LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal celebrates with teammates Rob Holding, Emile Smith Rowe, Mohamed Elneny, Hector Bellerin, Gabriel Martinelli, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Andrew Boyers - Pool/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal celebrates with teammates Rob Holding, Emile Smith Rowe, Mohamed Elneny, Hector Bellerin, Gabriel Martinelli, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Andrew Boyers - Pool/Getty Images)

Arsenal News

Arsenal 2020/21 Team of the Season

by Ross Kennerley
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Arsenal, Emile Smith Rowe

Arsenal 2020/21 Team of the Season as Mikel Arteta brings campaign to a close following eighth place Premier League finish. (Photo by Andrew Boyers – Pool/Getty Images)

You can count on one hand the number of Arsenal players who’ve performed consistently well over the course of the season, which makes selecting some positions 2020/21 team of the season all the more difficult. Nonetheless, we’ll give it a go, shouldn’t be too hard.

Here we are with the Premier League season finished and with no European final to look forward to, with Mikel Arteta’s players, and probably himself, jetting off to warmer climates for some much-needed time off to escape an island perennially trapped in winter.

We all have our favourites, too. Certain players were backed through thick and thin while others had judgments made on them far too soon, an unfortunate human trait but sometimes an unavoidable one.

Arteta certainly had his own, a weakness of his that has become one of the main criticisms of his time in charge. Alleged favouritism for a select few who regularly let supporters and their teammates down. His selections for this lineup would make for interesting reading.

Arsenal 2020/21 Team of the Season as Mikel Arteta brings campaign to a close following eighth place Premier League finish

As for who was the best in their position, however, the conclusions drawn factor in performances from the players across the entire campaign, including displays domestically and in Europe. Some players barely featured but performed very well during their fleeting involvements, in which case sample size has to be factored in.

Interestingly, it will be curious to see how many of the following 11 players are still around in north London come the start of next season. There could, and should, be dramatic outgoings across the entirety of the summer, with the resulting arrivals ideally providing some stern competition for who features below.

Given how wildly inconsistent the vast majority of the squad have been barring a very small minority, a lot of the players had good halves to the season or only managed to contribute effectively in small patches.

All of which will be factored in as the Pain in the Arsenal 2020/21 Team of the Season is chosen. Bring on the debate.

Arsenal, Bernd Leno

Aston Villa’s English striker Ollie Watkins (C) scores his team’s second goal past Arsenal’s Scottish defender Kieran Tierney (L) and Arsenal’s German goalkeeper Bernd Leno (2nd R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Aston Villa. (Photo by ALASTAIR GRANT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Bernd Leno (GK) – If we were taking it as an average, then Ryan would get the nod. Of course, playing just three matches, in which he didn’t put a foot wrong, is far too small of a sample size to warrant his choice. Leno was far from perfect but there was a point where he was being hailed as brushing with the world class bracket prior to his Wolves meltdown. A bit premature.

Calum Chambers (RB) – This is one of the toughest calls to make simply down to the precious few games Chambers actually played for Arsenal this season. Ten Premier League outings and six in the Europa League is so few in comparison to Bellerin’s 35 all in.

It also needs noting that earlier in the season Bellerin was playing well. He started strongly only for his form to nosedive to a point where he never recovered. Perhaps as a nod to Chambers’ mental strength in battling back from injury to claim the first choice right-back slot over an experienced signing and a club stalwart, he will be chosen. Also for his wicked deliveries.

David Luiz (RCB) – No defender played more minutes than Rob Holding this season, which also makes this selection slightly tough. It’s been widely recognised that Luiz has been the best of the options at Arsenal this season purely down to the unique skills on the ball he offers, which were what won him a spot in the team ahead of Holding around the midway mark of the season.

Holding has had good games and bad games. Luiz has had majorly good games. When trying to tip the scale one way or another, that seals it.

Gabriel (LCB) – The idea that Gabriel can’t play with Holding wasn’t unfounded, even if it has been dispelled to some degree over the final five Premier League fixtures of the season. For this position he has longevity over Pablo Mari but it’s his natural ability which wins him a place. Far from flawless, he has shown where development is needed while also demonstrating why Arsenal paid what they did. He’ll have a fine season next term. No doubt.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – Not really any point delving into this one but what we can say is that Arsenal are an inherently better team with the Scot in and nothing else will suffice.

Next: Midfielders

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