Arsenal: Santi Cazorla Needed Now More Than Ever

Santi Cazorla’s absence was felt once again by Arsenal on Sunday, as they struggled to find their creative rhythm against a resilient and dangerous Spurs side.

It is the third consecutive Premier League game Santi Cazorla has missed through injury and Arsene Wenger will be desperate to get the Spaniard fit again as the stats show that Arsenal are a better side with him in the team.

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In 95 minutes against Tottenham, the Gunners managed just two shots on target and, for the first time this season, had less than 50% of the possession. With Cazorla’s pass completion rate at 91%, the joint highest in the league this term, Arsenal’s inability to dominate the play without him is no surprise.

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Of the 4 games Cazorla has not started in the league this season, Arsenal have won just one, against bottom of the table Sunderland. Of the eight he has started, they have won seven and drawn one.

The alternatives available to Arsene Wenger – Granit Xhaka, Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny – have filled in for Cazorla reasonably well.

But the Spaniard’s qualities are unique among those of Arsenal’s midfield alternatives. Defence-splitting passes and a desire to always to play the ball forward and create attacks are a defining aspect of his game.

This is evident if you investigate the frequency with which Cazorla finds Alexis Sanchez with his passing – no fewer than 57 times in his 619 minutes on the pitch. This equates to over eight passes to Arsenal’s main striker per 90 minutes. By way of comparison, Elneny finds Sanchez on average just under four times per 90, Coquelin just under five and Xhaka seven.

It’s no coincidence that four of Sanchez’s six Premier League goals this season have come with Cazorla on the pitch.

Indeed, goals are generally more regularly scored when Santi is on the pitch. The three Premier League games in which Cazorla has not featured this season have yielded just four goals for Arsenal, an average of 1.3 per game. The 8 games in which he has featured have seen 19 goals scored, an average of 2.3 per game.

Cazorla’s absence has meant Wenger picking two of either Elneny, Coquelin or Xhaka; all naturally deep-lying players. Average position maps show the aforementioned three, in every game they have played this season, sat either right on the halfway line or just inside Arsenal’s half.

Cazorla’s average position maps tell a different story. His average positions are pointedly more advanced, with the midfield maestro always sitting well within the opposition’s half.

In fact, on three occasions, his average position map has shown him playing beyond the opposition’s defensive midfielder. He played just beyond Kante, Behrami and Mendy in games against Chelsea, Watford and Leicester respectively. His ability to find that space between the defensive midfielder/s and back three or four is integral to Arsenal’s game.

Arsene Wenger was vague when asked most recently about the likelihood of an imminent Cazorla return, stating, before the Spurs game:

"“He has not practised yet – he will try to go out today and we will see where we go from there. He is a doubt.”"

If he was a doubt on the 6^th of November, he should be fit and ready by the 19^th when Arsenal travel to Old Trafford.

Next: Arsenal Vs Spurs: Crunching The Numbers

Should Cazorla  be fit, he will play an important role in the outcome of Mourinho vs Wenger 2.0. His craftsmanship will see him find space in behind Carrick or Fellaini and hopefully help Arsenal find the goals that have escaped Wenger when up against stubborn Mourinho sides of the past.