Untold Awards: 1 – Player most likely to break through to the first team next season « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade

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By Tony Attwood

The idea of our doing our own  Awards arose as Robin won the first of his two awards this season, and we discussed not only that award of player of the year, but also other awards we would like to see.   The discussion is still there, and you can see exactly what people said on each topic.

Anyway, we came up with four awards of our own, and we were greatly helped on our way by a listing for the awards on Arsenal.com    Many thanks guys.

So, onto the business.  One of the awards was:

The player who has not been regularly playing with the Arsenal first team this season but who is in the club, who you think is most likely to make a big impact next season.

We excluded Jack W from this, as he’s obviously a special case, and invited readers to nominate up to three players.   We also decided that the Untold Awards would not be given following exact voting numbers – but rather as a result of discussions on this site.

Here are the players that got nominated as of the last time I looked…

• Diaby
• Mertesacker
• Oxlade Chamberlain
• Gibbs
• Coqeulan
• Frimpong
• Carl Jenkinson
• Ryo.
• Joel Campbell
• Ignasi Miquel
• Oguzhan Ozyaghup
• Nico Yennaris
• Thomas Eisfeld
• Benik Afobe
• André Santos
• Henri Lansbury
• Martin Angha
• Serge Gnarby
• Wellington Silva
• Carlos Vela

That is, I think 20 players.  Now of course they can’t all get into the first team, and some may not even be with us next season but the fact is that serious supporters of the club can come up with 20 names.  Twenty players who are in contention for first team exposure next season.

And even if you disagree significantly with some of these – even if you have a reaction that says, “Oh come on – he won’t make it” then you are still probably left with 10 nominees for who a case can be made.

Based on conversations with fellow fans, my own prejudices, and the number of votes cast for each player I came up with a short list… (and I am sure you are going to rub my face in this when next season comes along and I am hopelessly wrong)…

• Diaby
• Oxlade Chamberlain
• Gibbs
• Coqeulan
• Frimpong
• Carl Jenkinson
• Ryo.
• Joel Campbell
• Ignasi Miquel
• André Santos

Working on that list, I think we ought to say that Gibbs and Santos (like Mertesacker) are effectively already in the first team, and only injuries and the growing competition for places keeps them out.   One might also say that of the Ox which then gives us…

• Diaby
• Coquelin
• Frimpong
• Carl Jenkinson
• Ryo
• Joel Campbell
• Ignasi Miquel

Seven strong names – plus the fact that I have now probably cut someone who is going to burst through.

On the couple of occasions we have seen Diaby he has looked magnificent – and in a season when Robin has risen from a lifetime of injury to have the player of the year awards, Diaby deserves a strong mention.  Frimpong too has been blighted by injuries – and before we was injured at Wolverhampton reports were very encouraging.

Joel Campbell has been playing fairly regularly for L’Orient – and scoring occasionally, and we know Mr Wenger wanted him to have the right to play in the UK, but was refused. I don’t know if he is applying again – but if he is refused again, that might count against him.  (I have always thought Park was grabbed because of the refusal to allow Campbell in – and that suggests Mr Wenger values him highly).

We’ve seen Ryo in bits on TV at Bolton – and again Mr Wenger rated him highly enough to get the work permit this year.  Ignasi Miquel we have seen occasionally too – and if it is the centre backs who get the injuries next season, he could get his chance.

But I am giving the Untold vote to Francis Coquelin.  He has played 15 times for us and will I think really break through next season.

Coquelin came from Stade Lavallois and in 2008 we saw him for the first time at Barnet and then in Austria.  His first proper game was on 23 September 2008 v Sheffield United at right back.

In 2009/10 he played in the reserves and in the league cup side, and then last season as noted above he played for FC Lorient making 24 appearances.   It is said that the club wanted to keep him, but were turned down.  Gilles Sunu did in fact sign for the club, and is now with them.

This season Coquelin was man of the match in the defeat to Tottenham in December.  He signed a new long term contract in January.

He has played for France at under 17, 18. 19, 20 and 21 level.

So there he is: Untold’s Player Most Likely to Break Through Next Season.  I am sorry to say I haven’t cup a cup or trophy to give him, but I do hope that someone at Arsenal gets to tell the young man how much impression he’s made on us.

And of course we look forward not only to him making it big time, but someone else bursting through.   Just look back at the final short list again, and then add Jack Wilshere, and you’ll see, it is looking rather amazing…

• Diaby
• Coquelin
• Frimpong
• Jenkinson
• Ryo
• Campbell
• Ignasi Miquel

Coming up tomorrow: The Untold Award for the worst player of the year who has played against Arsenal.

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Wow!