Petr Cech A- 42 appearances
There were hiccups (such as the late season near post goals conceded and his first game against West Ham), but he made a number of spectacular saves and steadied a defence that wound up more clean sheets than any other team. I especially loved finding out how he communicates in multiple languages to his defensive teammates.
David Ospina C+ 13 appearances
A disastrous error against Olympiakos shadowed his season, as well as a timid game against Andy Carroll and West Ham. However, he had some good games as well and he made a spectacular reflex save against Leo Messi early in the Barcelona match.
Hector Bellerin B+ 44 appearances 1 goal
Established himself as Arsenal’s right back with a fine season. His speed and competitiveness are assets and his attacking ability makes opponents wary. He still needs to bulk up a little and improve his crossing ability.
Mathieu Debuchy F 6 (1) appearances
Debuchy was never able to regain his starting job from Bellerin and when he did play he was awful. In the end he agitated for a move and was loaned to Bordeaux, where in a matter of weeks he was injured.
Per Mertesacker C+ 36 (1) appearances
The Arsenal skipper endured a difficult season and was benched near the end of the season. Ironically, Gabriel played even worse and Per was restored to the lineup, although he strained his hamstrings shortly after returning. Per still reads situations better than almost all the defenders, but he lacks the pace necessary against the world’s best and quickest. Witness his red card against Diego Costa. Per had no goals and was not really a threat from set pieces this past season. I suspect he’ll be back for one last season next year.
Gabriel Paulista C 27 (3) appearances 1 goal
At times he’s hyper aggressive, which can be good and can be bad, witness the Chelsea debacle. He has the pace to react, but not when he gives opponents too much room. I’m not convinced by his one on one defensive skills either. In the season ending game against Villa he was beaten several times by Ayew, which was concerning. We hear that he has trouble communicating and that he still needs to acquire more English. On the plus side, I believe he can become a threat at set pieces. Is he Per’s long term replacement? I have my doubts.
Laurent Koscielny B+ 44 appearances 4 goals
Another solid season for Arsenal’s best defender. Koscielny performs game in and game out and chips in with important goals along the way. On the negative side, there’s always a mistake he makes every four or five games that is costly. Witness his losing the ball against Barcelona or his missed kick against City. If he can purge these from his game, he’d be even better.
Callum Chambers C- 10 (13) appearances 1 goal
He played in three different positions this past season. Generally he played okay, but had a nightmare first half against Liverpool. As a centre back, he still needs some work. As a right back, he plays well when attacking, but defensively he’s vulnerable against tricky wingers. As a holding midfielder, he’s adequate, but his passing is not as precise as it should be. He didn’t play in enough games this past year, which is why his name comes up as a potential loanee. His goal was a thing of beauty.
Nacho Monreal A- 43 (2) appearances
Nacho has improved dramatically from the way he played four years ago. He attacks more, his defending is better, he’s more aggressive in the air, and he has now displaced Kieran Gibbs as a starter. He seldom played poorly and was not really a problem defensively. On the attack, he still needs to work on his crossing and he needs to chip in a couple of goals a season. A couple of times he got in good scoring positions, but had to use his right foot and chose not to, resulting in missed opportunities.
Kieran Gibbs C 13 (16) appearances 1 goal
Gibbs never played poorly, but Nacho Monreal just played better and Wenger has rewarded him. Wenger still rates Gibbs, given how often he used him off the bench, but he definitely is no longer a starter. He adds some pace on the left and he did score a key goal against Spurs. There is talk that Gibbs wants to move, so we may not see him around much longer.
Mikel Arteta D- 2 (12) appearances Almost 1 goal
A nightmare of a final season for Mikel. He sustained one calf injury after another and was never healthy enough to make a long-term impact on the team this year. He did complete his coaching badges and he had an impact in the locker room, but on the field his best days were behind him. He did make a grand farewell against Villa, playing a memorable ten minutes.
Mathieu Flamini C- 19 (5) appearances 2 goals
Arsenal tried to sell Flamini last summer, but he refused to leave. Many thought he’d only have a limited impact on the club, however injuries to Arteta and Coquelin insured that he had a fairly large impact. Yes, he’s not as robust, or strong, and he shouts a lot, but he did play reasonably well in a number of games. As the time wore on, he became less effective. He also had several smaller injuries during the season and he scored what may well be the goal of the season against Spurs.
Francis Coquelin B- 29 (7) appearances
Last year he was a huge success story. This year hasn’t been the kind of year we were hoping for from Francis. He played well for the first third of the season, was injured in the second third, and came back for the final third but was not that impressive. In fact, Wenger had him sit on the bench in the final weeks. He still fails to deliver killer passes, isn’t really a goal scoring threat, and is at times too aggressive. His reckless challenge in the Spurs game that resulted in a red card was not his finest hour. Still, he works hard and adds defensive cover we so desperately need.
Santi Cazorla C+ 21 appearances
Cazorla’s impact was positive and profound in the first four months of the season. His injury disrupted our midfield and we lost someone who could move the ball quickly upfield when we had won the ball back. His quick feet and vision make a big difference. Santi, though, had trouble scoring (even slipping when taking a penalty), indicating that he’s not the same player we brought in four years ago.
Mohamed Elneny B 15 (2) appearances 1 goal
Purchased in January, it was only in late March that he started to make an impact. By the end of the season, he had twice been chosen as player of the month. He’s energetic and works hard, not spectacular, doesn’t often dribble or make incisive passes, but he does get in good shooting positions. Unfortunately, he doesn’t always shoot on target, but he isn’t shy and once in awhile they go in (such as against Barcelona).
Jack Wilshere F 1 (2) appearances
Jack played decently in the small time he had on the field, but three games is not enough. He is fast becoming as prolific as Abou Diaby in time spent in the treatment room. Originally it was hoped that he’d be back around Christmas. How wrong that turned out to be. What he needs is to have a decent summer and to stay healthy for a couple of seasons. Deep down I suspect that won’t happen.
Tomas Rosicky F (1) appearance
Tomas returned and was injured again within twenty minutes. We’ll miss his ability to turn and face his opponents, his ability to drive forward and his adding energy to a sagging squad. His Arsenal stay was marred by almost constant injuries and we never got to see the real Rosicky for extended times.
Aaron Ramsey B- 34 (6) appearances 6 goals
Aaron continues to play in positions not best suited to his skill set. He played out on the wing or next to the holding midfielder, neither high on his list. In our half he’s often a liability, dwelling on the ball too long and giving it away. He can still score, although his shooting was a little wayward this past season, and he still has incredible energy levels. His biggest challenge has been with injuries the past three seasons. Every year he picks up a significant muscle injury and misses chunks of the season. Arsenal need him to be healthy next season.
Mesut Ozil A- 46 appearances 8 goals
Mesut was sensational in the first half of the season and not as dynamic in the second half. That was down to others becoming injured or losing their form, but he did seem tired and disinterested at times. His ball retention is phenomenal, his passing crazy at times, and his work rate admirable. He added goals to his game this past season and he probably could have had a lot more. The challenge will be to have him sign a new contract.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain C- 17 (16) appearances 2 goals
A nightmare of a season for the Ox. A great pre-season and Community Shield, then he was on the bench having good and bad games, then when an injury to Ramsey seemed to give him an opportunity, he got injured. He then recovered, had to sit behind Campbell, got his chance again and was injured shortly after against Barcelona. When it happened I wanted him to avoid Mascherano (a.k.a. like Walcott) after his poor first touch, but he went into the challenge. Mascherano got the ball and the Ox got two months off (the summer as well, it turns out!). Rumours have him maybe leaving, but I don’t think Wenger will give up on him yet.
Joel Campbell B 21 (10) appearances 4 goals
For awhile it looked like we’d barely get to see Campbell, but injuries gave him the opportunity and for the most part he played rather well. He had some memorable assists, some key goals, and he added some razzle dazzle and a solid work rate. His form dropped a little, which allowed the Ox and Iwobi to get some consideration, but he was a welcome surprise. I suspect Arsenal will sell him this summer.
Alex Iwobi A 14 (7) appearances 2 goals
Iwobi was definitely the find of the season. During preseason he gave a hint of what was to come when he was the standout amongst all of Arsenal’s young players. He continued to train with the main squad, but would play with the reserves, until he started to get his chances in the new year. He had a number of fine performances, including matches against Barcelona, Everton, and Watford. He had a couple of flat performances at the end of the season, but he showed us that he has a penchant for passing, dribbling, and scoring. We’ll see what he does next year.
Alexis Sanchez B 38 (4) appearances 17 goals
Talk about a rollercoaster season. He had a late start because of the Copa America, but right on returning he made an impact. However, an injury slowed the team down and even though Wenger took extra care to allow Sanchez to recover, it didn’t make a difference. The player who returned from the treatment table suddenly had trouble controlling the ball, couldn’t make simple passes, and had bouts of extreme selfishness. He wasn’t playing his typical defence either. His loss of form was a major reason that the team crashed and burned in February and March. However, he came back to life and finished the season strongly, although he made a petulant departure from one of the matches. What to say … our best or most explosive player? …yes. The one who has the greatest effect on the team?… yes. Will he be back? Maybe.
Theo Walcott C 22 (20) appearances 9 goals
A slow start to the season, but he soon was at the top of his game during the fall. As is his history, an injury changed everything. It took him awhile to come back, but he was not the same and struggled till the end of the campaign. Can he play centre-forward? Yes, but in limited situations. He isn’t robust enough to play there game in and game out. At times he is better suited to playing on the wing, but his defensive skills become more of a liability out there. Again, if you’re playing the right opponent, he can be a weapon. Rumours are rife that he is leaving, although Welbeck’s injury could change things. However, he is being paid a lot of money and not delivering enough “bang for the buck.”
Danny Welbeck B 9 (6) appearances 5 goals
A rough year for Welbeck, who was scheduled to return to the squad around Christmas. When he did return, in February, it was dramatic, scoring the winning goal against Leicester in extra-time. He had a number of good outings and he stepped up when Giroud could not deliver. He formed a good partnership with Iwobi as well. In the end, he damaged his other knee, a huge tragedy, that will limit his participation next season.
Olivier Giroud B- 38 (16) appearances 24 goals
Giroud’s stats are pretty good. The trouble is he should have over 30 goals, but he went into an extended slump at the time the team needed him to perform. Giroud works hard, can make some lovely flicks, is good in the air, and can take the abuse a big centre-forward constantly receives. However he’s not fleet of foot and not ruthless in front of goal. When his confidence is low, his whole game is effected. He will probably be back, but Arsenal need an upgrade.
Several other players made brief appearances, such as Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Krystian Bielik, Ismael Bennacer, and Glen Kamara, but their appearances were too brief and they don’t have a first team history such as Rosicky does. Therefore, I’ve left them out.