Eddie Nketiah says Santi Cazorla was the one who took him ‘aback’ when he first started training with the senior Arsenal side.
The Hale-End star spoke about the manner in which Cazorla, who spent six years at Arsenal before leaving in 2018, could move the ball with both feet.
The 38-year-old was known to take corners from the left and right side, at will, not forgetting the pure magic he would create when, either picking up the ball from deep or feeding his teammates.
He played during the Arsene Wenger years, where they did win FA Cups, but in terms of the Premier League, they started to stagnate.
Although, Cazorla was a player that was one of the very few consistent shining lights for his team.
That’s why it shouldn’t be a surprise that Nketiah has picked Cazorla as the player who impressed him most at Arsenal, as he told Football Focus.
“For me, Santi Cazorla,” said Nketiah. “The way he can move the ball with both feet and turn, it took me aback. I then realised ‘this is the standard’.”
CAZORLA WOULD THRIVE UNDER MIKEL ARTETA
Someone like Martin Odegaard probably comes closest to Cazorla in this current Arsenal side.
If Mikel Arteta could have a prime Cazorla in his team now, then it would seriously take the team levels up a few notches.
In truth, that probably isn’t needed because, as Arsenal proved during their 3-2 win over Bournemouth, the Gunners are determined to win this league title, regardless of who is playing, who is fit or coming off the bench.
