How 'Little Mozart' has orchestrated Arsenal’s title charge

Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky

Football is full of ‘what ifs’. What if Diego Maradona had not raised his arm back in the 1986 World Cup? What if Sir Alex Ferguson was sacked during the early stages of his Manchester United career when the club were going through a wobble? What if Steve McClaren had faced the rain without unleashing his umbrella?

One man who will have reclined on the medical table and visualised all kinds of personal scenarios is Tomas Rosicky, who was forced to endure a lengthy spell on the sidelines a couple of years back in the early parts of his Arsenal stint. However, the Czech international is firmly back in the frame at the Emirates and is starting to flourish.

When arriving from Borussia Dortmund back in 2006 Rosicky was an inventive, tricky player who held the ability to pierce a defence with a single pass or drop of the shoulder. And while he still possess those assets, the 33-year-old has adapted his game and grown in almost every other aspect – something which his former club found out about when the two came face-to-face in the Champions League last week.

His hard graft and technical facility kept things ticking for the Londoners in front of an intimidating Westfalenstadion crowd, and although he was hooked with just seconds remaining at his old stomping ground, he had done enough to ensure the Gunners won the game.

Rosicky is a player who excels in the big games. He sponges the pressure onto his narrow shoulders and absorbs the situation before churning it into what is usually a dynamic, intelligent performance. It is no coincidence that he has appeared in the north London derbys, the top of the table clash against Liverpool and the Napoli clash in Europe, all of which Arsenal have walked away with three points.

Although the three-time Czech Player of the Year is still the artistic outlet that he once was – Rosicky has completed 7/10 of his take ons so far this season and completed 10 key passes – he is now at a stage where his positional sense is out-shining all other facets of his game.

Perhaps that comes with age, but the way he can transform himself from defence to attack, and vice versa, has made such a difference Arsenal this season.

In his last Premier League outing, the 2-0 win over Liverpool, Rosicky covered an incredible amount of ground. Arsenal bossed the game by out-passing Brendan Rodgers’ men and Rosicky was crucial to that. He completed 57 of his 67 passes during the 71 minutes he was on the pitch, which equates to a 85% pass completion rate.

Next up for the Gunners it’s high-flying Southampton, and Rosicky’s energy levels will be invaluable for Wenger against a side who have executed the pressing game perfectly. He could also prove to be the key to unlock the stingiest defence in the league, as the five goals Saints have conceded this term have all been through the middle, and 80% of the chances Rosicky has sparked have also been from central areas.

The former Sparta Prague midfielder is playing some of the most compelling football of his career and although he is hitting form at a late stage of his playing days, it seems as though there is plenty of juice left in the Gunners man yet.