Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: Complete 2018/19 season player ratings

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal (L) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on April 01, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal (L) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on April 01, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – MAY 29: Olivier Giroud of Chelsea is fouled by Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal and a penalty is later awarded during the UEFA Europa League Final between Chelsea and Arsenal at Baku Olimpiya Stadionu on May 29, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – MAY 29: Olivier Giroud of Chelsea is fouled by Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal and a penalty is later awarded during the UEFA Europa League Final between Chelsea and Arsenal at Baku Olimpiya Stadionu on May 29, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images) /

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 6.75

Ainsley Maitland-Niles broke his leg 37 minutes into the 2018/19 season. I reckon at that point he might have worried how his year would go. After being bigged up all summer, with Emery highlighting him as a key talent before he even arrived, this was not the ideal start to the year.

By the end of the season, however, the 21-year-old had established himself as a key part of the team. A versatile, dependable depth piece who had played almost every position on the pitch, Maitland-Niles quickly became an integral, if not always starting, player. This year, he played at right-back, left-back, right wing-back, left wing-back, central midfield and right wing.

That type of versatility is perfect for a squad player, which is what he was last year. He will need to lock down a starting role if he is to ever take the next step in his career, but there is nothing wrong with accepting a squad role. That is still an extremely part of the puzzle, and Maitland-Niles does it as well as anyone in the Premier League.