The Great man
At the age of 34 years and 14 months old I’ve seen some superb footballers play for Arsenal throughout my time supporting the club.
The list goes on forever with players like Henry, Wright, Bergkamp, Pires, Adams, Parlour, Stepanovs, Helder, Sanogo etc.
Like the grime/rap group BBK say ‘There’s Too Many Man’.
So many players have pulled at my heartstrings and I’ve enjoyed watching many different types of player over the years.
They’ve all got their own different qualities on the pitch and we’ve all got our opinion on what we like to see and why certain players will always remain in your memory.
Legends
Ian Wright and Thierry Henry always stood out for me.
As a kid I loved Wrighty. He was my hero growing up. That man actually sang the ‘I can be your Hero baby’ song by Enrique Iglesias to me once. Well I might have dreamed that.
Henry was different gravy. That man could do it all. Broke my heart when he left the club.
While The Arsenal will always be there players will come and go like when Gal Gadot keeps texting to meet up again. She comes. And goes.
Stop texting Wrighty Gal
These players will always remain fond in the memory. And these players are the men I will tell my grandchildren (if I’m luckily enough to have any) about when I’m old, grey and stinking of piss down the boozer pestering them for a pint.
A player I will 42181% waffle on about down the nursing home over a cup of Horlicks will be Santi Cazorla.
That little Spanish treacle is a proper little Spanish treacle. I love that man like my own brother.
What. A. Player.
He won’t be spoken about as one of the greats for Arsenal but for me I have enjoyed watching every single moment that he spent on the pitch for us.
That’s why it kills me that we probably (and I hope I’m wrong) won’t see him in an Arsenal shirt again. I’ve never seen a more two-footed player like him in my whole entire stinking existence. He’s different level.
.
A genius with both feet
In fact I don’t think there’s a player in world football today who can strike a ball as well as him with both feet. Period. And I know that’s a bold claim with the likes of Sanogo playing these days.
Sometimes the footballing Gods can take a proper liberty and cut short players careers in a cruel way. I’d love to see Santi play again but I feel fate is against him.
He won’t give up however and that’s testament to his character even when going through his darkest times.
It seems cruel as he had a new lease of life playing deeper for Arsenal in recent times and he basically ran games for us. Santi made us tick better than my Rolex watch I bought for £22 at Romford market.
The geezer is truly world class in my opinion and that’s why Arsene Wenger has such a difficult decision to make this summer.
Does he give Cazorla a new deal or let the little genius go?
My heart tells me that Wenger should give him a new deal. For one last chance at making a go of it. My brain (all 3 cells) say we need to let go and replace.
It’s such a horrible position to be in. A fit Cazorla walks into ANY midfield in the Premier League but he ‘hopes’ to be back in 2019.
Now maths isn’t my strong point but that’s a long time away. He’s 33 now and I think we have to assume the worst. Sadly.
I don’t think we’ll see him play for Arsenal again.
Santi will always be one of my favourite ever players. Plays the game with a smile and was definitely one of the most talented too.
I’m convinced the year Leicestershire Football Club won the title (and credit to them) that Arsenal would have won the league had Santi not missed a big part of that season. He was that influential. And playing so well.
The turning point in 2015/16 season
If the worst happens (and I hope he can continue playing) then I hope the club can find a role for him in the coaching system. He has so much class, players young and old would learn so much from the man…
Keep it Goonerish……
Permanently tanned, love a bit of banter and serial defender of Arsenal Football Club. In my opinion I defend the club better than the days of Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Adams, Keown and Bould. But seriously, and I mean seriously, I love the club. I love Arsenal more than BBQ Spare Ribs. And that, trust me, is a lot. Lets go.
What a mix of humour, sarcasm, sadness and genuine admiration Wrighty.
There are certain tragic incidents when catastrophic injuries occur in football and whilst there have always been the kind of thugs who commit the fouls which cause them and would be justly rewarded if they had suffered the outcome of their behaviour; this was not one of those occasions.
Apparently it was a common enough injury which was the product of one of those unintentional fouls which occur frequently. Santi was not one of those players who provoked the nasty tackles. It is all the more tragic that he has been nonetheless invalided for over 18 months now. Life is not always kind to those who would deserve a smile from Lady Fortune.
Arsenal bought him when he was already past the first flush of youth and when he arrived very few fans knew much about him. His enthusiasm and undoubted skill and his infectious smile soon endeared him to all Gooners,and it is tragic to see him deprived of the rewards that he so undoubtedly deserved.
Unfortunately, I share your dismay, that we have probably seen the last of him in an Arsenal shirt. I would love to see Santi given one more year so that he has the opportunity to aim for as a last hurrah before he has to say goodbye. We have had our share of players who get a contract then simply do enough to see it through. That could never be said of Santi and that is why, that if wastes of space players are paid up in full, it would be nice to recognise his dedication to the club by rewarding him with a final year in the squad.