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Arsene Wenger

LONDON. — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Santi Cazorla is back to his best after he scored his first Barclays English Premier League soccer goals in two months to keep his side top of the table. Cazorla was sidelined for six weeks earlier in the season after suffering an ankle injury in the north London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur on September 1.

But Wenger, the Arsenal manager, feels that the player’s two-goal display in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium provided confirmation that he is ready to play a key role in his side’s title bid. “He was out for a long time at the start of the season and had some injury problems. After that he had an ankle problem and only recently, since mid-December, has he come back to his level,” said Wenger.

“When you play in your opponents’ half, in the final third, he is one of the players who can create something special, either through his pass or through his finishing. He is two-footed, and that makes him very dangerous.”

Cazorla linked superbly with Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud to put Arsenal ahead in the 57th minute before pouncing on a weak clearance five minutes later to rifle home the second.

Wenger added: “Wilshere is getting sharper now as well and he was at the start of many moves with little bursts to speed up our game.”
The manager remained tight-lipped on suggestions he is eyeing a move for Juventus forward Mirko Vucinic in the January transfer window, although he conceded that he was hoping to strengthen his squad. “We are looking at potential possibilities for us to get someone in, but we are not especially in for Vucinic. We are not on any special case. I would love to announce something that would excite you and me, but I don’t have the possibility to do it.” — AFP.