Arsenal Must Ensure Santi Cazorla Continues to Walk Tall in Premier League

Santi Cazorla may cut a diminutive figure, but at present, he is walking tall in the Premier League. The little Spaniard has been one of the biggest reasons behind Arsenal’s resurgence in the second half of the 2014/15 season.

It’s easy to forget that at the start of the season, Cazorla regularly found himself as the odd man out in Arsenal’s new-look 4-1-4-1 system. Arsene Wenger seemed determined to accommodate Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mesut Ozil in the same midfield, and Cazorla was often the player left spare.

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Now, he’s absolutely integral to the team. What’s most surprising is not the change in Cazorla’s fortunes, but the change in his position. For his entire Arsenal career, he had played as a No. 10 or inverted winger. However, his recent dazzling form has come from a deep-lying position at the base of the Arsenal midfield. 

Few anticipated that Cazorla would be able to cope with the intense battle in that part of the field. Cazorla’s success is a victory for technique over physicality. Speaking about the Spaniard, Wenger recently said, per Anthony Chapman of the Express: 

"

[What makes Cazorla so good?] His technical quality and intelligence. 

He’s a model to watch because he’s specifically a player for the Premier League. He’s very intelligent, and it shows as well how important it is to be left and right-footed in midfield.

He’s a good example of how to educate young players in midfield. Yes for sure [he will remain in a central role].

He’s got to an age where he has experience and out on the flanks it’s more difficult for him. His technical quality, vision and experience is very important in the centre.

"

Cazorla’s significance to the team in that role is underlined by the fact that Wenger has chosen to deploy Aaron Ramsey out of position on the right wing. 

Cazorla is playing the best football of his career with the Gunners, but trouble may be on the horizon. There are prevailing whispers that Cazorla, who turned 30 last year, hopes to return to Spain.

Rather ominously, Bleacher Report’s own Guillem Balague wrote in Sky Sports that "He has 18 months left on his contract at Arsenal, and Atletico have contacted Cazorla’s entourage. Atletico are convinced that they can persuade the player to join them. Then they just have to pay the money."

Arsenal’s position does not appear to be quite as weak as Balague initially suggests. Per Olivier Todd of the Daily Mail, the player himself said the Gunners have an option to activate an extra year on his contract.

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Arsenal should look to do that as soon as possible. Cazorla is the man making them tick at present: his nimble feet enable him to skip away from defenders in the midfield mire, while his vision allows him to pick penetrative passes from deep. Along with Mesut Ozil, he forms the creative hub at the heart of this Arsenal side.

Cazorla has demonstrated he can thrive in central midfield in English football. Now Wenger must do all he can to ensure he remains there.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.