Arsenal: 4 candidates for player of the season

2. Aaron Ramsdale

Whether or not he hasn’t quite hit his best level in patches across 2022, he’s still been phenomenal in goal for Arsenal both in terms of distribution and shot-stopping.

But what should keep him in the discussion for player of the season goes beyond that. It’s as much about what he’s brought to this team as a defensive unit, and how he’s helped transform the way Arsenal build up play and conduct themselves with confidence from back to front.

While they are now different (better) defenders in front of him, one need only look at how the defence acted with Bernd Leno in front to see the improvement. Leno, who is a fine goalkeeper, doesn’t have the command or connection with his defence like Ramsdale does, nor did he ever have the connection with the fans.

Being a jovial character with supporters isn’t reason enough to be the in running for player of the season, though, and what Ramsdale is producing with his feet and his hands is superb.

Arsenal can build up in less predictable ways and that is aided by Ramsdale’s comfort in possession with both feet, range of pass, and the variation he has with his distribution.

He’s been outstanding on the whole and at just 23 years of age he’ll hopefully be with this club for years to come, as well as representing his country in the World Cup finals.

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