Thanks to everyone who voted in this week’s series of polls to select our Players of the Season in a number of different categories.
We had hundreds of votes in every poll and some fascinating results.
In each case I will give the top three players and the percentage of the vote they received. There’s no need to publish the lower end of the scoring, although you may be interested to know that every player in every category got at least some votes: yes, some people even voted Willian our Attacking Player of the Year. It takes all sorts I suppose.
So let’s start with the big one:
Player of the Season
Winner: BUKAYO SAKA – 55%
Runner-up: Kieran Tierney – 9%
Third Equal: Granit Xhaka/Nicolas Pepe – 8%
Congratulations to Bukayo. It’s hard to argue with that result. He has been outstanding this season and even when he seemed tired towards the end of the campaign he still managed to make telling contributions. When you think about how young he is you can only be excited about where he can go from here.
And to add to his garlands, let’s move on to the next category:
Young Player of the Season
Winner: BUKAYO SAKA – 51%
Runner-up: Emile Smith Rowe – 35%
Third: Kieran Tierney – 10%
At least the next category will give someone else a look in – Saka was not among the nominees for this one.
Most Improved Player of the Season
Winner: NICOLAS PEPE – 53%
Runner-up: Rob Holding – 17%
Third Equal: Granit Xhaka/Calum Chambers – 9%
It seemed to take Nico a long time to convince Mikel Arteta to have faith in him, but his contribution in the second half of the season was very good. He can be lethal cutting in from the wings and shooting with great accuracy. His two goals in the final game of the season against Brighton were perfect examples, both placed with power rather than blasted with hope. He could be huge for us next season if this upturn in his form continues.
Now we move on to the most popular players in the three areas of defence, midfield and attack.
Defensive Player of the Season
Winner: KIERAN TIERNEY – 55%
Runner-up: Rob Holding – 21%
Third: Gabriel – 7%
No big surprises here. Tierney has rapidly established himself as one of the best fullbacks in the EPL. Rob Holding’s second place is fair reward for a mostly solid and consistent season despite playing alongside a constantly changing rota of CB partners.
Midfield Player of the Season
Winner: BUKAYO SAKA – 47%
Runner-up: Emile Smith Rowe – 24%
Third: Granit Xhaka – 19%
Saka again, but it’s nice to see a lot of votes for ESR, who is my favourite player to watch in the current squad. Xhaka gets deserved recognition for a strong and consistent second half of the campaign.
Attacking Player of the Season
Winner: NICOLAS PEPE – 52%
Runner-up: Alexandre Lacazette – 34%
Third: Gabriel Martinelli – 9%
I wonder how many people would have predicted at Christmas that the Ivorian would be the fans’ attacking player of the season by the end of May? Not many, that’s for sure. The unproductive Willian occupied the space that should have been Pepe’s for the first half of the season but Nico certainly seized his chance when he got back into the first team rotation.
So, a great night at the Arsenal Oscars for Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe, with Kieran Tierney also getting among the honours.
Happy with the results? Outraged? The comment section is there to capture your thoughts…
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Good morning, Rocky,
My thoughts are that the results across the board are fair and justified! Well done for the great Posts leading up to the results.
I have almost always thought that Pepe could eventually play big, and I am pleased for him. In answer to your question regarding whether any fan could have predicted Pepe being hailed our best attacking player by the end of may — I think that would be doubtful – but he deserved it for his cool clinical scoring – and he will get better.
My own view is that the collapse of Willian’s confidence and skills (?), the injury and illness affecting Auba, and Mikel apparently preferring Laca to be on the bench, may have helped Pepe by comparison — hopefully the increased appearances of Balo and Martinelli to join ESR and Saka will make our attack fearsome again next season.🤞
Good morning Redders
Off at a tangent, but I hope that whatever we do in the transfer market this summer does not thwart the progress of the next wave of young players (Balogun, Azeez, Medley – maybe others).
We won’t have European footy to give them game time so they may find it harder to get a look in.
I hope Arteta realises that it was the young players who rescued his season to at least get us in the top half of the table by the end.
Next season I want to see Saka, ESR and Martinelli as first team regulars plus plenty of chances for Balogun/Azeez to get a look in – perhaps making the League Cup team pretty much all young players the way Arsene used to.
Morning Wheaty
Morning and thanks Rocky
Thoroughly agree with need to give unseen yoof a chance next season( my spelling is excellent in fact). Think the departures of Ceballos, Willian, Xhaka, and BOdegaard will make that more possible.
Still hopeful for the return of Saliba AND Mavrapanos, despite what that argumentative RC says. And to add to the squad, Bissouma, Buendia ( now I know that is wrong! Where are all the Smiths of the World?) and Hakimi A.
Wishing all AAers a happy and sunny Bank Holiday.
OITRAGED
who on earth voted for willian, I need five minutes
Fred
More than one person! 😳
check some skills from some of the Winners and nominees
my defender of the year surely would have on if not injured
another who should have been nominated
Well done to Saka, Tierney and Pepe!
I gave my young player of the season to ESR because I consider Saka already an established player since last year but overall, the votes reflect the season. I am surprised at the backing of Pepe who had a tough time until January (except in the Europa League). Now he has to confirm his good disposition as of the first day of next season 🙂
COYG! Well done to the winners and thanks Rocky for an exciting week of posts
Thanks RC
And thanks for the Post in drafts. We can run it tomorrow.
Rocky omg lol
Clearly the some of the people voted have short term memory
Like day only remember the 2 good games out of 38 willian played
Lacazette should have been attacker of the year
See why we don’t need bissouma
Partey as holding willock playing the B2B role
I think Willock works well in a midfield 3 or he can fight for the playmaker spot with ESR…I would be happy with that.
Guendouzi should be snapped up by Marseille…
Dont need Diawara under any circumstances from Roma. ( Injury prone). Cough up Moaninho if you want our top quality midfielder!!
Fred
Do you believe Willock has furrher developed enough to stand out for Arsenal regularly in that role?
further…even
yes LBG, the same think i see in Saka 2 years ago, I see in Willock, i actually think Willock is better than ESR although i know dey play 2 different positions but overall footballer i think willock is better
Willock has proven himself in groups stages of Europa league but because we were struggle so badly in prem wasn’t given his chance
one think Arteta go wrong with willock this year, is playing him in the wrong position and expecting immediate success
i remember him playing in RW position cause Willian and Pepe was so horrible, also remember him playing as a CAM
i remember under Emery tenor he played him as CDM allowing him to get forward i think Xhaka was the holding CDM that day and thats when i knew he would be great in that position
Sue who we backing for the promotion finals
I sure RC78 would say we should sign him lol
Come on Swansea
Fred.. I want Brentford 🤣 (had to be, didn’t it?! 😜)
We not in sync today at all sue sigh
Great counter from Brentford sigh
Perhaps we could swap Elneny senior for Xhaka, Fred.
Come on the Bees. Another London Derby for the Gunners.
We sure elneny wasn’t the senior lol
Come on Swansea
Sorry, Fred 😜
Swansea as lucky with a year ending in one as poor old Totteringham Hotspurs.
Well done to Brentford! Toney in the PL 👌
Up next – Foden masterclass, please!
RC,
Ça va.
J’avais l’habitude de vivre à Austin, Texas. A Austin, Il y a une grande université.
Tu seras surpris, mais dans cette université il y a plusieurs animaux qui parlent le français. Parmi ces animaux, il y a des tatous, une chatte, un escargot, un écureuil et plusieurs insectes.
Mais, parmi ces animaux francophones, il n’y a pas de pingouin. Quelle désastre!! 😜
Et maintenant, on peut parler de football, bien sûr. 😎
Ok sue enemies for the next 2 hours
Fred.. 😝😂
So far so good, $ coach losing!
Out boyz, Saka and Pepe, iron man goes to Xhaka, up and comer ESR.
Manshitty get a taste of their own sly, cheating medicine.
Kante and James are the best two players in their positions in the Premier League. IMO
Question has to be asked: would have puP won the CL without Messi?
Nope….
The second De Bruyne went off their attacking impetus was gone.
$h*tTy resorted to lumping it into the box.
Who cares about them.
What are we going to do to score more goals next year? Better do something this summer.
Need to strengthen the mid’s, simple really.
Chelsea, European champions – at least Fred is happy (can’t for the life of me think why! 😄)
*heads off looking for tissues and vomit bowl, wondering if we’ll ever be in the CL again* 😭
So did the financially doped megabucks club win the CL, or was it the financially doped megabucks club?
Already done Aaron and his name is willock
Rc78 why couldn’t tuchel do this last year
Rocky,
Both are scum, just do not like puP more, as he only coaches super teams with all the best toys. f that guy!
Fred, you mean Willock to play with creativity and freedom, not during diet peps regime.
New Post