The Santi Cazorla show

Yup, Santi has been my favorite player since he joined, downs as well as ups, because he is having more fun playing the game than anybody else.

 

I've called you out before, so kudos to you for an intelligent post. A couple of issues I have though:

Cazorla's being played in the right position, more than anything else. Playing him on the wing negates his ability to create space, suck in defenders, and create mismatches when he has the ball, and reduces the impact of his tactical awareness. Playing him on the wing negates his strengths and highlights his weaknesses, while playing him centrally does the opposite.

Also, I think we're overrating how good Coquelin is. He's had a few good games, but that role absolutely requires that someone be able to pass the ball and switch play. He's great defensively, but against bad teams, someone has to switch play to create the kinds of mismatches that lead to chances.

Can I ask how you think Ozil and Cazorla are getting onto the field at the same time?

Also, Ozil is really, really good at manipulating space off the ball. We're all drawn to the ball in the way we watch games, but Ozil's great at moving off the ball in tight spaces to create space for others. We watch him counterattack and think he needs space, but his game is a good deal more sophisticated than that.

I also think the distinction between the 4-2-3-1, 4-1-4-1, and 4-3-3 is overblown. In defense, we're usually playing a 4-3-3 with a line of midfielders shielding the defense, and in attack we're either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-1-4-1. The only real difference (assuming Alexis nominally on the left and Ozil nominally central) in positioning between the two formations is how far forward Ramsey and Cazorla get.

I don't think JFW is a credible option anymore, as he needs games to get to form and gets hurt way too easily, but Ramsey and Cazorla are certainly viable options in the CM role. But otherwise, very well said.

 

Resurrecting a dormant thread to posit this...

Of recently injured players, have we missed Santi Cazorla more than anybody else?

When he & Coq both went out to injuries in close succession, our results tanked. Also out were Sanchez, Welbeck, etc. Now everyone, including Coq, is back... EXCEPT for Santi.

And yet our form & our results are still suffering. I know it's usually not so simple as just one player being in or out, but in this case doesn't it make you wonder?

Could Santi, in his CM role next to Coq, have been much much more important to our prior success than we realized?

If so, I'd say he's due some belated credit!

 

Honestly. I think it comes down more to the goals from our attackers have dried up. Santi isn't as much of a supplier or goal scorer in that respect and Ozil is still creating insane amounts of chances without him.

 

Yes our goal-scoring has absolutely sucked and that is a huge reason we've dropped points. But Santi was a linker, and more a provider than you give him credit for I think. Plus his balance was quite good, not giving up the defensive ship too much.

 

Im not saying he isnt good at what he does, just saying he has less impact on the goals in the middle as he did when he was covering for ozil last year and had a great year.

 

Oh yeah, he was much more important when Ozil was out. Which makes you realize that if we were to lose Ozil before Santi is back, we are totally F-ed.

 

Not sure he is missed in the attacking sense

But we have a problem controlling matches without him.

 

Which shows I guess , who will he be replaced with?

 

Xaka? Kroos? We need someone

 

Simple fact is there are options out there whether we know them or not. We just need to bring one or two in. It is possible Santi has 1 or maybe 2 seasons left of worthwhile play.

 

So is Pogba. Pep can't have them all, we just gotta put our money where our mouth is for who we want.

 

no he would not.

I like Isco, but we need a controller. Not another passing attacker.

 

Bruno Soriano, Thiago Motta, those are older guys I can think of.

I would go for Badelij of Fiorentina. Another option would be to try and buy Kranevitter altho he just signed. There's another guy at Boca, Rodrigo Betancour.

There are many options but we won't buy them because most of em are Portugese agent/South American third party types.

 

As much as Santi is missed it shows that we don't really have parts that function as a hollistic whole.

We don't have playmakers across the lines. If you look at Madrid, Barca and Bayern they have players who can dictate tempo at different positions and can if need be dictate when Kroos/Alonso isn't there. We only have two players who can arguably do that. I think Chambers can eventually but I have a feeling he'll be doing it at some other team.

For Madrid, Kroos Modric can along with Marcelo and Bale if needed. Barca, Mascherano, Alves, Busquets and Iniesta and of course Messi and Neymar.

I think Bellerin can learn to do it but he's not ready right now. Monreal doesn't unless Santi is there. Ramsey can do it but only 2nd and third phase. So yeah.

 

See what I mean? All Arsenal threads turn into transfer threads these days.

 

When everything else seems to be falling into place. What else is there to talk about?

 

Agreed, but I'd like us to buy a ready made guy and an understudy but yeah you're right.

Thiago gave a masterclass in the CL last few seasons. Is there any hope for Wilshire? Being serious here. I think he could play that position if he got his mind right

 

Too one footed, and teams know how to press him.

 

I think Dutch means the other Thiago.