It is pointless to write long paragraphs about the two best Spanish midfielders Arsenal fans were lucky to claim as their own. This comparison has been made many times before and at times Arsenal fans were accused of trying to justify not resigning Cesc.
Admittedly there is a grain of truth in that, Cesc has never been replaced and only too often the gaping hole in the middle of the field was only too obvious.
Cazorla has hit top form this season and we won all the games he orchestrated.
Santi is a match winner and a great free kick taker – someone badly needed in our squad for a long time.
His presence has been immense, but the same can be said about Fabregas’s at Chelsea.
Fabregas relies on the team being build around him, whereas Cazorla blends in with the team.
The list of differences is long, but do the similarities end on the physical attributes of these 2 short Spanish midfielders?
Stats below are from whoscored.com.
Santi Cazorla:
|
Tournament |
Apps |
Mins |
Goals |
Assists |
Yel |
Red |
SpG |
PS% |
AerialsWon |
MotM |
Rating |
|
21(3) |
1930 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
– |
2.6 |
88 |
0.1 |
4 |
7.65 |
|
|
4(1) |
388 |
– |
2 |
– |
– |
1.8 |
83.5 |
0.2 |
– |
7.36 |
|
|
2 |
N/A |
– |
N/A |
– |
– |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
– |
|
|
0(1) |
N/A |
– |
N/A |
– |
– |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
– |
|
|
Total / Average |
29 |
2318 |
6 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
2.4 |
87.2 |
0.1 |
4 |
7.60 |
Cesc Fabregas:
|
Tournament |
Apps |
Mins |
Goals |
Assists |
Yel |
Red |
SpG |
PS% |
AerialsWon |
MotM |
Rating |
|
|
21(1) |
1871 |
2 |
15 |
8 |
– |
1.4 |
86.9 |
0.7 |
2 |
7.83 |
||
|
7 |
574 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
– |
0.7 |
86.6 |
0.6 |
– |
7.80 |
||
|
0(1) |
N/A |
– |
N/A |
– |
– |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
– |
||
|
Total / Average |
29 |
2445 |
4 |
18 |
10 |
0 |
1.2 |
86.8 |
0.7 |
2 |
7.82 |
|
|
SpG: Shots per game |
PS%: Pass success percentage |
MotM: Man of the match |
||||||||||
Discuss!
PS Although my gravatar is a photo of Santi, whom I adore I have to admit to still having Cesc’s photo on the wall, I find it hard to part with it
written by Eddie
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Eddie, this is a tough one.
Instinctively I say Fabregas is the better player for AFC. He can control the tempo of the game better than anyone in the PL.
Santi has better ball control, ability to beat a player, a better shot and smiles more. But, Cesc is more tactically aware and his final ball is as good as Ozil’s
What a shame we couldn’t have had both
Raddy – we were blessed to have both of them, not at the same time . Could they play together or would it be an overkill?
If we can play Ozil, Alexis and Santi together we can surely find a place for Cesc.
Cheers Evonne
Yes chas, didnt have to google. I mean come on, what self respecting Gooner wouldn’t recognize John Hawley? The man was a genius.
Of course he is evonne. Fabregas is shit and Santi is the Spanish Paul Scholes, but with a personality.
Terry 🙂 Santi is a lovely person indeed. I have never seen him sulking, arguing, blaming. Big smile is his trademark. But when it comes to footy…..hm…….I think Cesc was the one
Nice one, Eddie.
Fabregas’ assists are second to none. I’m still not sure he would have fitted back into the current Arsenal squad.
The only shame was that he (along with Costa) were the missing pieces in Maureen’s current buy-your-way-to-victory plan. (Matic is his perfect foil, also)
The chavs needed some midfield spark and unfortunately, he provides it.
I much prefer Santi and he fits our current squad much better than the Catalan. He’s a team player and has proven so many wrong this season.
He’ll go back to Spain, too, but, unlike Fabregas, after we’ve had the best of him.
Haha, this was the zenith of John Hawley career.
‘morning all, Oh Eddie! You’ve still got Cesc’s picture on the wall after all this time? You must let go, move on. Cesc has found other things to do, like going to casinos with Messi and Pique. 😀
I’m with Chas on this, Santi fits our squad, Cesc would want the shape changed to suit him. I’m glad we didn’t re-sign him and he did the right thing to go elsewhere. Never go back should be his watchword. His return to Barca ended in tears, I’m sure the same would have happened if he returned to Arsenal.
NG – not yet. I am sure the time will come that I will not care about Cesc anymore, but currently the signed photo stays put 🙂
I wish Rasp included a poll at the end, I would really like to see what others think of Cesc v Santi comparison
Poor Ashley. Gotta feel sorry for him. Ahhhhhhh, bless.
Oh Eddie………. you old tart! 🙂 still got a picture of Cesc on the wall,? Time to move on ma cherie, Santi is much better, age and experience count when it comes to playing with ones balls.
This is a rare moment of internet connection for me… in 5-10 minutes I could be cut off in my prime and it will take hours to get it up again. Very unpredictable and temperamental at the moment is my local network .
Oh and by the way, who ever asked about Redders the other day, he is happily commenting on other Arsenal blogs under a pseudonom…. he comes and goes 🙂
Woo, thought provoking question and I note that it does not ask if we would prefer one to the other now.
And that being the case the answer is still Cesc (lets out a little affectionate sigh)
Fabregas is still my favourite player.
When I was a kid and didn’t know much about football I adored Charlie George (looked great and scored great goals)
When I started playing football, I loved Liam Brady, I am left footed and played midfield as did my hero of then.
Bergkamp really should be my all time stand out player but for me it is a bit like going to the Grand Canyon and trying to take it in — you can’t it is just too awesome.
But then, during my time of only watching football rather than playing it, came Fabregas, the simplicity of his play still makes me purrrrrrrrr.
LB. Great comment.
I don’t have a favourite player – a favourite 11 perhaps but how to choose between Liam, TH14, TA6, PV4, Bobby, God8, BR, Geordie A, Rocky, Seamo, Cesc etc etc etc.?
Can’t be done
Matic’s suspension reduced from 3 games to 2 games by the spineless FA, bowing to Maureen’s whining.
What a strange precedent to set.
Bit of a slow Arsenal day… shame because Eddie (the female one) put up a really good post. It will be better tomorrow when we play Monaco… Big Raddy has to get up early and be drug free to do his pre-match 🙂
Evening all, Nice one Eddie.
Fabregas was a blinding player, sadly he was with us when we were strapped for cash, he did a lot to keep us at the top but the lack of cash meant he would always struggle.
Cesc had his personal problems and had he had his own way would have gone a season before but asked by Wenger to stay another Year and he agreed.
Whether others know better, i’m sure they will say, but Cesc’s final departure left Wenger with cash to buy other players, No i don’t think a player of his calibre can be replaced straight away, so we went for lesser players but they did a good job .
Now the cash has been injected, talent has started to filter in, Wenger is building again although is has taken a while but young players that will give us a few years service.
Santi came and i thought he was a lightweight, his first season didn’t enthral me i must admit, but players need time to adjust, and he has adjusted well. Santi’s age meant that he was a short term buy, i believe he will leave in the summer and we have a new youngster who will be in the mix with the others.
Should we have taken Cesc back, No i don’t think so, were building for the future and shouldn’t always be looking back, just my view
NB. Eddie’s post will have over 3000 hits. Unfortunately not many people want to write a comment.
Shame because this is an interesting subject.
And I write better when under the influence 🙂 (not really – I have been clean for almost 20 years, apart from alcohol of course!)
ha ha Raddy… what a shame there aren’t more comment for a super question……….. Cesc was brilliant when he played for us.. but now he seems to be doing better with the chavs?
Alcohol is OK, it’s not a drug….. well, maybe hic!
An Eddie….Hip Hip Hooray 🙂
Blimey, didn’t realise Cesc had scored that many goals. My God. I had to vote for Terry yesterday (and I’m still feeling a little mucky about that) and now I have to vote for another Chav.
Very behind on both blogging and work, and going to the cinema shortly so will miss City Barca which I was really looking forward to.
Still, the evening will be clear tomorrow
Want Barca to win tonight………. let’s see City out of the CL.
NB
Don’t believe a word of that “I’m clean” Raddy bullshit. The bloke wears hemp clothing, that way if he gets peckish, exposure is not the only consequence.
Micky flirting with Eddie again…. what, the Travelodge gambit didn’t work?
I want Barca and Madrid to win because I want to be there when we beat them
If we get Barca in the next round I’ll be there, only a few hours from me……
NB
Before your time, I tried to lure her into the bogs at The Tavern. Shunned is what I was. Then I ramp up the stakes to a five star outfit like Travelodge and suddenly she’s game on. Gold digger 🙂
That’s be great NB. Just don’t bring the rest of the AA dross with you. Elite is what we are
Cesc is an overall better player than Santi – there is not a doubt about it. He is better at both defensive and attacking and he is more decisive so that’s that. However, Santi has found good form recently and I hope he will keep it until end of season since Ramsey is not finding his form…
Whats wrong with a quicky in the bogs at the Tavern. Eddie is clearly not a class woman!!!! In France that is normal, believe me!
You need to tell me who the AA dross are? You know them better than me 🙂
RC78
I’d be happy to see either Ramsey or The Ox next to Coq, then Santi could get back into his best position and score more than Cesc 🙂
If all of a sudden i don’t reply then it’s because I’ve lost my network connection…. not being rude ok!
Actually, I like every one that I’ve met, but it’s still important to insult them
RC comment va tu?
Bien sur Micky… without insult, what would life be like 🙂
I’m off to the flicks in five
Happy cinema……….
I want city to do better than chavs, so it is adios barca for me tonight
Micky – I didn’t go to the gents with you because I had a virtual boyfriend then, I thought I was in love 🙂 you must try again
Cheers
A domain
Damn I’m smooth
Bless you Eddie 🙂
Nite all
So Eddie, with a virtual boyfriend, do you have virtual sex? and if you split up… is it virtual?
Right, I’ve broken the blog cos I’ve tried to virtually talk with the Eddie girl…. so I’m off too. a demain arseholes! 🙂
What does it say about the PL when Barca totally dominate the PL Champions in their own ground.
Brilliant play from Barca but are MC that poor?
2-0 raddy. Another magnificent team beat them 2-0 at their place. Forget who it was…
Middlesbrough?
Fine post eddie. I thought cesc was a great player but dont think he would have improved us as we have many crafty midfielders with santi being one of them. I am happy with what we have in this position and what we have coming through and feel we need to spend elsewhere to challenge at the very top. If anything i feel we may need to sell a crafty midfielder not add to it. I am actually not too sure santi is a lesser player than cesc. I feel he has looked a little stifled and below par recently for chavs.
Haha raddy. Yes of course mbro. Even that great team was tonked though recently. Cant remember who by…..
GB. Did that team win 2-0?
Lovely one, Evonne. 🙂 Sorry, knot ear, I might have come in a bit earlier if I knew there was an Eddie post, but somehow I thought no post today. Apols. 🙂
Nice question. But my answer is a resounding negative to the spoilt Spanish brat. Going to Barca, childhood idol team, and all that rubbish show-acting was fine. But if you cross over to the Chavs, or for that matter ManUre, sorry you are dead. And because I do not speak ill of the dead, I will not even say “the dead lack class”.
It does not matter whether one has a gift of playing the game. It is like saying Stalin was a fantastic military strategist or Hitler was a motivational speaker. Dead dead dead. Period.
Sorry, there was only ever one fantastic Spanish midfielder that has graced our fantasti team in the recent past. And that is Santi. 🙂
We have not missed the DEAD. It was a mistake signing a traitor, he was never there, if there is a gap now, there was always a gap there.
As a football fan, I do not bear the moral responsibility to be logical, I wear my heart on my sleeve, so there we go. The DEAD is DEAD and buried, and will forever be DEAD. 🙂
There is only one Spanish player that I care about, and I am proud that he playes for our fantastic team. Santi! 🙂
Morning All,
arnie. Are you saying that Cesc is dead to you?
yes, Raddy, that is correct. 🙂 may be worthy of a bit part, but never worth the captain’s armband. big mistake. our captain should have some class.
If I have any complaints about Wenger, it is in offering the armbands to the DEAD and the DUNT. 😦
Just saw Birdman for teh second time. This time round, it was much more clear. very nice movie. 🙂
Arnie’s been drinking whisky
And a very good morning to one und all.
Sounds like an exciting encounter between City and Barca. Delighted Barca won. Can’t wait for tonight. 4th really is a massive trophy 🙂
may be still alive as a human being, but as a Gooner. DEAD as a doornail. 🙂
how was the movie, Micky? 🙂
OK, off to bed now. look forward to enjoying some nice batner when I et up. 🙂
The Stephen Hawking one.
OK
You are right – 4th is a massive trophy and it is only fans of teams that rarely make the CL who deride it.
If 4th wasn’t hugely valuable why are L’pool. Spurs and MU managers sacked for not getting there?
Micky. Was there lashings of sex and gore in the Hawkings movie? If not – why did you go?
Brilliant from Tim – some of it is not for the squeamish.
http://www.7amkickoff.com/2015/tuesday-rant-video-technology-post-match-red-cards-where-have-you-pundits-been-for-the-last-10-years/
You chaps asked me to put up the PM early …. I have.
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