Cazorla’s future may be in doubt, despite what Wenger says!
Santi Cazorla is highly regarded as a fan favourite at the Emirates and one of the most influential and talented players that the Gunners have on the books. He started the season well and showed his importance to the side, yet in the last month he has struggled with fitness and hasn’t been able to get past a niggling injury that’s keeping him out of the side.
Cazorla missed the majority of last season due to injury and his absence from the side was painful on the team. We missed his stability and creativity in midfield and many believe that had the Gunners had Cazorla fit for the whole season, perhaps our chances of winning the title last year would’ve been much better. On his return from injury in the final stages of the last campaign, Cazorla immediately brought a breath of fresh air to the team and he showed the Gunners exactly what we had been missing.
A year on from his last major injury diagnosis and we find ourselves in almost the same situation again, this time with the Spaniard being ruled out for an unknown period of time, due to a inflammation at the back of his Achilles.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of tomorrow’s champions league match, Wenger said: ‘I don’t know how far Santi is (from returning). He looks to me to that he is making progress, but as long as a player is not in full time training with the squad it is difficult to set targets.
“It’s not a big injury, it’s not an injury which will harm his future, but it’s an inflammation at the back of his achilles, and it’s very difficult on inflammations to give a set time.’
Wenger sounds like a manager to me who may have given up on predicting a set date for Cazorla’s return and I mean no wonder he has, Le Prof is being asked the same question at almost every opportunity. However I do think it’s a worry that Cazorla doesn’t have a set return date, purely because of how much it has shown this season that we have missed him, and perhaps even more so the fact that he also missed most of last season through injury.
Interestingly Wenger also said that this isn’t an injury that will harm his future at the club, because let’s remember he’s now 31 years old and one of the more experienced Gunners in the side. Cazorla is still a first team regular when fit, but these consistent injury problems are becoming quite concerning and if the midfielder cannot keep his fitness up, it could spell a sorry end to what has been a truly fantastic career for the Spaniard at Arsenal.
Cazorla’s contract is coming to an end and with the Gunners yet to renew it or even begin talks with the player, it could prove vital in negotiations that Cazorla shows that these little injuries aren’t going to become a consistent problem in the last few years of his career at the top. Arsenal are known for only handing out 1 year deals to players over the age of 30 and so there is a lot riding of Cazorla to prove his fitness to the Arsenal bosses this season.
Get well soon Santi!
By AH
He needs proper rest and should not be rushed back. I thought they said Arsenal is well staffed in the midfield area to the extent we have to loan out Jack. What’s the fuss about Cazorla absence? Don’t we have midfielders who can replace him? Are we just saying that we have one of the best midfield in the premier league for saying sake? It’s time we proved our claim!
Damn right!
Cazorla, Sanchez and Coquelin are the players that made us dominate in the midfield area. Other players like Ozil, Walcott, Ox and Xhaka should improve their ball possession skills and try to create more key passes, like our technically gifted players, Cazorla and Sanchez. Very difficult to dispossess and has high vision to create dangerous passes.
Barcelona is dominated by players like Cazorla, that is why they can dominate the midfield area. Whether Cazorla is staying or leaving, I hope we will have a replacement with the same level. I don’t see anybody in Arsenal that matches Cazorla’s level of ball control, possession and vision, except Sanchez.
I agree with you but I’ve been wondering we haven’t replaced Tomas TR7. a very direct attacking midfielder.and there a few people who play like that.
I am really hoping that Wilshere has a successful loan spell at Bournemouth(which he is having so far) and comes back stronger…he is the only one(imo) at Arsenal who can be just as effective as Cazorla in the Deep Lying Playmaker role..!!
Wilshere! No chance.
Anyway he won’t be an Arsenal player next season.
No one is as good as Cazorla! He is not only brilliant he is also our lucky charm. I would love to see the winning ratio from when Cazorla plays, compared to say Ramsey!
I’m confuse you say ozil is the best number ten in the world them no one is like carzola in the team he is a number ten so who is better do we have room in the team for those two players
Its not bloody Carzola, get you Arsenal players spelled right at least!
He plays behind Ozil and not the same position. Haven’t you noticed that they play together all the ttime!
With the current squad that we have, Carzola seems unsubstitutable. His unavailability is very unfortunate for Arsenal at this time as it’s already telling on the team why we need him to be in matches we play. Recall, we have drawn 2 matches back to back now in the absence of Carzola. His pairing, especially, with Coquelin is second to none in the league. I have taken time to even observe Coquelin in games he’s paired with Carzola, he tends to be exceptionally motivated to go extra miles having a highly technically sound a player beside to assist him. Little wonder we see the best of Coquelin in such matches, Carzola makes up for and complement the shortcomings of any player he’s paired with in the middle of the park. He’s such a maestro for any team in the league to adore. His creativity, vision, balance, dribbles and killer passes coupled with his experience are very much needed now. Don’t know, Arsenal should strife to have 2 of someone like him in the squad. What Sanchez brings on board is very undoubtedly phenomenal but is different from Carzolar’s.
Why is everyone calling him Carzola today? Are you trying to wind up Alexis The Great lol
Cazorla’s absence is adversely affecting the teams performance. His ball retention and trickery is essential at the heart of our midfield and makes the whole team tick. It’s unfortunate that he is injured without a suitable replacement. When Xhaka was bought I thought he would be a midfield maestro like cazorla but based on what we’ve seen so far, he’s not. Xhaka’s ball retention and dribbling skills are nowhere near cazorla’s, only in pitch awareness is he able to match cazorla. As for Ramsey, he seems unwilling to recognize the deficiencies in his game and make the required improvement. I said it before and will reiterate it… I am not convinced elneny should be playing for Arsenal. Well…let’s hope cazorla is not away for too long!