Player of the Season nominees: Santi Cazorla

With the season having ended, Sportskeeda decided to let its viewers rate the 30 best players of the season.

We will be shortlisting 30 of the best performers this term, and let you pick your winner.

What do you think? Have your say at the end of the article.

A spark of creativity, a midfield maestro that Arsenal desperately needed, super Santi came in when the Emirates was seething with rage. Robin van Persie choosing to join rivals Manchester United came as a bolt out of the blue. Pundits went public with predictions of doom for the Gunners. Without MVP RVP, this was to be the season that Arsenal’s downfall would be complete. Their dropping out of the Champions League spots was on the cards.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Santiago Cazorla, though one of smaller standing – and size – than the Dutchman who left the Gunners, announced himself in style. The Spanish playmaker brought with him the smooth passing rhythm and skill that reminded the Emirates faithful of the days when Fabregas plied his trade there. A player who can shoot from range on top of setting up others with delightful little passing moves, he has turned into a goal-threat that keepers are wary of.

Season Review

Moving to a league that was a lot more physical than the La Liga, for a player of Santi’s physique, adjusting to the new style of play was expected to be tough. But Santi Cazorla settled into life in the Premier League with an ease and speed that surprised most. Allowed the freedom to operate anywhere in the Arsenal mid-field, he flourished in his role as the creative midfielder.

After setting up Podolski for Arsenal’s first goal of the campaign at Anfield against Liverpool, Santi scored his first goal in Arsenal colours in the same game. He has not looked back since. Setting up and scoring goals with both feet, he has proved himself to be ambidextrous. He grew into his role as the central playmaker just as he did into the hearts of the fans, dictating the tempo of football that Arsenal played. At 5’6”, he has also earned the distinction of being the shortest player to have scored a headed goal in the Premier League, which he did against Reading back in December.

As the season progressed, however, Cazorla was pushed to the left wing, limiting the freedom he was allowed. But he continued to flourish, netting in goals and providing assists with consistency. Even as fixtures came in thick and fast, he continued to push the limits. Appearing in every single Premier League match, Cazorla was the conductor as he led Arsenal to a fourth place finish that looked unlikely at a stage.

Despite the physical strain he faced, Cazorla didn’t let his performances drop by much, but playing week in week out taxed him. That, coupled with the return of Jack Wilshere from injury, shifted the focus onto the young English midfielder. Cazorla was no longer the centre around which the team revolved. But the Spaniard persisted in his performances and reaped his rewards. It is not for nothing that he was chosen as Arsenal’s Player of the Season.

Conclusion

Finishing with 12 goals and 16 assists in his first season of English football, Cazorla has accomplished all that was expected of him and more. As Arsenal look to get back to challenging for the title, Santi Cazorla will be a vital cog in Arsenal’s coming campaign. Now well settled in England and adapted to the Premier League playing style, Santi Cazorla can be what Cesc Fabregas had promised to be for the Gunners. If he does, the Arsenal trophy cabinet might get its first silverware in years.

Click here to view the rest of the Player of the Season nominees