Why solving the Cazorla situation might be Arsenal's most crucial step going forward

As the curtain fell on another disappointing season for Arsenal in May, club CEO Ivan Gazidis promised fans a summer of change and so far it might be unfair to say that the Gunners haven’t shown a fair bit of ambition. Significant additions have been made to the backroom staff (though many would have preferred a complete overhaul) and two decent signings (one was a free transfer) have managed to quell the anger against the board.

But it remains to be seen whether the board and the manager have been able to identify the areas where change seems overdue. When Arsenal signed Alexandre Lacazette for a club record transfer fee of £52.7m, Gooners all around the world were over the moon to have been able to get hold of the so far much elusive ‘world-class striker’.

The sight of Sanchez, Ozil and Lacazette running at the opposition’s defence seems to be a dream prospect. But beneath the glitter of the big money signing, lurks the shadow of a significant problem. The conundrum of Arsenal’s central midfield partnership. To put it more simply, the problem of Santi Cazorla and his ideal replacement.

How important is Cazorla?

Arsenal have always been found wanting in midfield everytime they have come out on the pitch without the Spaniard. Cazorla, with his brilliant footwork combined with the ability to find a man from deep positions with his long range of passes, seems to have no equal in the present squad.

We need to look no further than the previous season to understand this. When Cazorla played his last game for Arsenal before the injury, the Gunners were at the top of the table along with Manchester City and three points ahead of the eventual champions Chelsea.

That their performances have deteriorated in his absence is no coincidence. That the manager has failed to find a necessary back up for such an important player who has been susceptible to injuries is really unfortunate. Since November 2015 Cazorla has missed 71 games for the club and any team in the world is sure to suffer in the absence of such a talented player if a competent replacement is not ready to step into the former’s shoes.

Though stats may claim that Arsenal do not miss him that much, his absence on the field is enough to remind us of his worth even more. Arsenal fail to get their smooth passing game going in the absence of a player who releases the pressure from the defence by his sublime dribbling skills and passing ability.

His partnership with Francis Coquelin has provided the necessary protection for the Arsenal forwards to express themselves without any fear of the team getting caught in the case of a swift counter attack.

Since his injury, Wenger has experimented with a lot of combinations but has failed to find the ideal pair. The pair of Coquelin and Elneny has proved to be a fine pair who provide extra cover for the defenders but going forward they provide very little and hence have been accused of being one dimensional.

Looking within

Arsenal have often found themselves confined inside their own half against elite teams with no one being able to break through the opposition’s midfield jungle. Aaron Ramsey has failed to justify Wenger’s faith in him last season. Apart from scoring the decisive goal in the FA Cup final, he has not burdened the fans with too many memories. His limited talent has been brutally exposed on a number of occasions.

Xhaka, meanwhile had played relatively well in the final few game of the season but his affinity for red cards at crucial moments has not made him a trustworthy customer. Though his passing range and accuracy are quite good, he does not take the pressure from the defence and help launch a quick counter attack like Cazorla. A natural inference that can be drawn is that the answer to the problem does not lie inside the club.

With Arsenal unsure about when Cazorla will be back on the pitch, they have to prepare for a life without him. It is certainly difficult to find someone of Cazorla’s calibre but not impossible.

Marco Veratti, Naby Keita, Thiago and Miralem Pjanic are some of the options which Gunners can take note of. The new season starts in less than a month and they have to be quick as they will find themselves confronting the same problem once the team is on the pitch.

Finding the right replacement might be the most important piece of business for the Londoners as it will bring the right balance in the team and help it to avoid humiliations against big teams. Who knows but finding the right combination in the midfield might be the key to keep world-class players like Sanchez at the Emirates.