I am not too sure what the Arsenal and Spain international midfielder Santi Cazorla has to smile about at the minute. The 29-year old ballooned a couple of great chances to get his scoring off the mark against Sunderland miles over the bar.
The Spaniard has so far failed to take his chance to shine in the number 10 role in the absence of our German play maker Mesut Ozil. Cazorla did get Arsenal off to a great start this season, scoring the first of three goals as the Gunners comfortably beat the Premier League champions Man City in the Community shield. But just as that result was followed by a disappointing run of results for Arsenal, Cazorla has yet to score again and has been largely disappointing.
Maybe that is why he has hardly featured for Spain recently, which must be frustrating for the 29-year old. However, he has told Arsenal Player that he does not let these things get to him and feels that it is important for him to focus on enjoying himself, whether on the pitch or just in training and in the dressing room.
And Santi thinks that this helps him and his team mates and is really the only way for him to carry on. So he seems to be pretty confident that his attitude will win out and will help him to find his best form again on the pitch, especially with the happy recent memory of winning the FA cup with Arsenal in May.
The Spaniard said, “For me the most important thing is to enjoy myself when I play. Football is my life and if I don’t enjoy the game then I will have a problem in my career.
“I’ve been playing football since I was seven and I always enjoyed playing with my brother and friends on the street. Now I enjoy playing with my team-mates and that is the most important thing in football. I am very lucky to play big games in the Premier League and Champions League.
“Football is my job and I always play for the fans and the club. It’s always important for the players to feel happy on the pitch, in training and in the dressing room. I try every day to be happy for my team-mates.
“Sometimes it’s good to always be happy and sometimes it’s not that good. Having a good atmosphere around the club is important for me and the team. It’s the same on the pitch – if you train happy, you will play happy.
“Winning the FA Cup was one of the best moments of my career and I always thank my fans because I love the song they sing for me. They mean a lot to me and I hope we can win another trophy for them this year.”
So is it just a matter of time before our happy midfielder has a lot more reason to smile because of his performances on the pitch?