It is not just the Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin who will be left at home scratching his head for the next two weeks, as his fellow Spaniard and Arsenal team mate Santi Cazorla has also been left out of the Spain national squad for the first international break of the new season.
Cazorla being ignored by the new manager Julen Lopetegui is a bit easier to understand I suppose, because the creative midfielder’s fitness could be an issue after he did not make the Euro 2016 tournament team after missing the end of last season with injury problems.
You sometimes see new international managers making changes to try to stamp their identity and a sense of change onto a side and that seems to be the case here, with current Chelsea and former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas also dropped.
The exclusion of the brilliant and young Bellerin, however, is much hardet get your head around, especially as his place has gone to the Barcelona youngster Sergi Roberto who is not even a specialist right back but a versatility player.
It is bad news for the defender but good news for Arsenal as there is no chance he will be ruled out with an injury from Spain’s two international games. It should also serve to keep him on his toes and make him even more determined to be in the next squad.
For now at least we can relax about two key Arsenal players during the break.
Bob.
Hector will eventually get his chance when the time comes, but for now he needs to focus more on his personal development than national duty, because in my opinion he’s still too raw.
Which may be one of the reasons barca is not too keen and is waiting for him develop more, his defending is kind of suspect but his speed makes up for his lack of positioning. His decision making in the final third is not that great sometimes too, but he’s young and still learning his craft.
Bellerin is a young boy. He’ll get his chance by Qatar 2022!