I have decided on my player of the season

With seven games to go in the league and two or more in the Champions League, all of which will be crucial, I decided to think of my player of the season now because I don't want in future emotional highs or lows to change what I have assessed over more than 31 games so far. So who was your player of the season? Well, I will tell you mine.

It is not Thomas Vermaelen, the Belgian warrior who has had the best adjustment and contribution in his first season in the tough premiership than any player in any team I can think of over the past 10 years. Gilberto had an amazing first season but he just plugged a hole in an very good complete team. Arshavin had a big impact but it was not without obvious struggle and dips in form. Vermaelen has plugged a hole and contributed masses. He has been consistent, showed immense leadership and most importantly, showed the fighting spirit that the team badly needed. Thomas Vermaelen is my hero of the season but not my player of the season.

It is not Cesc Fabregas, the Spanish conductor who plays five years older than he is. Cesc gave me my moment of the season with a 27 minute cameo that single-handedly won a crucial game for Arsenal against Aston Villa. Wenger played Cesc in the Champions League final at the age of 17. On the day when Wenger's life depended on a game, he put a 17-year-old in midfield. Cesc's loyalty to Arsenal stems from that confidence and investment that Arsenal made in him and in the shared trauma from that defeat. Cesc is so mature on the pitch because Wenger gave him the chance to gain that experience. That has made him what he is today. Cesc would not be this mature if he stayed at Barca. We should not forget that this season, Cesc has scored more goals than most strikers in the premiership - goals without which Arsenal would be battling for fourth again. Captain Fab, the best playmaker in the premiership and the heartbeat of the team this season but not my player of the season.

It is not Alex Song the awkward teen looking feather weight that became a heavy weight Champion in midfield with an eye for a pass and a compass for sniffing danger. The man whose presence reduces the burden on the back four by half. His absence against Everton made Piennar a premiership sensation and galvanised Everton's recovery. Yes, Song's absence on that day should be celebrated by Everton fans as the day that gave their midfield confidence to cement their turnaround and challenge for fourth. Song may have put in a Man of the Match performance against West Ham at centre-back but I think if he had stayed in midfield whoever would have come in at centre-back would have had less work to do than he had to do when he moved back because he covers the back four fantastically. Song and Vermaelen have injected a little bit of nastiness to Arsenal's play. Song, Diaby and Cesc will be a better midfield than Xavi, Touré and Iniesta in two years time. That's how fantastic I think they are. Alex Song Billong, the most improved player at Arsenal and in the premiership this season but not my player of the season.

That honour goes to Emmanuel Eboué. If you just fell off your seat, pick yourself up and read on. Eboué is our right back at home, winger away from home in midfield, right side forward when we are chasing games, playmaker sometimes and injury cover for a whole host of important players. This season has been defined by injury. First spot is hotly contested by 3 clubs who have been bunched together after 31 games due to key injuries - multiple for Arsenal, Essien for Chelsea and centrebacks for Man Utd. All top three have been vulnerable everywhere, beaten by other teams, who are now crowded together in the fight for fourth where Liverpool is part due to their own injuries to Torres and Gerard.

Arsenal's ability to cope with their injuries this season (the season defined by injuries) without the squad depth and experience available to Cheslea and Man Utd, has been down to Emmanuel Eboué. Without Eboué we would not have dealt well with the absences of Rosicky, Nasri, Walcott, Eduardo, Bendtner, Robin van Persie, Diaby and Sagna at different points in the season and still heading the scoring charts.

Besides the cover, Eboué has been very productive. He is Arsenal's best dribbler. He runs at defences which breaks up Arsenal's predictability and opens opportunities for midfielders to score – that's where most of our goals have come from. Eboué offers opponents a different challenge at home from right back. When both Eboué and Sagna are fit, Wenger has his most effective tactical weapon in changing games home and away. When I think about playing Barcelona, the players I think might cause problems for Barcelona and get defenders booked are Eboué and Arshavin. From the experience this season, I know Eboué is going to turn up and I can only hope that Arshavin does.

Without Eboué I don't think Arsenal would have made it this far. Note that Eboué also has 4 key assists this season as well as winning a few penalties by running into box and causing a foul on him or another Arsenal player. He has also scored three goals – not much but better similar to Rosicky. I don't think there is a better utility player in European football.

Eboué has also been very important to the spirit of the team. Eboué lost two of his very best friends at Arsenal (Touré and Adebayor). Hleb and Flamini made minor contributions to each other's exits by exit. Fabregas, the third of that trio believed in himself and stayed. Eboué did the same. He stayed happy and is known to be key in maintaining a good atmosphere at the club.

Eboué has also taught the fans and his team mates two useful lesson this season. First is how to respond to being low and derided by fans. That lesson is both to his team mates and to Arsenal fans. He did not criticise the fans although he would have been right to. He did not run away to Roma and never talked of leaving Arsenal. The second lesson is to us fans about the growth of players and our patience to them during that growth.

Eboué is now 26-years-old. It is always worth remembering that when the temptation arises to criticise Bendtner, Denilson, Walcott or Vela for small mistakes. In football, reaching a high level like Fabregas has done at his age is an anomaly. Even Song and Diaby seem to be doing what few players can do at their age. We saw Eboué's growing pains. He is now a fantastic age – the right age for a premiership footballer. He is experienced and can make better decisions and knows where he cannot afford to lose the ball. He shows up for all games and is extremely fit and fast.

Walcott talked about learning from Henry. Eboué may not be as fashionable but that's definitely one guy Walcott should pay closer attention to.

Emmanual Eboué, whatever happens, you are my player of the season.

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