Arsenal: Santi Cazorla An Untimely, Devastating Blow

Santi Cazorla’s recovery is behind schedule and could now be out until well into March. The news is an untimely and devastating blow for Arsenal.

The injury onslaught that has been threatened all year has finally arrived for Arsenal and in a devastating manner. The first major, in-season injury came all the way back in October when Santi Cazorla was forced under the knife with an ailing ankle issue.

The diminutive Spaniard had been sensational up to that point, pulling the proverbial strings from a deep-lying position, controlling much of the Gunners’ attacking play with such metronomic creativity. However, he has been absent since that point and it’s beginning to tell.

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In his pre-match press conference before this weekend’s FA Cup 3rd round tie with Preston North End, Arsene Wenger had some bad news regarding Cazorla and his rehabilitation, stating that his scheduled return is set to be delayed, and we could be waiting well into February until we get to see him back on the pitch again:

"“At the moment, he is far [from returning]. It’s not going as quickly as I imagined it, so certainly in January he will not come back. It could be a bit longer. At the moment I don’t really know, but I just have a schedule that he is not planned at the moment to go outside and run. I think once a player goes outside and runs without any problems, you come six weeks. At the moment he has not been out so that’s why I say in January he will certainly not play.”"

That is very bad news. Cazorla’s importance to this team has seemingly been heightened in recent years whenever he’s been absent. Arsenal have suffered from him missing, lacking fluency and rhythm in possession while being wasteful and blunt in the final third. Cazorla offers a uniquely wonderful blend of careful and considered passing with accuracy and incision.

Very few players can match such a combination and now Wenger is having to contend with a bout of further injuries. With Mohamed Elneny at the African Cup of Nations with the Egypt national side, Francis Coquelin left in the first half with a hamstring injury which is set to keep him out of action for at least the next couple of weeks.

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Consequently, the Gunners now just Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka as fit, central midfielders in the squad. Both struggled greatly in the 3-3 draw on Tuesday night. There has never been a better time for Cazorla to return. Instead, in true Arsenal fashion, we get the news that he’ll be out for even longer.