Can Santiago Cazorla win the PFA Player of the Year Award? By Twig
The last time an Arsenal player won the PFA player of the year award was since Robin van Persie which feels like it was very long ago. This season, the two Arsenal players who seem closest to this award are Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla.
Understandably, Sanchez has won most of the plaudits having scored 12 goals for Arsenal in his debut season and wowing everyone with his tireless display. However, since the turn of the year, and after being moved to his preferred number 10 position, something seems to have clicked with Cazorla, and he’s probably now in the best form of his career. He put in probably the best individual performance we’ve seen from an Arsenal player since “Arshavin versus Liverpool (Check the JustArsenal Gallery now for the highlights of this game in case you haven’t watched it)” against Manchester City, getting an impossible WhoScored rating of 10. Thierry Henry said after the game:
“I said before the game that people were focusing on Sanchez but at the moment, Cazorla is the guy that makes the team tick.”
His performances haven’t gone unrewarded though and he has won back to back PFA player of the month for January and February. For the ultimate prize though, there have been so many great performers this season and Cazorla faces a stiff test if he’s to win the award. Aguero has been imperious for Manchester City whenever he has been fit and Harry Kane has been the revelation of the season. For Chelsea, the trio of Costa, Hazard and Fabregas have been in great form as well, inspiring Chelsea to the top of the league.
Perhaps the disadvantage Cazorla has is Arsenal’s league placement at the moment, where we’re in a neck-to-neck race with Southampton for 4th place, and the title all but gone. Secondly, although Cazorla has scored 3 goals in his last 6 games for Arsenal, all have been from the penalty spot. Also with the return to form of Mesut Ozil, and with Jack Wilshere resuming training, Cazorla might find himself shifted to his less effective position on the left wing in some games.
So Gooners what do you think? Do you think Cazorla or any Arsenal player has what it takes to be crowned the best EPL player for this season?
Twig