Arsenal Player Of The Season

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2010/11 Player Review: Thomas Vermaelen

By his own admission, Thomas Vermaelen had a “horrible time” during the 2010/11 season.

Hoping to repeat the feats of his first campaign in English football, Thomas instead spent virtually the whole season in the treatment room.

An Achilles injury picked up on international duty in September was initially expected to keep the central defender out of action for a matter of weeks. Weeks became months and, although he eventually recovered, Thomas was then troubled by another tendon problem.

Despite having surgery to correct it, he was sidelined for the majority of the season and only returned in May. Arsenal missed him, as any team would.

Thomas’ injury problems were all the more frustrating when you think back to his revelatory first season at the Club. Now, having seen him return to first-team duty for the final two games of the campaign, Arsenal fans will look forward to seeing Thomas at his best in 2011/12.

SOUNDBITE
"It's been a horrible time but it's finished now and I am happy to be back on the pitch. My target was to be fit before the holiday and to show the boss that I am back and show him that I am sharp. That was my target and I reached that."

FINEST MOMENT
Thomas returned to the Arsenal starting line-up after eight months on the sidelines against Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium in May. He came through the full 90 minutes unscathed and completed the next step of his search for full fitness.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-arc...omas-vermaelen

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2010/11 Player Review: Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has had better seasons than 2010/11 but he was as effective as ever when he did make it onto the pitch.

The Arsenal captain went into the campaign on the back of a glorious summer that saw Spain lift the World Cup and his club contributions were put on hold while he recovered from the tournament. Cesc looked as bright as ever after his rest but a series of niggling injuries restricted him to just 29 starts in all competitions.

That probably cost him a place in our Player of the Season top three but it's worth noting that no Premier League player could match the Arsenal skipper when it came to creativity. Cesc had the best 'minutes per assist' rate in the top flight.

He was among the goals in autumn, scoring four in three games including a brace against Braga as Arsenal made a flying start to their Champions League campaign. A vital strike against Chelsea followed as Cesc exerted his usual influence when it mattered most.

The captain came off the bench to rescue FA Cup ties against Leeds and Huddersfield and all seemed well when he led the team out four days before the Carling Cup Final for a Premier League game against Stoke. But 14 minutes later Cesc limped off with a hamstring problem and his absence was keenly felt at Wembley and Old Trafford as both domestic cups slipped away.

He was back in the side to face Barcelona in the Nou Camp but clearly lacked fitness and could do nothing to stop his former club from advancing into the Quarter-Finals.

Cesc finally shook off his hamstring problem for the crucial month of April but another knock - this time to his thigh - consigned the skipper to the sidelines for the rest of the campaign. A summer break and a clean bill of health should ensure we see the best of Cesc next term.

SOUNDBITE
"For me [the first leg against Barcelona was] the best game I've experienced in terms of quality and intensity. They had the ball, they went for it. We had the ball, we went for it. For me, I've never experienced a game with so much quality on the pitch from both teams."

FINEST MOMENT
Arsenal's record against the big clubs had been panned ahead of the visit of Chelsea just after Christmas but Cesc helped to silence the critics. He was a driving force throughout as the Blues' much-heralded midfield was forced back and he scored the vital second goal before setting up Theo Walcott for the third in a memorable 3-1 win.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-arc...-cesc-fabregas

Shit season

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2010/11 Player Review: Emmanuel Eboue

Emmanuel Eboue once again showed his versatility during the 2010/11 season.

He played understudy to Bacary Sagna at right back but when deployed at left back, or even in midfield, the Ivory Coast star’s enthusiasm and skill offered Arsène Wenger something different.

He deputised for the suspended Sagna against Barcelona in the Champions League and helped to keep the Catalan giants at bay in the second half on a famous night at Emirates Stadium. He again stepped in for the Frenchman towards the end of the season, against Liverpool and Blackpool.

At Bloomfield Road, Emmanuel scored his only goal of the season. He doubled Arsenal’s lead when he raced forward down the right before bursting into the area, exchanging passes with Jack Wilshere and thumping past Richard Kingson from close range.

Emmanuel's relationship with the fans continued to blossom and he always showed his appreciation for their support, both at Emirates Stadium and away from home.

SOUNDBITE
"This year we have got more maturity in our team. We are so happy to have Arsène Wenger as our manager because he believes in us. We have grown up this year and have done very well.”

FINEST MOMENT
After Emmanuel’s goal against Blackpool, he threw off the celebrations of his fellow players and ran to the visiting support then kissed the badge on his shirt. It was his first Premier League goal for over two years.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-arc...emmanuel-eboue

Eboue

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2010/11 Player Review: Jack Wilshere

Jack started the 2010/11 campaign as a highly-rated youngster hoping for a chance in the Arsenal first team. He ended it as a fully-fledged international, the bedrock of Arsène Wenger's midfield, the Club's Player of the Season and the PFA Young Player of the Year.

The term 'meteoric rise' is reserved for those who come from nowhere to imprint themselves on the public's consciousness and Jack did exactly that - even surprising himself with the progress he made in such a short time.

He made his international debut in August and emerged as the poster boy for a new generation of English talent in the wake of a poor showing at the 2010 World Cup. Later that month the absence of Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song gave Jack the chance to start his first Premier League game for Arsenal - at Anfield on the opening day of the season.

That went well enough and the teenager simply went from strength to strength. He might have expected 20 to 25 appearances given Arsène Wenger's battery of midfield talent but Jack's quality and consistency made him undroppable. He wound up starting more first-team games than any other Arsenal player last term - not bad for a lad who was still learning his trade.

Wenger's decision to deploy Jack in a deeper midfield role helped him acclimatise to the pace of the
Premier League and before long he was dictating the tempo of Arsenal's forward play with his range of passing and ability to drift past opponents. Jack only scored twice - against Shakhtar and Aston Villa - but you sense that the goals will flow in time.

Jack's tenacity and loyalty - as well as his quality - made him an instant hit with the Arsenal fans and they crowned him their Player of the Season in May with 41.4 per cent of the votes cast in the Club's official poll.

The teenager has already achieved so much - but this is surely only the start of a long, illustrious career.

SOUNDBITE
“Before people would tell you that you have to do this and that when you are a pro but until you are actually there, experiencing it, you don’t realise what it means. You have to eat well, prepare well, rest well – it’s a 24/7 job – it’s not just about training and playing the games. Everything away from that is so important too. If you are not ready for every game then a top class player will take advantage of it.”

FINEST MOMENT
Jack ended up on the losing side over two legs against Barcelona but no one impressed the Catalan giants more. He went toe-to-toe with Xavi and Andres Iniesta for 180 minutes, inspiring his team to a memorable first-leg win at the Emirates before putting in a huge shift in the Nou Camp. Europe sat up and took notice.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-arc...-jack-wilshere

Did well. Needs more end product though