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Arsene Wenger Can Make Santi Cazorla Injury Positive For Arsenal
By Josh Sippie
Santi Cazorla is set to miss three months with a knee ligament injury. That’s rough. But Arsene Wenger can make this injury a good thing for Arsenal. Here’s how.
Aside from his frustrating inability to put the ball in the back of the net, Santi Cazorla is a vital piece of Arsenal’s puzzle. His versatility and under-the-radar abilities frequently land him on the ‘most underrated players’ lists. Playing in a defensive role made for someone much larger than he, Santi Cazorla has displayed a fantastic ability to win the ball back and keep possession against all odds.
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I liken him to Frodo Baggins.
That is why it is devastating news to learn that Santi Cazorla will be out three months due to ligament damage in his knee (according to the Guardian). The injury was suffered against Norwich City after his knee was knocked by Gary O’Neil, who we will now refer to as Canary Gary for aesthetic purposes.
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On the surface, there is never anything good about injuries. We are now facing three months without that base of midfield that found us so much success last season. But as I have always said, injuries lead to opportunity. Aaron Ramsey now has the chance to become a crucial piece of Arsenal’s puzzle yet again. But I won’t get into that too much, I have already covered it extensively (you can read it here).
Santi Cazorla’s injury is not just a fantastic opportunity for Aaron Ramsey, it is a fantastic opportunity for Arsene Wenger. The boss neglected to sign any possible reinforcements for Arsenal’s midfield in the summer. We are now suffering from that. Granted, no one expected this many injuries with such severity. Injuries are one thing, but facing three month layoffs is a completely different thing. Especially to Santi Cazorla, who never gets hurt.
Arsene Wenger can do two things. He can make the situation worse and wait out the injuries using the now incredibly bare midfield stock he has now. Or, he can make this injury to Santi Cazorla a positive and sign someone. I am not one for panic buying. Really, I’m not. But Arsenal supporters are desperate for something good. Anything good. December is going to be a tough month and if we go into January with as many or more names between us and the top of the table, it will be utter despair.
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It would go a long way if Arsene Wenger did the unthinkable and made a big signing in January. Arsenal is so close to being a powerhouse. All they need is class squad players. Not Arteta and Flamini. Adding someone like Isco and/or Jese would serve so many purposes. It would give Arsenal supporters a positive to latch on to. It would give supporters the belief that Arsene Wenger is actually going for it. It would alleviate a ton of the stress on our regular first team players. They would no longer have to play every game, as Isco and Jese are class players. They are not Arteta and Flamini.
Arsene Wenger is the face of this club. No matter what struggles plague the club, it is up to him, as the captain of the ship, to weather the storm. Sometimes, you can’t just ride out the storm and hope for the best. He needs to be at the helm, directing the masses. Now that we all have the mental image of Arsene Wenger wearing the garb of Horatio Nelson, let’s move on.
Wenger has never made big January signings. Unless you count Kim Kallstrom. Wenger is also not one to change his ways. He is not one to do things just to please the fans. But there comes a point where, if one signing can shake all of those negative mantras, why not do it?
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Statement signings are a big deal. It sends a message to the footballing world. It’s not like he would have to go buy Karim Benzema and Edinson Cavani. At this point, any signing of a midfielder would do. Anyone that can alleviate the stress on the first team.
Putting faith in Wenger to do something out of the ordinary is usually a losing endeavor. But with the case of Santi Cazorla’s injury, it is a massive opportunity for Le Prof.