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2019 has been a rollercoaster of emotions for Arsenal. From reaching the Europa League final to a run of consecutive disappointing results this season, the Gunners have been through their fair share of emotions.
However, one positive for every club is to look back at the young players that have gone against the odds throughout the calendar year. we mean those players that never gave up, that continued to perform despite not being first-team regulars and used playing time to the best of their ability.
Arsenal have a fair few young players that are destined for greatness. This is a quality which often goes overlooked in the face of all the negativity surrounding the club. It's time to take a break from the Unai Emery conundrum, Granit Xhaka's wrongdoings and the woeful defending.
Here are four young Gunners that deserve credit for their work in 2019.
#4 Joe Willock
Joe Willock has had his fair share of game time this calendar year and rightly so. The young English midfielder has been one of Arsenal's better performers whenever he has played, even in the Premier League with the top dogs.
Willock is only 20 but he is already blossoming into a mature midfielder. He has both the defensive and offensive traits on lock and you can often see him switching between the two styles in play.
Sine Lucas Torreira has been frozen out as Arsenal's defensive midfielder and Granit Xhaka doesn't look likely to play again, fans are excited to see the development of Willock. He will play in the deep-lying midfielder role but he likes to use his energy to burst into the final third.
His brother, Chris Willock, is now on loan at West Bromwich Albion from Benfica, having experieced life in the Arsenal academy. He will be watching his younger brother being gifted more and more chances in an Arsenal shirt and be cheering him on.
Joe Willock has had an excellent and consistent 2019, so I would expect this to continue into the new year.
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#3 Bukayo Saka
Bursting onto the scene in pre-season, Bukayo Saka has been a key player for Arsenal this season. He was called upon to fill the void left behind by Alexandre Lacazette's injury and he filled that role well.
An impressive display against Manchester United at Old Trafford saw the youngster get the equalising assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, winning a point which could be valuable come the end of the season.
Bukayo Saka is a trademark young winger. He likes to call upon his skill moves in order to beat his man and he can be quite cheeky in that regard. His low centre of gravity allows him to shimmer his body well and he's proven a nightmare to defend against.
He has shown the ability to both score and create goals, which could put him a good position in his quest for more game time going forward.
#2 Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal signed the young Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli in the summer and many didn't know what to make of the signing. However, it didn't take him long to get off the mark and introduce himself to the Arsenal faithful.
Martinelli has started only five games across all competitions this season and already scored a whopping eight goals in those, including two against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup thriller. He has also been rewarded with a handful of Premier League appearances from the bench, but he is yet to make his full debut or score in this competition.
It's never going to be easy dethroning Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette from the starting lineup but if Martinelli keeps up the good form, there's no reason why he won't be Arsenal's future striker.
Martinelli is an all-round striker, with the ability to not only score goals but also wow the crowd with his work on the ball. He has an assist to his name in the Europa League so he's proven he can turn provider.
Martinelli is one of the brightest prospects in Europe right now, so Arsenal should do all they possibly can to keep him happy.
#1 Matteo Guendouzi
The last but certainly not least is Matteo Guendouzi. The young Frenchman is in his second season with the Gunners and somehow, he is outshining his 2018-19 self.
Arsenal have their problems in midfield but Guendouzi has done a good job at providing hope for the fans. He is only 20 years old but judging by the way he plays, you could never tell. He has a constant engine and he will run the full length of the pitch for 90 minutes if he has to.
Guendouzi provides composure to the Gunners midfield, often playing cute balls to his teammates and providing a steady, organised flor of play. He is also impressive in the final third, often playing the killer pass through to the runner Aubameyang.
Guendouzi was given Arsenal's player of the month for September and rightly so. Should he keep up his fine work on and off the pitch, then he will be the first choice in the Arsenal midfield, if he isn't already.
