Alexis Sanchez might have grabbed all the plaudits in the 3-0 win against Stoke, but his performance was merely the icing on the cake of an excellent collective display. Unusually, Arsenal did not look like a one-man-team; there were a number of other individuals playing prominent supporting roles. One such man was Nacho Monreal.

After a difficult 2013-14, the Spaniard has quietly established himself as one of most reliable members of Arsene Wenger's squad. The stats speak volumes for his efficacy: Arsenal have won each of the last seven games in which Monreal has started, keeping five clean sheets along the way.

This past weekend, Arsenal's matchday programme proclaimed that the Gunners now have a higher win percentage with Monreal in the side than they managed with "Invincibles" of 2003-04 Ashley Cole and Lauren.

Perhaps Monreal has simply acclimatised to England and its football. It's almost exactly two years since his arrival from Malaga, and he now seems fully aware of the demands of the Premier League. His adaptation will have been accelerated by Arsenal's ever-growing Latin contingent -- at one stage in the 2-0 FA Cup win over Hull, the Gunners fielded six players who share Spanish as their first language.

However, it seems there's more to his recent upsurge in form than feeling at home in his surroundings. If anything, his performances seemed to go up a gear when he was forced into an uncomfortable position.

Earlier this season, Monreal found himself drafted in as an emergency centre-half. He admitted to feeling awkward in the unfamiliar role, but didn't make a fuss. Weaker characters would have been downhearted by being forced to play out of position -- Andrey Arshavin's Arsenal career arguably never recovered from an ill-fated spell as a centre-forward -- but Monreal simply got his head down and made the most of the opportunity.

He coped surprisingly well in the centre of defence, dovetailing relatively neatly with Per Mertesacker, considering his prior experience in the role amounted to a mere matter of minutes. Most significantly, his time in the middle appears to have made him a superior full-back too. Since emerging from Arsenal's injury crisis, Monreal seems to have discovered a new appetite for the physical side of the game. That much was evident against Stoke, when he recovered from getting an arm in the face from Peter Crouch to deliver a tenacious and energetic display.

Nacho Monreal has shown his importance to the Arsenal cause.

This is the Monreal that Arsenal thought they were buying when they paid 7 million pounds for his services in January of 2013. At the time, that was regarded as a snip: Malaga's financial trouble meant they could not resist a bid for their prized Spanish international. Monreal's failure to hold down a regular place in the Arsenal first team has seen him fall away from the international scene, but he could now be set for a recall in the spring.

His selection against Stoke was ostensibly due to an injury to Kieran Gibbs. However, Monreal's form is such that he must be giving Wenger cause to consider him as a potential first-choice left-back. Gibbs performed poorly in the reverse fixture in the Potteries, and it was interesting that Wenger also opted for Monreal in the game away to West Ham -- a match in which he must have known Arsenal's defence would be sorely tested. Gibbs may be the better footballer, but on current form Monreal looks the superior defender.

Next week, Arsenal face another daunting trip to Manchester City. It would be particularly poignant if Monreal could see off the return of Gibbs to keep his place. Last season, this fixture marked the Spaniard's Arsenal nadir as he endured a personal nightmare as the Gunners shipped six goals. An accomplished display in Manchester would crown the rehabilitation of a player who has been one of Arsenal's most consistent performers this season.

James McNicholas is one of ESPN FC's Arsenal bloggers. You can follow him on Twitter @gunnerblog.