Arsenal: Will Wenger settle on a CDM pair?

Granit Xhaka and Santi Cazorla

The Cazorla and Xhaka combination was the expected deep midfield duo coming into the year. They’ve started four games together and Arsenal have won all four.

Wenger was very careful in bringing Cazorla back from a lengthy absence due to a knee injury last season. After some sporadic play in the preseason and first two games, the Spaniard was finally back in the XI for Match Day 3 at Watford.

Cazorla’s calming presence was evident immediately, most notably when he scored from the spot against Watford and in Arsenal’s next match against Southampton.

While the Xhaka and Cazorla combination has seen two solid attacking displays from Arsenal, the seemingly advantageous passing range that the duo brings to the squad wasn’t evident in wins over Basel and Burnley.

In Xhaka’s reunion in the Champions League with boyhood club Basel, he submitted a rather pedestrian display in the midfield. While Cazorla more incisive, leading the Gunners in touches and completing three key passes, Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Basel will always be defined by two spectacular Walcott goals that came from relatively nothing in the first half.

A sluggish Arsenal was again bailed out four days later against Burnley when Koscielny’s handball on the final kick of the game gifted Arsenal a 1-0 win heading into the most recent international break.

Unlike other newly-promoted teams Hull City and Middlesbrough, Burnley chose the tried and true method of packing the box against Arsenal. Up until that fateful corner kick in the 93rd minute, it worked as neither Cazorla or Xhaka made much of an imprint on the game.