Since his first-team debut back in 2013, Hector Bellerin has been ever-present in the Arsenal sides that have followed. Though experimented both on the wing and the centre of the park, it is right-back where he has settled in his career, establishing himself as a fan-favourite in the meantime.
Bellerin‘s time at Arsenal so far has seen him a consistent starter in the defence, with virtually little-to-no competition looking over his shoulder. Though, a few years ago, this wouldn’t have caused too much concern for the fans - his performances for some years were solid and reliable, both in the final third and through his trademark sprints to track back and put in a challenge. It was regarded as though Bellerin was untouchable in the Arsenal XI, and that he would be an integral part of this team for years to come.
This is, however, until more recent times. In January 2019, Hector suffered a torn cruciate ligament in his knee, resulting in a recovery period of around 9 to 10 months. At this time, it is safe to say luck was not on Arsenal’s side following an injury of the same manner to Rob Holding just a month before. It is impossible to predict how a player will return from such a damaging blow, though regardless, Arsenal fans were eager to see their players back on the pitch again as soon as it was possible.
His first post-injury competitive game was in October of that year against Standard Liege in the Europa League, where he captained the Gunners to a convincing 4-0 victory. In a post-match interview, Bellerin said:
”It is something that has made me more mature, it is something that has made me a better human and a better player.”
His words warmed the hearts of Arsenal fans who were excited to see to what extent his game had improved during his time of recovery. However, a further 9 months later, the majority of those same fans no longer believe he deserves his place in the starting eleven, with some wanting him to move on from the club altogether. So what exactly has happened since his return to warrant this reaction?
Perhaps Hector Bellerin’s most impressive attribute was always his pace - he made overlapping runs, defensive sprints, and was always the favourite in a dash for the ball. Sadly, though, it seems his injury has hindered this part of his game. He is often slow to react, less willing to commit himself as an attacking presence and finds himself more and more often to be second to the ball.
The biggest problem here, especially within Mikel Arteta’s setup and system, is his reluctancy to overlap the winger and make darting runs into the final third. Nicolas Pépé has always been extremely keen on having a full back willing to do so, drawing defenders away and thus giving him more space and freedom to operate. During the times they have played together there has been a startling lack of chemistry between the two, with limited link-up play which in turn has hindered Pépé’s personal game, resulting in him perhaps appearing as less of a presence on the pitch.
Whilst Bellerin hasn’t been fitting into the system in the way it was intended, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has delivered solid and impressive performances within the same role. His chemistry with Nicolas Pépé down the right flank was perhaps most utilised during the 2-1 win at Sheffield United in the Fa Cup Quarter Final. During this fixture we saw consistent overlapping runs, fluid link-up play and good individual performances from them both at the same time; Pépé delivered going forward whilst Maitland-Niles was physical and present through his defensive duties.
However, the future of Ainsley Maitland-Niles is also ambiguous. His desire to play in centre-midfield as opposed to in the backline could present a problem for his future at Arsenal. The competition in their midfield is far greater than in the defence, and it appears he has more of a chance of cementing his place in the starting eleven if he accepts the challenge of flourishing in his new role.
If he doesn‘t, Cedric Soares could prove to have been clever business by the Gunners, following his short cameo during the 4-0 beating of Norwich, where he put in some good crosses and earned himself a goal to top off an impressive first performance in an Arsenal shirt. Though the lack of competition in the position remains ever-present, which could cause Arsenal to look elsewhere for a right-back.
One option is Max Aarons of Norwich. At just 20 years of age, he has proven himself week after week to be a huge talent. He has an admirable defensive output alongside an even stronger attacking presence. He is a marauding right-back who appears to fit into Arsenal’s system like a glove, especially to compliment Nicolas Pépé’s game. With a potential price tag of around £20m-£30m, an investment could be a very smart acquisition for Mikel Arteta, though it remains to be seen whether a transfer of this position really is a priority for the club this transfer window, as it seems more likely business will be completed for a centre-back and a midfielder or two.
Behind the scenes, Hector Bellerin seems to fit the mould of an ideal player for Mikel Arteta to work with. He is extremely likeable, dedicated, shows signs of leadership qualities and approaches criticism head-on. He comes across as a very strong character who is easy to work alongside, and who is willing to put in the work to join the side on their rebuilding journey. However, the boss has made it very publicly clear that he will not be tolerating any players giving under 100%, and that he will be ruthless in his approach of cutting some members of the squad to make room for some much-needed improvements. Arteta knows that the club needs to change, he is a very positive manager, and he knows that this club needs to be back where it belongs - it is up to the players to perform on the pitch and impress him during these last few match-weeks before the transfer window.
Is this backlash from the Arsenal faithful unfair? It is normal for a player to take some time getting back to their best post-injury, and Bellerin's position should be viewed no differently. In this situation, it is difficult to warrant some of his consistently poor performances, especially since it slowly approaching 12 months since his return (granted he has had a couple of minor injuries in the meantime). That seems to be the general consensus from the fans; he has had long enough to return to his fine form we saw before, and he has been given more than enough minutes and chances to show his quality, yet new man Cedric Soares contributed more than what we have seen from Hector post-lockdown, in just a 20-minute cameo.
Whilst I view Bellerin as a massive dressing room figure and good captain material, these factors must be supported by on-pitch performances and I am yet to see him at the heights he reached before his injury. Perhaps he simply needs more time to make a 100% recovery, however I sense that Arteta will not allow much room for error during his tenure as Arsenal manager, and I feel his ruthless approach could in turn see Hector Bellerin’s 7-year spell at the club come to an end.
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