Arsenal didn't have the best start to the season. The club looked a bit down on their luck and a far cry from the season before, when the North Londoners spent 138 days at the top of the Premier League but, from January onwards, the Gunners have completely turned it around.
It was down to some stellar performances by the team and now the FA Cup holders are chasing Chelsea and looking at second place, dreaming hopefully of first place. During this turnaround there are some players who truly deserved to be nominated for the PFA awards, who perhaps unfiarly missed out.
Mesut Ozil:
Mesut Ozil has been intensely criticised ever since he joined the Gunners in a record breaking deal. The recent months, however have seen a distinct change in opinion amongst fans, media and pundits and rightly so because the German has been one of Arsenal's best players this year and possibly one of the best midfielders in the league too. Even though he is finally winning people over with his recent performances, the truth is he has been performing the whole time, he has just improved more on certain aspects of his game on return from injury. He is sublime in his passing and the accuracy of his crosses are very defined, he covers positions no-one else does as well as reading his team mates well. Moving forward is so much easier when Ozil is in the team, he has proved his worth and deserved the nomination.
Santi Cazorla:
Despite a slightly weary start to the season, Cazorla picked up pace and soon found his form towards the end of November. The change of form earned him Player of the Month award for December and January respectively. He has been influential in nearly all of the games he has played but his performances in the Manchester City game and also the 5-0 win over Aston Villa in February were exemplary. He has made it very hard for Wenger to pick anyone else over him when everyone is fit. He definitely deserved a nomination for the award ahead of Philippe Coutinho, who has been mediocre compared to Cazorla this season.
Olivier Giroud:
Since he returned from injury early, Giroud has been the best version of himself to date. Never have we seen the focus and drive that he seems to possess since injury. He has been one of the most in form strikers in the league, scoring nine goals in 11 games and as a result won Player of the Month for March. He has also created bundles of chances, as well as improving his finish and utilising crosses better. The Emirates faithful are finally seeing a decent forward emerging and he has improved an endless amount from last year. After seeing such a dramatic change he also deserved a nomination.
In terms of PFA Young Player of the Season award it, would have been nice to see Hector Bellerin mentioned this season. He has been phenomenal in his first real season as a first-team player. He really could be one of the best right-backs Arsenal have since the famous four and he has been an integral part of the team this year, probably the best young defender Arsenal currently have.