Did Arsenal’s season really end with Cazorla’s injury? By SK
Santi Cazorla is a midfield maestro! He is strong, fast and a bundle of skill. For several seasons, he has been pulling the strings at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, assisting our strikers to score, while also contributing with goals himself. However, this season, his impact has not been felt because of ongoing issues with injuries.
Santi Cazorla’s injury has taken so long to heal; with several fixed dates for his return not being met, probably due to old age. His absence no doubt, has been felt at Arsenal but the exaggeration of his impact is what I don’t really buy into! A player can be so good to the extent of performing wonders in his team but a team must learn to cope without a player; no player should decide the success or failure of a team, no matter how talented.
Arsenal is blessed with talented players who can control the midfield, they are blessed with players who can score or assist. Arsenal is blessed with players who can put the team on a winning run that will lead to success. But what is stopping them from performing to their peak? Is it lack of zeal? Is it lack of motivation? What exactly is the problem?
Arsenal’s problems have been there for a while, some people saw it coming and kept quiet, others didn’t see it! Football pundits always knew it was only a matter of time before our club imploded but the coaching crew at Arsenal never saw it or they did and decided to keep quiet while wishing it will never happen. Arsenal’s major problem has been Wenger’s short sightedness and his lack of planning.
Cazorla’s injury problems have been there for a couple of seasons but the coach never did anything to find a like to like replacement for him. The club’s scouts never did their job to find a good player who could replacing the ageing Cazorla. Now, we are being subjected to watching a midfield lacking creativity without Cazorla! What a pity!
What about the current midfielders we have at Arsenal? Why are they not stepping up to the challenge? The answer is simple; they are either not good enough or not motivated enough! It still boils down to the Wenger factor! Wenger needs to go before Arsenal can recover. From the way the players play on the field of play, it is obvious they have lost faith in the coaching abilities of the coach and the earlier the club finds a way to motivate them, the better for everybody involved in Arsenal. The players can come out to defend their coach for all I care, it is all a plot to remain in the good books of Wenger but the truth is, Arsenal’s season did not implode because of Cazorla’s injury, it did because of Wenger’s lack of ideas. Am I wrong?
Sylvester Kwentua
They actually did a speed test at the club (its in one of the ox’s interviews, talking about how Santi physically defies everything that should make a good midfielder) and he’s actually about as quick as Per… it’s his low centre of gravity and insane change of direction that makes him appear quick.
I really don’t like how fans always talk of replacements.. who did Santi replace in the invincibles that everyone still acts as though are the only player moulds to exist?
We need an actual team with clear roles set out for them, and a game plan. Not a bunch of playmakers with our striker playing like a false-9 with no-one making forward runs or spacing the opposition to do so!!
No runs into the box and we expect goals to cme from i dont know where. No crosses into the box also hehe we really are playing like fifa where you just pass pass pass till ur opponent snatches the ball and he scores you on a counter. Then you are left wondering i am playing well, i hve all the ball why they score me
Since we are comparing players, here’s a question. if you must chose, who will that be: Pires or Sanchez?
One could argue that Santi’s absence could have been covered had it not been for the disappointing impact (thus far) of Xhaka. Xhaka was billed as the box to box player with both defensive skills and creative abilities including excellent passing skills. As it turns out Xhaka could not quite shine in his first season and it seemed he could not gel with his midfield partners whether they were Coq, Elneny or Ramsey. Paired with them they never looked very solid either defensively or going forward. As a result, uncharacteristically in most games, we struggled in midfield, we were often overrun by opposing teams in that area of the park leaving our defense, already dubious, exposed and out of position too often.
Nowa days midfield is where it at. Koeman when coach of Feyenoord years ago realized he didn’t have the talent available to compete with the likes of Ajax so he switched to 3 at the back to allow more bodies in midfield, this had great success. Then in the last world cup Van Gaal copied Koeman and experimented with 3 at the back Holland finished 3rd. We all know quite a few teams in the PL now have adopted this formation including Chelsea. This allows for more players in midfield and for more effective pressing. With nothing further to play for, you wonder why Arsene has not experimented with different formations.