Santiago "Santi" Cazorla González ~ A Modern Day Great

[Cripps]

Xavi? Iniesta? Kroos?

Near perfect passing stats. Absolute dog end product. Unfortunately for Santi, he doesn't have a GOAT or a Messi to cover up his pointlessness.

[Goonerz]

But this is why we love football. We all interpret it through our own perspective. I just wish we could all not get too personal and over emotional once our favourite players are criticised.

[Angelito]

Don't know where all this negativity is coming from.

Santi Cazorla has been one of best players in the Emirates era. Despite not having won many trophies, that's saying something considering the talent we've had at our disposal. His performance against City in 2015 at the Etihad is arguably the best performance by a Gunner post-Highbury. At the least, it's right up there with Arshavin at Anfield and van Persie at Stamford Bridge/Anfield.

Santi played as a CM in that game and I've never seen an Arsenal CM dominate an opponent that way - in the Emirates era. He didn't have support system that on 07/08 boys had, or the world class partners Vieira enjoyed. In this 3-4-3, Santi would have been golden, whether alongside Coquelin or Elneny. It's just a shame he can't and probably never will play in this system.

People have to realize that central midfield is the most demanding position to play. Not even Modric and Kroos dominate games regularly and those are two of the top CMs in the world today. Under Zidane, Real Madrid's success has been built on the back of a solidity more so than flair. Santi Cazorla, for startling reasons, just turned out to be the perfect CM for us. Ramsey doesn't play like a natural CM, so let's forget about him. Xhaka is such a lopsided player - he's the Wenger of CMs. WIth Wilshere, his fitness has always been an issue. Elneny is a good player, but he's not great at anything and Coq only does well when playing alongside a technician like Cazorla.

It's not surprising that we're shambles most of the time because we lack that elusive midfield star; we lack a Cazorla. This doesn't mean we'd win or dominate every game under Santi but our record with him as a CM says it all: we play better, we function better with Cazorla in our team than without Cazorla.

No point denying that.

[GoonerAlexandre]

Don't know where all this negativity is coming from.

Santi Cazorla has been one of best players in the Emirates era. Despite not having won many trophies, that's saying something considering the talent we've had at our disposal. His performance against City in 2015 at the Etihad is arguably the best performance by a Gunner post-Highbury. At the least, it's right up there with Arshavin at Anfield and van Persie at Stamford Bridge/Anfield.

Santi played as a CM in that game and I've never seen an Arsenal CM dominate an opponent that way - in the Emirates era. He didn't have support system that on 07/08 boys had, or the world class partners Vieira enjoyed. In this 3-4-3, Santi would have been golden, whether alongside Coquelin or Elneny. It's just a shame he can't and probably never will play in this system.

People have to realize that central midfield is the most demanding position to play. Not even Modric and Kroos dominate games regularly and those are two of the top CMs in the world today. Under Zidane, Real Madrid's success has been built on the back of a solidity more so than flair. Santi Cazorla, for startling reasons, just turned out to be the perfect CM for us. Ramsey doesn't play like a natural CM, so let's forget about him. Xhaka is such a lopsided player - he's the Wenger of CMs. WIth Wilshere, his fitness has always been an issue. Elneny is a good player, but he's not great at anything and Coq only does well when playing alongside a technician like Cazorla.

It's not surprising that we're shambles most of the time because we lack that elusive midfield star; we lack a Cazorla. This doesn't mean we'd win or dominate every game under Santi but our record with him as a CM says it all: we play better, we function better with Cazorla in our team than without Cazorla.

No point denying that.

Thank God for some sense

Btw, Ramsey-Xhaka has a 78% win record too...... was shocked myself

[Zenith]

^ Said percentage only means something when it is based on a substantial amount of consecutive domestic and non-domestic games, including a good number of matches against elite sides. This is currently not the case.

[Callum]

this team died with santi

goodbye sweet elf

he is in a better place now (london colney)

[KG3]

Don't know where all this negativity is coming from.

Santi Cazorla has been one of best players in the Emirates era. Despite not having won many trophies, that's saying something considering the talent we've had at our disposal. His performance against City in 2015 at the Etihad is arguably the best performance by a Gunner post-Highbury. At the least, it's right up there with Arshavin at Anfield and van Persie at Stamford Bridge/Anfield.

Santi played as a CM in that game and I've never seen an Arsenal CM dominate an opponent that way - in the Emirates era. He didn't have support system that on 07/08 boys had, or the world class partners Vieira enjoyed. In this 3-4-3, Santi would have been golden, whether alongside Coquelin or Elneny. It's just a shame he can't and probably never will play in this system.

People have to realize that central midfield is the most demanding position to play. Not even Modric and Kroos dominate games regularly and those are two of the top CMs in the world today. Under Zidane, Real Madrid's success has been built on the back of a solidity more so than flair. Santi Cazorla, for startling reasons, just turned out to be the perfect CM for us. Ramsey doesn't play like a natural CM, so let's forget about him. Xhaka is such a lopsided player - he's the Wenger of CMs. WIth Wilshere, his fitness has always been an issue. Elneny is a good player, but he's not great at anything and Coq only does well when playing alongside a technician like Cazorla.

It's not surprising that we're shambles most of the time because we lack that elusive midfield star; we lack a Cazorla. This doesn't mean we'd win or dominate every game under Santi but our record with him as a CM says it all: we play better, we function better with Cazorla in our team than without Cazorla.

No point denying that.

Top post

[KG3]

Aside from Cazorla the team misses Arteta (2012-2015) and Rosicky one kept the tempo going while the other sped up our play their replacements Xhaka and Iwobi are inferior and don't bring the same aspects to the table.

[Fenice]

I’ll never forget that City game. He was a one man Arsenal.

[Sims]

thats a skin graft with his daughters name from his forearm

((((

[Marsbar100]

Hard to see that holding up well, especially all the twist and turns he does.

[Cripps]

That's gross

[DiamondGooner]

Fkin hell, I'm actually upset about this, Cazorla is one of my favourite players.

[Fenice]

Absolute horror show. Hope he can fully recover and play with his kids normally.

[NJ_Gunner]

He’s genuinely a good man from what everyone says. Very sad to see this. Get well soon Santi!!