The little Spanish magician Santi Cazorla left Arsenal with little fanfare after missing out on two years of action while his nightmare ankle operations were failing regularly due to a bacteria that was eating his skin. He was getting close to recovery at the end of last season, and he was very keen to come back to Arsenal, for pre-season at least, to see if he could win his place back along with a new contract. But when he was asked what Arsenal’s answer was, he said: “No, they didn’t want to.
“They were very good, very honest. My idea was to do at Arsenal what I eventually did here. I knew whoever was going to sign me would have to see me first: nobody just gives you a contract. Pre-season with Arsenal, let them see me, then we all decide. But they couldn’t wait to finalise the squad. They said they’d help any way they could otherwise. I understood it, respected it. I’m eternally grateful.
“The people love me there and I’ll always have a connection with Arsenal, so much affection. Not being able to say goodbye playing at the Emirates is like a thorn in my side. If I had to leave, I wanted it to be in front of the fans.”
We were hoping at least to see him play five minutes of Wenger’s last match, but he didn’t even get that chance to say goodbye to the Arsenal fans.
He went back to his old club Villarreal, and recovered so well that he has started all three of their opening games. In hindsight, should Arsenal have given him another chance?
Admin
No.
Why?
I wish you can watch the way he is performing.he is class..i was not happy when we let him off.
I don’t think he would be able to go back to his prime and he is already 33 years old. He was a very good deep-lying playmaker in his peak, but it’s time to give the opportunities to Arsenal’s youngsters
Cristiano Ronaldo is a different case. He maintains his physical condition and speed as a forward, hence he can keep up with the younger players (even better than some of them)
Among all Arsenal players, I see only Torreira and Iwobi have something similar to Cazorla’s excellent close control style. I hope Arsenal can find more technically gifted players like them
Some “fans” have an obsession with AGE
Age is just a number
Guendozi is fantastic for his young age, Ibrahimovich was brilliant in his mid-30s,
Judge players on ABILITY not their birth date
Innit, spot on ?
But when he was asked what Arsenal’s answer was, he said: “No, they didn’t want to.
“They were very good, very honest. My idea was to do at Arsenal what I eventually did here. I knew whoever was going to sign me would have to see me first: nobody just gives you a contract. Pre-season with Arsenal, let them see me, then we all decide. But they couldn’t wait to finalise the squad. They said they’d help any way they could otherwise. I understood it, respected it. I’m eternally grateful.
Exactly what I want from arsenal…be ruthless and be honest to some players and they would still appreciate that honesty and call it class.. It is as simple as that……you can still help an ex player outside of the squad and that’s still class.. You can show class in different ways……arsenal found out they couldn’t with cazorla situation and they were damn honest with him and he appreciated it.. That’s positive ruthlessness and that’s all I want from my dear club.. Enough of diabys in the squad..we need to get back to being a top club and we can’t be soft in doing that
Arsenal football club… Trust me It is good to show compassion and love to our players.. It shows class and brings about respect…but what brings more respect to a club??… It’s when a club is winning important trophies….nobody wants to know if you are showing care to your players…everybody wants to know if you are achieving on the field of play and that’s the main purpose of a football club…. No arsenal fan wants to travel round the world and see people call their club just a caring club that shows compassion to their players but they want people to praise their club for the trophies they win and how successful they are….every fucking club on earth can show love and compassion to their players if they want to..not only arsenal does that but at the end they do what is best for the club……….Arsenal is class and will always remain one..but we can show class in different ways and that’s the bloody truth ….. We need to start being successful on the pitch and if there are obstacles stopping us from doing that then we should clear it.. If some players can no longer give us what we need to win trophies and be competitive then we politely let them go…. Simple like ABC
Cazorla_”but they couldn’t wait to finalise the squad”
Don’t be fooled by the response arsenal gave to you.. They couldn’t continue with your complex injury situation and they only had to let you go in a better way
Cazorla I would always love you…you were so great for us but it is just a shame it had to end this way.. Arsenal will always be your home.. We love you here and thanks for not suing us.. Thanks for everything…thanks for the fa cups!
“thanks for not suing us..”
Do you not think the way we acted towards him aided in him choosing not to sue us?
You would have been happy throwing him out onto the curb though! Let him go the way of Eboue huh?
We should have kept him for a year just to see if the little man still has it and sounds like he’s doing good at Villarreal. You can’t lose that amount of class, we could and should still have used him, even at 75% he’s better than anyone we have and better than most in the prem. Brilliant man and player, let’s hope terriera can hit those hieghts, looks promising but he’ll never have his skill set. Should have kept him
Arsenal football club
Arsenal represents alot of things which includes values.. We believe we are more than a football club and it is not just only about football and that we extend beyond football… That’s very nice and sweet…. it is good to show compassion and love to our players.. It shows class and brings about respect…but what brings more respect to a club??… It’s when a club is winning important trophies….everybody wants to associate with such a club….nobody wants to know if you are showing care to your players…everybody wants to know if you are achieving on the field of play and that’s the main purpose of a football club…. No arsenal fan wants to travel round the world and see people call their club just a caring club that shows compassion to their players but they want people to praise their club for the trophies they win and how successful they are….. Trust me every club on earth can show love and compassion to their players if they want to..not only arsenal does that but at the end they do what is best for the club……….Arsenal is class and will always remain one..but we can show class in different ways and that’s the truth ….. We need to start being successful on the pitch and if there are obstacles stopping us from doing that then we should clear it
Remember this saying.. “if your left hand will stop you from going to heaven then cut it off….what is important is to reach heaven”
That should apply to arsenal… If some players can no longer give us what we need to win trophies and be competitive then we politely let them go…. Simple like ABC
I care if AFC show care to its players, for me it is quite a big thing, we have to show some kinda loyalty to the players if we are to demand some kinda loyalty back….
Practice what you preach.
“but what brings more respect to a club??… It’s when a club is winning important trophies”
Think you need to learn the word respect. Not only achievements to help build respect but also other qualities and abilities. For example, not turning your back on a player when they went through a nightmare injury, more so when that was a fan favourite player.
You sound like a glory hunter which is disgusting, it is vomit inducing BS. Only care about trophies… NO mofo. I care about watching a good game, I care about the players being given a chance to hit their potential, I care about the manager and if he is being backed to get the best out of the players. Winning a trophy is kinda down the list, oooh it would be nice but I will not lose respect for Emery if he got the players showing more effort but didn’t quite click to win anything. I might actually have more respect. I have not lost respect for Cazorla because we didn’t win the EPL. Do you only respect players who have won stuff? How about Ozil? He has won the WC… He has won things with RM… Why are you not on your knees trying to gobble his love juice for winning trophies? Or do people care more about trophies? Like Ozil performance?
Stop saying that what you think is what Arsenal supporters think, STFU with that! I do not make that claim and I’m one of the most arrogant people on these threads, leave me with my arrogance crown.
I won’t get into a debate with you…..Chiza doesn’t just go into a debate that’s not worth it.. You have your opinion and I have mine and like you said I would leave you with your arrogance because nowadays I’m learning to ignore shits….by the way thanks for dropping your own opinion
Still your sweet Chiza though
Don’t have to debate. Point of you putting trophies over morals has been made.
It is a shame as Cazorla gave us so many good moments that he EARNT the chance.
Some players deserve more time than others as they have given more, Cazorla gave us so much and it is sad to see a supposing Arsenal fan dismiss him so easily.
We could have given him Rambos contract… Doesn’t look like he will sign anytime soon and could be leaving at the end of the season for free anyway. Nah… forget that, get rid of them all right? Doesn’t matter how much they give us, as soon as there is doubt we should throw them out.
Midkemma, I concur; some players have earnt more time?.
Chiza, I’m not anti religion, I just don’t believe in fairy stories but I don’t think you should be bringing religion into your posts at every opportunity. Your previous post about Jesus and the fig tree meant bugger all to most of us so why keep on about it when the parable means naff all to us. I don’t mean to be rude to any religious people on here but a football blog is no place to preach on, unless it’s about the god that is Bergkamp. Amen.
Aardvark to be honest I’m always surprised when people like you (which includes admin of course) say that religion shouldn’t be brought into football…..it surprises me to be honest because your points are invalid if I should say
What would you call those players that gives thanks to God after scoring a goal through the sign of the cross.. Or also do the sign of the cross when they come into the field…..what would you call that?… Is that not religion inside football?
I can remember vividly when Arsene wenger was asked during one of his interviews before the champions league draw where we got Monaco…. Arsene wenger was asked about the team he would love to meet and he said he would go to church and ask for a favorable draw….what would you call that?… Isn’t that religion inside football??
To be honest you guys claiming religion shouldn’t be inside football are not just making any sense and I have to be very honest
To be honest Admin and anyone who cares to know…i would always use a religious parable to explain myself on this site or this football blog.. If I feel the parable is the best way to explain something or drive in a point because I see nothing absolutely wrong in it… A parable is a parable whether religious or not… And if you guys can’t understand this then check yourselves
In a word, No. Well, Arsenal had looked after him for such a lonice time it would have not been wise to keep him on books.
By the way i watchced England Vs Spain yesterday…and I must say when I remember the performance of isco and thiago alcantara and I compare them to our darling Ozil immediately water runaway my eyes.. I felt disappointed………isco and thiago are not even earning close to what Ozil earns… I hate criticizing our players but there are two sides to a coin.. One side is side of praise and encouragement while the other is strategic and positive criticism…. You give your players the side of praise and encouragement but when he doesn’t deserve that side then you have no choice than to flip to the other side……we need a new 10..i don’t see Ozil playing very well in this emery system… He can only dominate the small teams that won’t show his weaknesses…damn it.. He doesn’t even dominate the small teams anymore….i would do anything to have a thiago
Why not show a bit of patience and see what Smith-Rowe can produce? Not criticising you, just asking a question Chiza. Emery already said no to loaning Smith-Rowe, so must be good reason.
Let the kid play himself in or out of an opportunity. We need our youth players to come good because Kronke ain’t cracking that wallet and paying for quality.
Yeah no problem Durand. I would love to see Emile smith Rowe perform because I believe he is a gem… But will the arsenal fans be patient enough??…i don’t think so…so we have to get a ready made replacement for Ozil as smith comes through the ranks.. .Emile smith Rowe has so much talent and Emery can clearly see that…but he still has a lot to prove and hopefully one day he starts performing to our expectations
Chiza I mention patience with Smith-Rowe for 2 reasons
1. Kronke won’t spend the money for quality we need in midfield I don’t believe. Top midfielders are £70-£100 million going by current market. We only spent £70 on all our new additions.
2. Ozil is already 30, in maybe 2 yrs someone has to fill that role. Torreria, Guendouzi, AMN will give us good rotation. Bringing in another player will add more competition when we need other positions filled by then.
I could be all wrong with my opinion, but just want Smith-Rowe to see an opening rather than another player to overcome.
Lastly I think fans will be patient if the kid is improving and Torreria, AMN, and Guendouzi show consistency and quality. Lots of “ifs” I know, but no guarantee new midfielder’s performance matches the price tag.
Chiza, can you let us know what Isco and Thiago are actually earning then, along with your source?
Come to that, can you tell us what Ozil is earning, along wwith your source?
Another question from one of your previous posts at 1.53pm.
If Arsenal don’t win anything in the next two years, are you going to disassociate yourself from the club, because that’s how it looks?
Supporting Arsenal, in my view, is supporting a football club that one can identify oneself with. That just doesn’t mean winning, slthough of course this is the objective, but also relating to it’s values, actions, beliefs and moral code of conduct.
I would certainly have given Cazorla one more year, as the cost of replacing him (if we ever can) would take three of Kronkies transfer window budgets.
Perhaps, after reading the article that Phil identified, one can see the loyalty that Cazorla gave to the club, versus the man nobody should (supposedly) criticize Judas RVP.
As Durand says, Cazorla earnt the opportunity to wear the shirt as a legend.
Can’t imagine Judas ever being given the opportunity to do that.
Phil, also loved the little extract regarding Wenger that you said in your first reporting of this article, that’s how I will remember the man.
Isco earns 6m annually(espn)..calculate that and you know what he earns weekly
Thiago earns 90000 weekly(sportsmaza)..calculate that and you know what he earns annually
Ozil earns 300000 weekly(dailymail)..calculate that and you know what he earns annually
With those stats I found it hard to defend Ozil..it is embarrassing
So Chiza, your information comes from the media then?
Not from the player, players representative or the players club.
Have you asked yourself how tcome the media are privy to such information?
If you try to obtain any Arsenal players salary from our club, you will be met with a blank wall.
You might hazard a guess, I have no problem with that. But to quote actual salaries one needs to have first hand information.
For instance, an anonomous source might tell me your not religous at all, but a practising atheist and a Spud supporter.
Now of course I wouldn’t just believe that in order to enhance my argument, unless I could verify it and followed up on the claim.
As I cannot, I wouldn’t use it in an argument or discussion, but hope you see the point?
The claims about Ozils salary on here has ranged from £250,000 to £350,000 and all these claims have been made with the upmost certainty when discussing him.
So who is right?
Anyway, I thought you might have come back with a post on the Cazorla/JudasRVP example, along with my views on what being an Arsenal fan means to me versus yours.
I guess salaries mean more to you, but it could have been interesting.
Ken1945-Mr Wenger showed the respect to Santi Cazorla that was due to the player.Mr Wenger demonstrated the values of Arsenal Football Club that I would expect every Manager to uphold.At the same time we should remember Mr Wenger recognised the Institution that is Arsenal Football Club and that EVERY player that found themselves in the position Santi Cazorla was in would be treated with this respect.Diabi is THE example to consider here.A prodigious talent whose career was ruined by THAT tackle.Mr Wenger and Arsenal Football Club did everything possible to assist this player.Unfortunately it was just not to be.Was it the fault of Arsenal Football Club?No.The Club supported the player AND the Manager and I’m sure the player recognised this.Was is about money? No.It was about supporting the Manager AND the Player.Although the final outcome we all wished for never materialised nobody could ever say Arsenal Football Club were to be held responsible.Mr Wenger seemed to feel responsible for the whole Diabi situation and it is to his great credit that he felt this responsibility so personally.
As much as I feel Arsene Wenger should be held solely accountable for allowing Arsenal Football Club to be in its current position I would never criticise him for his loyalty and commitment to his players.
If certain people disagree I would say I don’t give a Flying FIG.
A Class Manager who supported his players no matter what.I would have expected nothing different
Phil, I have two comments to make:
AMEN TO THAT.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB WHAT IT IS
??
There is no positivity or anything constructive in every single criticism directed to all our players on JA. I stand to be corrected, all most fans do is abuse these players. That includes you Chiza.Those players are human and are definitely affected by those abuse. Bellerin recently came to say how he has being called a lesbian by his club fans on SM and during a match hurts him. It doesn’t matter if these guys earn a penny or a pound or a million abuse hurt them and we should stop it because they can’t man up because they earn millions in a year. Abuse is an abuse irrespective of who is at the receiving end.
mobella, I couldn’t agree with you more.
Sure, we all have our own opinions, but when they become full of scorn and even hatred in their message, it becomes sickening.
This is a forum for Arsenal Football Club, let’s show it’s values when we contribute to it.
As an Arsenal fan I don’t care about a player’s sexual preferences or how they wear their hair, I only care about how they petform on the football field. One would also expect that off the field they do nothing that brings the Arsenal into disrepute.
All I hope for Arsenal players like Hector Bellerin is that they reduce their social media presense and do their talking on the pitch.
Jeez!…mobella I don’t really get you… No disrespect to you but you are talking a bit of trash right now
What do you call an ABUSE?
so because I repeatedly say Ozil isn’t good enough to play Emery’s system means I am abusing him or his personality……..try to understand abuse before you accuse
Chiza, mobella isn’t talking about you in particular.
If you read his post properly it says “and includes you Chiza”.
That well known phrase “It’s not all about you” comes to mind, it’s directed at all of us, me included, who abuse others.
I’ve taken it on board, hope others do as well.
Spot on Mobella. Some people on here can’t construct a sentence without spitting out insults. It kinda tells a lot how they relate with people in their daily lives. Jeeez!
Difficult situation with one of clubs most beloved players. Santi even spoke privately with Emery about problem issues at club that needed to be addressed immediately.
Arsenal handles that situation with directness, yet waffles again on another player contract. Astonishing how contract situations continue to be mismanaged.
Wish Santi the best, and look forward to one day seeing him wear the jersey in a legends match.
Bid three mil for him in Jan and we’ll make the top four with Himself, Torriera and Guendouzi bossing it. Bid three more mil to cut short CC and Bielik loans and sorted, Arsenal on the rise. Oh yeah, and play Lichsteiner and bring in a left back, maybe that Mendyl lad off IC.
So Arsenal women beat Liverpool women 5-0…. what I’d give for that to be the men’s score ?
All the idiots dissing women’s football in a previous post should watch the highlights of this game. Great football, great goals, good saves, proper football.
And they’re top of the league! ?
his fitness would’ve continued to be an issue. We need to keep looking forward, not back. As great as Santi was, looking at his foot, the EPL would’ve been too much for him.
Carzola was the heart of Arsenal midfield,right now we don’t have a player who can take on players,Arsenal beautiful game is fading away all we are doing is trying to imitate man city playing from the back with bang a average defense, Wenger is having a laugh! No one takes Arsenal seriously no even a fool
Council, what on earth has the club not offering Carzola a new contract have to do with Arsene Wenger having a laugh and no-one taking Arsenal seriously?
I just can’t follow your train of thought with this post, so can you please enlighten me?
I would have kept him, he may not be a player who can play week in and week out but he would have been great for the UEL to be a mature head amoungst kids.
Example of a CM trio: Guendouzi, AMN and Cazorla. This would leave Torreira/Rambo/Xhaka/Elneny free for the EPL and it isn’t like we can’t rotate, we could also be looking at some of the younger CMs and ask them what they will offer AFC in the coming years… If player X never plays due to Emery not thinking they are good enough then that player is as much of a waste as an injured Santi, at least Santi knew he was getting older and could have been talked into the bit time role without too much friction.
The little magician could have offered a lot to developing players as well, he was great at positional work and for a AM who dropped deep, he knew when to stay back and when to move forward… Rambo doesn’t know that FFS!
Here is another question, what CM would you all get rid off to have kept Cazorla?
Ramsey for Cazorla. Santi wanted to stay according to his words, salary wages not mentioned.
Ramsey obviously wants more money, said his agent “was handling it”. Compare that to our wonderful magician.
No question to me, I’ll take the 2 footed, intelligent, passing genius over the attacking one trick pony.
Also Midkemma mentioned teaching the younger midfielders. Honestly ask yourself as a player or fan, who would you rather learn from, Cazorla or Ramsey? Who has more and better advice to offer younger players?
Not even close, Santi Santi Santi Cazorla!
? It’s September, when do clubs register players available for the January transfer window? Ramsey sign, or be transfer listed.
exactly..a club need good seniors to provide guidance to the juniors
but unfortunately majority of the fans only care about big name big tag and players from big club….
Xhaka
Cazorla, Brady, Rix, Rosicky, Pires, Rocastle……. magicians.
Ken1945-as you know I could never be called Wengers biggest fan but after reading that article in the Daily Mail yesterday it really did highlight how Wenger embraced the true values of Arsenal Football Club in how to show respect and dignity to an injured player.And not just Santi.You look at those Legends out on the pitch at the Emirates yesterday.Every single one of them understand Arsenal as the standard bearer of how a Football Club should be recognised.A certain person has brought Diabi into question today.This is a player whose career was RUINED curtesy of a tackle that was not necessary in an end of season game.The players career never recovered from that tackle and Arsenal Football Club lost the services of a young player they just COULD have gone on to be one of our best ever players.Mr Wenger (note the respect) have that player every opportunity to re-establish himself but it never happened.This is of NO FAULT of the Club and certainly NO FAULT of Diabi himself.I am in awe of the way Mr Wenger treated that player and how the Club supported the Manager with his decision.THAT is what makes Arsenal Football Club the institution it is and these values will never be allowed to disappear from OUR Club.
And to those who disagree I really do not give a Flying FIG
I loved Santi as much as any other GOONER AND THOUGHT HIM OUR MOST LIKEABLE AND ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS. But when he was so long unfit and already almost 33 it was clearly right to let him go. He was and remains a lovely man and an Arsenal legend BUT we do not win titles by keeping long term injured players on high wages- as all off them have- while not being able to play them, as they are long term unfit. That is the bottom line. As much as we like Santi, he is well heeled financially and he and his family will not starve and his time had , sadly, come for him to leave us. To put the interest of ANY one player above the club is not to properly support the club. I am sick of having to point out this realistic truth to certain fans. Be sad and compassionate , by all means, but please also be realistic. We cannot have any more Diaby fiascos and ever expect to win honours.
Thank you Fox… I hope Phil can see this… This is what I have been trying to drum into Phil’s understanding…but he prefers the showing of class over what is right for arsenal….sometimes we need to act like a top club….enough of diabys in the squad….once again thank you Fox
Anyway still your sweet controversial Chiza!
You really are a prize idiot aren’t you.You have got yourself all muddled up and all confused.What I said AND GO BACK AND CHECK is that Loyalty goes both ways.You YOU MUG said you would have ripped up Santi Cazorlas Contract because he was finished.THAT IS WHAT YOU WROTE.Well he’s not finished is he?He is back playing for Villarreal and started all 3 of their first league games.That was thanks to Arsenal looking after its player.That was loyalty and the correct way to behave.YOU would have behaved like the mindless idiot you are and ripped up his contract because he was unfit.I can tell you that if ANY Football Club did that they would find themselves in just a little bit of trouble.A Contract is a two way thing.YOU MUG.
So when you allow your tiny little mind to go off talking about a bilunch of geezers wandering around the wilderness and climbing fig trees cause they have nothing else better to do with their time it’s no surprise you come out with stuff that is NOt what was said.
Not once did I say ANY injured player should be kept on for the sake of it.NOT ONCE.You YOU MUG can’t even remember what you say yourself let alone anyone else.
It’s what makes you totally irrelevant.Unless of course you are giving us PeterVerse4Chapter10Psalm 674502231.345
DONT SWEAR AT FIG TREES-THEY HAVE FEELINGS TOO.
It might amaze you but in all the time I have been posting on here, I have not once fundamentally disagreed with Phil. I consider him one of the arch realists on here and as such he is someone I much respect. I reject utterly your summation of Phils comments and know you are mistaken and misunderstand his comments, as is common with you , I am afraid to say. You have a big heart for sure and mean well but you do not think clearly on many subjects and annoyingly, still insist on using religuious language, despite many telling you not to do so on an Arsenal FOOTBALL site. Finally, mature people are far “sweeter” to read than immature people who talk about themself in the third person, as you do. Sigh!
33yo and let go…
why do fans not protest when we sign a 34yo turning 35yo RB?
why fans are complaining we did not attempt to sign a 35yo Zaltan 2 years ago?
John, “age is just a number”; it was the 2 seasons out injured that counted against Santi Cazorla unfortunately.
Yes, and those two years out while now aged 33 is the whole point. Players do not regain their former standard when sidelined completely for two years and then well into their thirties. We all wish he could but the realists among us know he won’t. Realsim over false and pure blind, unfounded hope, every time. Players aged 33 or more who have NOT been injured long term and have retained their form, have key roles to play. Lichsteiner for example. But not , sadly, Santi, gutting though that is! The same will apply to Koscielny when fit again and he will never again be the player he once was. Realism!
Carzola is a class of his own and we arsenal are very proud to have him in our history.. I think we should have given him another chance. Our midfield looks so miserable atimes that I just remember him
To fair I would have offered Carzola a one year contract like we used to do with DB 10. That would have given Arsenal the opportunity to assess him. The little guy deserved that chance AFC used to be a different cup of tea with him.
so many crappy opinions…but the real deal is just the fact that we all love our club
Well said John Fox.
I love Cazorla and my immediate response is yes, we should have tried. The question is whether the physical nature of the English league would let him stay healthy. My best wishes to him wherever he is playing.