Santi Cazorla: I love Arsenal’s style of play and my new ‘free’ role

Santi Cazorla says he is relishing his “free role” in Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal side after impressing in his first Premier League outings for the Gunners.

The Spaniard set up Lukas Podolski for Arsenal’s first goal at Liverpool before netting the visitors’ second as Wenger’s men sealed an impressive 2-0 victory at Anfield before the international break.

Cazorla, who joined the Gunners in a £16m deal from Malaga this summer, appears to have effortlessly slotted into Wenger’s first-team – and the Spaniard believes he is thriving thanks to the freedom he has been given in his role behind the main striker.

“They have paid an important amount of money for me and the role they’ve given me is the one I like,” Cazorla told El Pais.

“I love the style of the team. Wenger’s philosophy is to control the game and I like to be on the ball. Furthermore, the boss has put me in a position, second striker, with all the freedom I want to have.

“He told me to be at ease and that he’d play me where I could most help the team. It surprised me in pre-season when he put me as the second striker.

“I’ve come to play on the wings with the freedom to move inside, but Wenger has immediately put me in this position. With [Mikel] Arteta, [Abou] Diaby, [Tomas] Rosicky and [Jack] Wilshere, who is recovering from injury, we’re going to have a lot of the ball.”

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