I was reading an article saying his set backs with his injury could mean he misses most of this season, at least some time after the half way point. Such a shame he has struggled with injury. He's easily one of our best players. Is it time we go for another creative CM? Or can Ramsey/Xhaka/Wilshere cover that role?
I love Santi, but realistically can we rely on him anymore ? I think we should be in the market for an creative CM. Somebody like Isco would be great.
Don't really have much choice but to get a replacement if these rumours are true. A player like him brings a lot to the table and without him, we are less classy. We at least need cover for his position either way. A lot of negative stories going around that his career with us is finished, but the Metro has posted the most positive of all, but still not good for our start to the season. Santi Cazorla undergoing double training sessions to step up Arsenal return Santi Cazorla has hit back at reports suggesting that he will not play for Arsenal again by revealing that he is having double training sessions in order to step up his recovery. The 32-year-old has been sidelined since last October and has required eight operations on his ankle to correct an Achilles problem. On Tuesday, reports claimed that the Spaniard now faces the prospect of missing the whole of the upcoming season due to the injury. But Cazorla has suggested that the speculation is wide of the mark and hints that he is closing in on a return to action. No date has been set for Cazorla’s comeback but the midfielder admitted in May that he is not likely to return before October. ‘You feel like throwing in the towel but my desire to play football is above everything,’ Cazorla told Spanish radio station Cadena SER. ‘I haven’t been given a time frame. It’s very difficult to put a date, but I don’t think it will be before five months.' Best case senario is a couple of months into the season, but it could easily stretch to mid-season.
At 32, after such a long spell out, he is going to find it extremely difficult to get back to match fitness. He will be 33 this year as well. I wouldn't bank on him being the same player if/when he returns, at his age, after such a long injury and EIGHT operations. Just can't see it. Who knows though? Anything is possible, but I would find it extremely unlikely.
Sadly I think we need to replace him and move on with a younger player because at 32/33 he will continue to get injuries - I say this with a heavy heart as I love Santi and think we play so much better with him in the team
Football is a weird sport. 32 is not old. Most athletes in other sports are hitting their late thirty's before retirement. It just goes to show that football is still stuck in the dark ages compared to some other sports when it comes to strength, conditioning and rehabilitation.
Its not just his age, 32 isnt particularly old these days for a footballer, but his age combined with his constant injuries, Eight operations and length of absence will ALL work against him
I so hope we get our little magician back before it's too late for him. A team with Cazorla, Lemar, Ozil, Sanchez and Lacazette in it would be a potent attacking force. Let's hope we see that line up above this season
Good on him, it would be sad to see his career end so abruptly for us. But getting back to Arsenal needs, shouldn't we be planning for his absence for the first half of the season? The odds of him being available or having any impact on our upcoming season is very low, so we really should be trying to get a replacement or backup? Are our existing options good enough to temporarily replace him?
I still think we need another deep lying creative midfielder and a DM. Shame that Wilshere is injured and had his career stunted, because he would have been ideal, but I'm not sure he's going to give us what we need. Also think we need an upgrade on Coquelin and Elneny, both decent squad players, but not really top level players.
