Arsenal end of season player awards 2015/16

The end of Arsenal’s football season has arrived and while the season has not quite panned out how some would have hoped, there have been plenty of high moments as well as some torrid, torrid low moments.

But we’re Arsenal, and that’s what we do. Love us or loathe us.

With the campaign at its end and the shift in people’s minds quickly set to move from club football to national with the European Championship fast approaching early next month, it’s time to look back at the season and award players for their contributions this season.

Player of the Season: Mesut Ozil

Who else? The big award will certainly come as no surprise. The German has been genuinely leaps and bounds ahead of any of his teammates this season and is unlucky to not be lifting any silverware.

Ozil, this season, broke the record for most chances created in a Premier League season and bagged himself 19 assists, a stunning return.

Although Ozil, at times, especially in the second half of the season, drifted in and out of games, his overall contribution in the final third makes him one of the club’s most prised possessions of all time – he is a certified game changer.

Perhaps Arsene Wenger’s most important business to be concerned with this summer is tying the 27-year-old down to a new, long-term deal.

Young Player of the Season: Hector Bellerin

Bellerin, of course, wins this one.

Alex Iwobi is a great shout but he came in a little bit too late and Bellerin’s performances saw Mathieu Debuchy forced to leave the club, Calum Chambers shifted to central defence and once again, Carl Jenkinson sent out on loan to West Ham United.

Bellerin has so much to improve on, he needs to better his crossing in the final third and become more of a contributor, because far too often when he is given too much time with the ball, he gets confused and loses composure.

He is young, and he will improve. It’s a mark of how good he is that despite the criticisms, he was selected as the Premier League right back in the Team of the Season.

What a player Arsenal have on their hands.

Most improved Player of the Season: Nacho Monreal

A bit of a weird one, Monreal was already very, very good going into this season but he made the step up once again in the early months of the 2015/16 campaign.

He has an ability which always allows him to get to the ball first, he is a very good defender and shores up the left side so much. If only his contributions in the final third were a bit better.

This one could have gone to Joel Campbell – who has been arguably Arsenal’s unsung hero of the season but he just hasn’t been allowed to play enough games, hopefully that changes next season.

Signing of the Season: Petr Cech

This one is basically: Petr Cech or Mohamed Elneny?

Elneny has looked to be one of Wenger’s better midfield signings for a long, long time but Cech came into the side solving a serious, serious problem that the club had been suffering from for a while.

The 33-year-old is a stunning goalkeeper, arguably the Premier League’s best ever and he is still amongst the best in the world.

A great first season.

Goal of the Season: Alexis Sanchez vs. Manchester United (4th October, 3-0 Arsenal)

This goal just has to win it. The onslaught from the Gunners was what we want to see throughout the season and it was Alexis at his best.

Cutting in from the left, the Chilean took a touch and launched it into the top right corner, out of David de Gea’s reach. Olivier Giroud vs. Bayern Munich could have also won the award with a stunning volley but this one just had to be the winner.

Youth Player of the Season: Chris Willock

Possibly a bit harsh on Iwobi but because he was a bit in and out of the first-team from early on in the season, he can’t really be included in the Youth Player of the Season category.

Willock, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer in the under-21s as well as the under-18s and has looked a class above the level. His drive with the ball, ability to bury it into the back of the net as well as skilfully run at opponents makes him frightening.

Arsenal have a great talent on their hands, one who will step up to the first-team scene next season.