Arsenal are in the all too familiar position of fourth at Christmas after back-to-back defeats stunted their progress in the Premier League.

The Gunners were second going into games against Everton and Manchester City, but two defeats, both of which from a goal up, has seen them slip down to fourth and just a point ahead of North London rivals Tottenham.

Arsene Wenger’s side are now nine points adrift of league leaders Chelsea after those two losses, and now face an even greater challenge in holding off Spurs and Manchester United in the race for Champions League qualification.

However, Arsenal face two crucial home games against West Brom and Crystal Palace before the New Year, and six points from those could put them right back in the mix for a first Premier League title since 2004.

Wenger’s men have won ten of their 17 league games so far, and have also qualified top of their Champions League group for the first time in five years, so all in all it hasn’t been a bad first half of the season.

And, with Christmas on the horizon, we thought we’d take a look back and review Arsenal’s season thus far, an evaluate which players have done well, and which ones need to improve in 2017.

Thus, here are the Arsenal players that are on the naughty and nice lists this Christmas…

NICE – Alexis Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez has been absolutely sensational for Arsenal this season.

The Chilean international has netted 14 times in all competitions for the Gunners so far, and has flourished in the more advanced role he has been deployed in by Wenger.

He has also had a significant effect on the rest of team, not only by laying on nine assists as well his 14 goals, but the likes of Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott have also been in fine form as well as a result of the intelligent runs and space in behind Sanchez creates upfront.

The 28-year-old has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season, and tying him down to a new and improved contract will be their best piece of business in January.

NAUGHTY – Nacho Monreal

Nacho Monreal made a steady start to the season for Arsenal ahead of Kieran Gibbs at left-back, but his lack of pace and defensive vulnerabilities have been exposed in recent weeks.

The Spaniard, who scored his first international goal against Macedonia earlier this year, was completely dominated by Modou Barrow when Swansea visited the Emirates back in October, and then struggled the week after against Antonio Valencia in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away at Manchester United.

Another poor afternoon against Manchester City last weekend, in which both Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling gave him the round around, suggests that Monreal’s time as first-choice left-back could be over unless he improves in the early part of 2017.

NICE – Mesut Ozil

Despite a poor display against City last weekend, Mesut Ozil has been outstanding for the Gunners this season.

The German World Cup winner has scored nine times in all competitions and, although he has only laid on two assists in the league so far, his all round play in the final third has been a joy to behold.

With the more agile and nimble Sanchez in front of him, the 28-year-old is able to control the game from the middle, knowing that his perfectly weighted through balls will find Sanchez, or that when he looks to go wide, he’s got the pacey Walcott, Iwobi, or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looking to take defenders on.

Ozil must improve his performances in the big games, as the City display followed a similarly poor one against United last month, but he has otherwise been brilliant this season, and his understanding with Sanchez will go a long way to determining what Arsenal achieve this season.

NAUGHTY – Granit Xhaka

It has been a strange few months for Granit Xhaka since making a £35 million move from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer.

A few stellar displays, like against Tottenham, have been intertwined with some disappointing ones, like against Manchester City, while a few cracking goals have been intertwined with a few needless yellow cards.

On the whole, Xhaka has done alright since arriving at the Emirates, but you can’t help feel that he needs to do more in 2017 to be the excellent midfielder they signed in the summer.

The disciplinary aspect, as Wenger acknowledged a while back, is a concern, but he has now gone eight games without a caution, albeit he did, deliberately or not, clumsily elbow Joe Allen a few weeks ago.

Nonetheless, there is still that concern that something like that could happen again and, alongside his need to step it up in the big games, more is expected of Xhaka in the New Year.

NICE – Theo Walcott

Left out of England’s Euro 2016 squad in the summer and doubts about his long-term future at Arsenal, Theo Walcott has answered a fair few critics in the first half of the season.

The 27-year-old has scored 11 times in all competitions for Wenger’s side this time around, and is playing with the same confidence and freedom that makes him so difficult to defend against.

As with Ozil, Sanchez’s central role has benefited Walcott in that it allows him to run at and take defenders on, knowing that Sanchez is up in support or that Ozil can pick him out in space down the flanks.

Arsenal have been excellent going forward this season, and Walcott’s form has been a big part of that.