Who’s In The Hunt For Arsenal’s Player Of The Season Prize? Matthew Lawson March 18th, 2014 Arsenal, Premier League, inShare Share on TumblrShare via email Ramsey (left) had a blistering start to the season Aaron Ramsey (left) had a blistering start to the season After collecting a much-needed 1-0 win in the North London derby on Sunday, Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge remains intact, sitting just four points off top spot. Coupled with a highly favourable FA Cup draw, Arsene Wenger’s men know the last remaining months of the campaign represent a huge chance of winning a trophy, or even two. Here we assess the key members from Arsenal’s squad so far this season: AARON RAMSEY The Welshman made a stunning start to the season, scoring eight goals before the turn of the year, whilst also claiming the Premier League Player of the Month award for September. Goals against Tottenham, Sunderland and away at Borussia Dortmund capped an impressive spell for Ramsey, who was voted Arsenal’s Player of Month on four consecutive occasions between August and November 2013. After a career threatening leg-break against Stoke back in 2010, Ramsey appears to have now fully recovered in terms of fitness. However, a thigh injury suffered in training back in January has forced the midfielder to watch from the sidelines, with the initial prognosis being six weeks out. He was scheduled to return last week but Wenger revealed Ramsey was going through “difficulties” during the final stages of rehabilitation. Despite not playing in Arsenal’s last ten Premier League fixtures, the 23-year-old remains one of the Gunners most consistent performers of the campaign. MESUT OZIL Ozil’s summer transfer from Real Madrid for £42.5million swatted away theories that Arsenal simply refuse to pay big money for world-class talent, and the German playmaker at first adapted seamlessly to life in the Premier League. He assisted Olivier Giroud for the only goal of the game against Sunderland on his debut, before being involved in all three of Arsenal’s goals at home against Stoke a week later. Despite an impressive start the 25-year-old has come under fire lately from fans and pundits alike, both questioning his hunger and willingness to work hard for the team. A public disagreement with team-mate Per Mertesacker after failing to acknowledge his own fans away at Manchester City, was followed by lacklustre performances against Liverpool and Manchester United. The Germany international lasted only 45 minutes in last week’s Champions League match in Munich, his lacklustre performance seemingly caused by a hamstring strain he picked up early in the game. Nevertheless, four goals and eight assists in his first season in English football is a decent return. OLIVIER GIROUD Although some may argue the Frenchmen has flattered to deceive this season, he still remains Arsenal’s top goalscorer with 18 in all competitions. The pressure on Giroud to stay injury-free has been massive considering that youngster Yaya Sanogo, and the much mangled Nicklas Bendtner, are the only alternatives on the bench. Physically very powerful, the former Marseille man has bullied a number of Premier League defenders this season. Giroud’s appreciation of his teammates is another key dimension to his game, creating seven assists for the likes of Ozil and Ramsey this season. If reports are to be believed, the 27-year-old could be heading back to France in the summer in order to save his marriage, after UK newspapers released pictures of Giroud with another woman in a hotel room last month. FC Bayern Muenchen v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Olivier Giroud has 12 Premier League goals this season LAURENT KOSCIELNY & PER MERTESACKER A duo who initially struggled to adapt to the Premier League now find themselves as one of the best partnerships in English football. Another dominating performance last Sunday, where they dealt with a barrage of crosses from Tottenham, epitomised by their last ditch block on the line to deny Nacer Chadli, secured Arsenal’s 13th clean sheet of the season. Although susceptible to strikers with pace – brutally highlighted by Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez – the pair have developed a good understanding this campaign. Arsenal had in fact gone 31 matches unbeaten – before their humbling at Liverpool – since Koscielny and Mertesacker were made first-choice centre halves. Such is the form of both, it would be difficult to hand one the Player of the Season prize without acknowledging the other
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:42:39 +0000
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