5 Arsenal Players Whose Stock Tumbled in the 2014/15 Premier League Season

Every season has its casualties. As Arsenal's squad grows deeper and more competitive, certain players are destined to fall by the wayside.

When Arsene Wenger comes to making decisions on the shape of his squad for next season, he'll be paying close attention to any player whose career appears to be on a downward trajectory.

In this piece, we take a look at five individuals whose stock tumbled over the course of the 2014/15 campaign.

Wojciech Szczesny

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Although Wojciech Szczesny began the season as Arsene Wenger's first-choice goalkeeper, he lost his place to David Ospina in January and has never looked like reclaiming it.

The decision to drop him was seemingly due to both poor form and indiscipline, as Szczesny was caught smoking in the dressing room after the defeat at Southampton on New Year's Day, reported by Simon Rice of the Independent. This summer, Wenger may well opt to end the Poland international's Arsenal career.

Mikel Arteta

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Arsenal's club captain, Mikel Arteta, has barely figured for the team this season. Persistent calf problems and his subsequent ankle surgery have limited him to just six Premier League starts over the 2014/15 campaign.

In his absence, Francis Coquelin has emerged as a viable and vivacious alternative to the Spaniard. Arteta now faces a real fight to reclaim his first-team place.

Kieran Gibbs

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It is expected that the FA Cup final team selection will confirm Nacho Monreal has usurped Kieran Gibbs as Arsene Wenger's preferred choice at left-back.

Injuries and inconsistency have seen Gibbs fall behind the Spaniard in the pecking order. The Englishman will be particularly disappointed, as it briefly seemed like he had a chance to establish himself at international level earlier in the campaign. Without regular first-team football, that now seems unlikely.

Mathieu Flamini

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The season just gone may well have been Mathieu Flamini's last as an Arsenal player. Although he has one year remaining on his contract, it's difficult to see Arsene Wenger finding a use for him next season.

When he did play, he was guilty of some high-profile errors, such as conceding possession prior to Tottenham Hotspur's equaliser in September's north London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

However, as the season wore on, he became an increasingly infrequent fixture in the side, with Francis Coquelin's emergence limiting his opportunities to play.

Lukas Podolski

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It's easy to forget that Lukas Podolski is still an Arsenal player.

Although he spent the second half of the season on loan at Inter Milan, he is still contracted to the Gunners and will be expected to return to London for pre-season training this summer.

That return is certain to be brief, with Podolski saying that he is settled in Italy but willing to move elsewhere for first-team football, reported by Sky Sport (h/t TalkSport).