real oviedo”…. but he didn’t state when

      1. He is plaing almost like a cmf more than an AMF recently. First he needs rest then come back and play amf, His also become to hesitant when shooting, they always first time shot on the cutback from in or around the d which don’t test keeper anymore.

    2. Santi has done well, and his value has never been higher.
      I would bench him, so it doesn’t hurt his transfer value.

  1. Wenger needs to play santi in his natural position, and stop shifting around players! Coyg!

    1. I do think AW needs to let him go home now. But as I have said our team needs a rest. We should win this week so put the B team out nice and fresh. Our be team will pick the points up. If he don’t I can see villa taking the cup because to them it’s the world

  2. Fact is if we want to win the EPL I think we should let him go this summer. We like him but he is 30 I think and only has a few years left. To win you must be nasty and that would be the start. I could get rid of ten players from our team and you all keep saying let TW go well very wrong great player. We need a captain for the team and my choice would be A S no brainier the man don’t stop running. But I would rest him until the cup game as I would 5 players. We will piss the last 2 games and need to be fresh because we look shattered at the mo.

  3. No. We’ve been playing Cazorla because he’s one of our best players and has been in excellent form. He’s been poor these last 2 games, so I think Ramsey, who’s been playing quite well on the wing, should take him place as CM. Cazorla onto the bench and Walcott on the right.

    1. No way!! That’s absolute nonsense!!
      The conspiracy theories are much more believable. The fact that we’ve lost only two games this year while shifting him back there, his beautiful long balls and wizardry in the middle of the park had absolutely nothing to do with it…

  4. I bet Wenger is gambling on Cazorla adapting this playing style so he doesn’t need to look for a midfield general in the summer. Unfortunately Cazorla isn’t really good at this positions (at least versus solid opposition).

    IF he goes, we’ll have a hard time replacing him though. My ideal replacement would be Isco, I have developed a crush on his playing style.

  5. Chelsea are down 3-0 to west brom! Just the thought of them losing puts a huge smile on my face!

      1. I don’t get it either, they won the league almost a monh ago and have youth players getting game time. Sad state some of the Arsenal fan basehas become

    1. a strong chelski team Losing huh!……… Pls remind me who already has the League title this season…..and pls do remind me if they ever lost to a Top team this season……. And while you are at it, explain how world class courtois against westbrom

      1. and chelski Losing at the start, middle and end of the season to both top and bottom table teams will be the sweetest thing!…..not after they have already secured the League

  6. i think we should use cazorla as part of player plus cash for griezmann, santi is great but he’s getting on ,he wants to finish his career in spain . get dm my first choice is kondogbia , griezmann he can play anywhere across the front 3 , i wont complain if we get cech but would like someone a little younger leno maybe

    1. Why would Atletico Madrid swap their star player? He scored 22 goals in La Liga alone, so what would be their motivation to swap? Cazrola? I don’t think so, don’t get me wrong Cazorla is great but Atletico is not short on Midfield.

  7. Cazorla is 30 and getting old. We need to buy 3 AMs if we want to win the league.

    #Hafizmode:ON

    1. haha if we’re going hafiz mode I think the ‘attacking midfielders’ you’re referring to would be messi, bale and hazard. MUST BUY!!!!!!!!!!

  8. OT. WBA 3-0 CHE. After Arsenal’s win the other thing I love most is Chelsea’s loss.
    Even they are losing but still Mou is parking the bus.

  9. We have ended up playing
    the same X1 because
    1. They have played well.
    2. Every game has been a must win
    3 Of the others available none have been good enough
    because of injury, form or lack of talent

    1. Nice summation. Couldn’t be more closer to the truth.
      The 3rd point is one I am hoping we work on come next season, especially in the attack where we’ve got
      1. Chamberlain: Quality talent. Better work-rate than Walcott. But he is often absent with injuries so he hasn’t really being developing well.
      2. Welbeck: He is a bag of potentials, that one. At the moment though, He suffers from quality-deficiency. He is too raw to even be considered a worthy competition for Giroud. Kind of like the body of a 23 years old super athlete with the brain of a 13 years old academy-level CF.
      3. Walcott: Injury scare? Contract issues? Doesn’t fit well into the new system of play? Doesn’t work enough in the defense? Can’t figure out this one!

      1. welbz makes good runs, tracks back. just sometimes his touch and finishing… not sure why you re being soo hard on him. he is footy smart, maybe you not so much

      2. I think Theo’s defensive issues are blown out a bit. More often than not he pins his full-back back with him if he doesn’t track back through the counter threat

    1. Doubt it, he’s hugging Pulis and they’re smiling, as much as I like to see Chelsea losing I don’t think he cares. He fielded 3 youth players

      1. @treugunner12
        He fielded the youth players after they were already 2-0 and a man down. He did Pulis a solid…

      2. I’m sure mourinho doesn’t mind much but us arsenal fans cant have it both ways. either both teams are expected not to be effected by he end of season malaise or we accept arsenal getting that very same feeling. we aren’t fighting for much now are we?

        1. Difference is Chelsea won the league by quite a distance and literally have nothing to play for. Wheras we are in a cup final and haven’t secured 3rd yet, moreover as a team that aims to be pushing for silverware on all fronts next season finishing strongly sends out a statement of intent and helps confidence levels going into next season as well as the FA Cup.

  10. Akpom’s back from his loan spell @ forest, hopefully he’ll get game time in the last 2 games 4 us

  11. Okay? So Wenger plays Cazorla, but plays him out of position so that he stays?

    Genius! That will stop him from leaving..

  12. two off topic points: 1.Mou said his priority next year is for Chelsea to qualify for Champion’s league. Arsene is right then about the importance of doing so. He may not give us all that we want, but he has consistently given us this. He deserves respect for this. 2. Fabregas was sent off today, can’t remember when this happened to him in Arsenal (Straight Red). Is he catching the Chelsea indiscipline bug?

  13. Do we need top top players?
    Arsenal gets 2nd/3rd with
    1 top top player Ozil
    2 top players Sanchez Koz
    7 Steady battlers Ospina Mertz Monreal Coqu Ramsey Cazorla Giroud
    1 up and comer Bellerin

    The other 22 squad members.
    Injury prone potential.
    Ox Walcott Gnabry DeBuchy Wilshere Gibbs
    Unproven. Jenkinson Hayden Chambers Gabriel
    Zelalem Campbell Martinez Bielik.
    Off form. Szcz.
    Over the hill. Arteta Rosicky Podolski Flamini
    Injury wrecks. Sanogo Diaby
    Useless. Ryo
    A squad of 33 with just 11 good enough to start
    So do we need lots of top top players.
    It would seem not.
    Culling 12 Sh#t players and reducing the squad to the best 21
    would be smart. Then add 4 quallity players =squad 25.

  14. Chelsea losing 3-0 to WBA is anti climax Champions game lose. Even Bayern Munich have suffered from the anti climax Champions game loses too. When they are already the Champions, they somehow lack the impetus to continue winning. Even if we win our home game against Sunderland on Wednesday night, we will still be 10 points behind Chelsea. So, what’s the fussing about? The Boss could be wanting to keep Santiago Cazorla at Arsenal next season. The guy is good and is worth keeping another season at Arsenal. So, I don’t blame the Boss for wanting to keep him. But if his current playing role in this 6th unchanged starting XI has not worked well, let the Boss revert him to his suited playing role in the team to reduce friction in the team action on the field of play. But would the Boss accept this reverting? I doubt. The Boss doesn’t act on the popular demands of the Gooners but keep to his own principle and stetergy. The issue at hand now is, let the Gunners be fully prepared to beat the Black Cats to get that much need 3 points to book their Champions League direct ticket in grand style. Despite needing only a draw to achieve that feast. Their home lose to Swansea MUST not repeat itself from could be still be relegated Sunderland outfit.

  15. If carzola wants to leave then let him leave…there will be no place for him once Wenger signs Fans fav Schneiderlin

    Coq and SChneiderlin will partner each other in the DM and CM role…..just like Wanyama and Schneiderlin….

  16. Cazorla and walcott to leave, ramsey moved into the middle and perhaps sterling to join for lw?
    seems to be where everything is headed, unless pool refuse to let him leave

    1. Arsene seems to like him. I hope we don’t get Sterling. He’d be extremely expensive and judging by his actions at Liverpool, not the type of player we should be looking at. Honestly I’d rather have Oxlade-Chamberlain than Sterling.

      We all like poking fun at them, but Liverpool are still a big club. A 20 year old demanding a move and thinking he’s bigger than the club is troubling. Most good young players at least wait until a bigger club has come knocking before taking the decision to leave. Where’s Sterling going to do better at than Liverpool? Only 2 places I can see Sterling going – Arsenal or Man City. Hope it’s Man City.

      1. I think he would actually do well for us.
        Money may not be his objective here, he seems to want cl football and glory, he seems resigned to the fact that he isn’t getting that at Liverpool, I also believe that seeing his 34 yr old captain leave Liverpool without a pl medal may have tipped the scales.

        Carrager also said raheem wants to move back to London, I think at arsenal he would not be under the same pressure as he is at pool, they look to him to win every game, that is too much for a boy.

        Also, arsene Wenger knows how to improve attacking players. Sterling clearly has something, he has massive potential and Wenger would probably get it out of him.

        In terms of comparison with the ox, Im not willing to say I’d rather either, but sterling scoresm creates and is very rarely injured, it would also give singer the chance to try ox in the middle.

  17. We already have 4 African
    lads at RW, Walcott Gnabry
    Ox and Wellbeck
    The academy is full of African lads Zelalem Niles Akpom .
    Do we really need another one?
    Agree Stirling has creativity goal scoring and low injury history
    but he could get injured on day one, Walcott scored 20 goals 2 seasons. You say Wenger develops potential but does he?
    Ox Gnabry Wellbeck Sanogo Walcott Wilshere
    Campbell Podolski have not exactly flourished under Wenger.
    Nor did Chamakh Girvinho Park Bendtner Djourou.
    Flamini and Rosicky hardly play.
    May be they are simply not good enough so why hang
    on to them and besides who brought them to the club in the first place?
    Stirling yes but only if we swap Walcott.
    We should not have to spend money on a rht wing
    when we already have 5 who can play there.

    1. I agree we should swap Walcott, he has had his chance and is no longer worth the amount he is paid injured way too much to be worthy of 100k a wk.

      I would argue about arsene wengers record for developing potential. Fabregas, Henry, Van Persie, Vieira, Cole, toure, nasri, song, Ramsey, sagna, adebayor, pires, all players that Wenger transformed into superb players whilst at arsenal, of course he has had failures, but you’d be hard pressed to find many who have more successes than him.

      I assume by African you mean black, I fail to see why that matters, you mention zelalem and apkom who don’t even play in the same position.

      Claiming the ox gnabry and wilshere haven’t worked out is ridiculous, the ox is 21, gnabry is 19 and wilshere is 23, how you could expect any of them to be a success this early is beyond me.

      Gnabry has just a handful of appearances for us and was on the whole impressive.

      The ox is simply missing an end product, which is usually the case with players so young.

      Before his injury problems nobody would ever have called wilshere a failure, in fact talk was rife of him being a future captain of both club and country. Whilst his ankles have taken him several steps back, I have confidence he will return to top form, how you can condemn probably the only player at arsenal who couldn’t seen themselves playing anywhere else is beyond me, he is arsenal through and through, and has huge ability and potential.

      Do not forget that their peak years are 27 onwards, they have a long time to go yet.

      Joel Campbell was bought for under 1mil, and if sold this summer will fetch roughly 10, so yes that is a monetary success despite him not getting a real chance to crack the first team squad.

      Rosicky was 25 when bought, and I don’t think many on here would agree he wasn’t a good signing.

      Wenger has only had 1 yr with welbeck, although I do not expect him to become top class, I will give him longer than one season.

      I am sure Walcott will be part of the deal for sterling, pool will squeeze money out too, either way, Sanchez and sterling on either wing, with real pace and trickery will have defenses nervous.

      I just hope we get a top striker to go into the middle of them.

      Well done if you read all of that lol.

      1. Great analysis really. Walcott for the speed, pace & the good finisher that he showed he can be doesn’t seem despite what the manager he’s saying publicly to have his full backing. One thing that shows it is Ramsey playing at the RW (which may also be because he wants to accommodate Ramsey, Cazorla & Ozil at the same time with balance). It also seems at this point with the contract talks, lack of playing time and all the injuries he has suffer (when the team moved on and made 1 big signing after another) maybe a change would do him the world of good. Somewhere where he can be a starter in one of his preferred position if not the main option and build from there (something we can’t afford to bet on). Sterling would be ideal for the swap + cash; everybody including both clubs would be getting what they’re looking for.

    2. this is just daft
      walcott is english
      so is welbeck
      gnabry is German
      campbell is costarican
      djorou is from Switzerland
      and if your cpmplaining of the amount of black lads in the academy then take it up with the yoputh system because these kids
      work their asses off to be football players
      so obviously you are racist

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