I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise really. Even from an early age, my eyes were focused on midfield flair and technicality. The ability to dictate a game without scoring fascinated me. Very much a product of the “Fifa Generation,” the likes of Nedved, Deco, Zidane, Ronaldinho, and Figo became my favorites. Mercurial talents […]
Author Archive | Dougie Cazorla

5 Key Areas to address if Arsenal’s finish to this season is to positively impact 2018/19
Change is permeating throughout the entirety of Arsenal Football Club. Never before have we seen such deviations from the norm at any time in the Wenger Era. Pivotal backroom staff acquisitions (Mislintat, Sanllehi, Burgess, Fahmy, etc.), new coaches/academy personnel (Lehman, Bibbo, Mertesacker, Herron), significant player turnover, and high profile transfers make this transitional period equal […]

The Importance of a New Footballing Identity for Arsenal and the Possible Coaches to Provide It
Recent weeks have been an absolute roller coaster ride for Arsenal fans. The highs of prominent new signings, re-signing Mesut Ozil while breaking our wage structure, and setting yet another transfer record have given way to the extreme lows of four straight losses for the first time since 2002 and a league position 33 points […]

Why, despite Pep’s love of width, the key to beating Man City may lie Centrally
In the coming days a lot will be written about how Arsenal should approach the Caribou Cup Final against Manchester City. Despite their recent loss to Wigan, they are still the most in-form team in England and arguably the best team in the world. I’d predict that the consensus for Arsenal’s strategies to be successful […]
Arsene Wenger Doesn’t Do Tactics…Very Well! – The Good, the bad and the ugly!
We’ve heard the phrase time and time again: “Arsene Wenger doesn’t do tactics.” If you have been watching Arsenal for any length of time, you know this over-generalization is simply not true. A manager of his pedigree with 34 years of experience does indeed tailor specific game plans for specific opponents. The above phrase needs […]

Five Quick Keys to Doing The Double over the Scum at Wembley in the North London Derby
Upcoming matches against Tottenham conjure up a unique reaction, a simultaneous feeling of overwhelming nausea and excitement. The only thing I feel it is comparable to is first talking to a girl you “like” during your adolescent years–that perfect blend of anxiety shaped by the possibility of enduring both agony and ecstasy. It needs to […]

Learning from the Invincibles: why Transitional Identity is Vital if Arsenal are to Progress
Think back to the Invincibles Era and try to remember the brilliant moments that have come to encapsulate it. I’m guessing most had some modicum of direct, forward-thinking play that progressed us rapidly into the next phase of attack: how I define Transitional Play. It seems the best teams of late have had a clear […]

Ozil is to Oil as Alexis is to Water – They did NOT mix for Brilliant Seasons, just Brilliant Moments
Like oil and water, some substances simply do not mix. I feel this was true to an extent in regards to Ozil and Alexis’ respective playing styles over the last 3 ½ seasons. Ozil’s game predicated on team interplay and interconnectedness while Alexis’ game was based on unpredictability and individualism. Let’s get one thing straight, […]

Rejuvenation through Reinvention: Are the cases of Arteta and Cazorla the template for Mkhitaryan
It seems as if Alexis Sanchez’s impending transfer to Manchester United is not a matter of “if” but “when.” The name being bandied about as makeweight in the deal is one Henrikh Mkhitaryan. It’s far from a given that the Armenian will join, but reliable sources seem to think a deal is close. Arsenal’s recent […]
When Wenger’s search for Cohesion Goes Wrong: Arsenal’s Rotational Issues
It’s October 19, 2016, and Arsenal is facing Ludogorets in the Champions League group stage. Yeah, that game where Ozil gets the hat-trick. Arsenal is in form, having won its last 6 matches, including the first 2 in the group, and is facing a team at the Emirates that has only one Champions League victory […]