What is the future for Hector Bellerin at Arsenal?
Hector Bellerin has been benched in Arsenal’s last two competitive games with Sokratis being preferred as the team’s starting right back.
The setup seems to suggest that Mikel Arteta wants more defensive work done by whoever he plays as his right back.
Bellerin is mostly known for his speed and attacking qualities as a fullback and it could be that Mikel Arteta is trying to ask him to do more on the defensive side of his game.
He had started the previous two Arsenal games with the Gunners conceding two goals in each of those matches.
Mikel Arteta had to do something about his leaky defence and taking out Bellerin from the starting XI seems to have worked.
I don’t think that the Spaniard will be left out of the starting XI for too long, but his current absence raises doubt over his long term future.
Bellerin has just returned from a very long injury layoff and he may need some more time to get better defensively.
Sokratis doesn’t offer much going forward, unlike Bellerin who seems to be one of Arsenal’s best creative outlets when he plays but the Greek man helps at the back.
With Manchester City up next for the Gunners, Arteta may continue to use Sokratis as his right back to combat Raheem Sterling.
The more that Bellerin is not selected as the starting right back the more his future will be speculated on. No player wants to be a bench warmer and Arsenal do need to raise funds.
Gutted at how poor City were…..
Although I wouldn’t be so down if they were to play like that on Wednesday 😄
Sorry your “heroes” lost then Sue. Shame for you. I was also supporting them, THIS TIME ONLY! I am also hypocritical enough to TEMPORARILY support that corruptly owned club, when it aids US!
On the contrary City were good, they had almost 70% possession in an away game. Created good chances n were looking really good. It’s was one of those games were the score line does not tell the whole story n they conceded two goals because of keeper mistakes. United were at home but played like a championship team with bus parked Infront of goal, scared n looking to just hit lucky goals in counter which they manage to achieve. I hope city are drained bec of Derby n play no where near to what we saw today. The quality of attack they have won’t pass on so many chances game after game.
They never looked like scoring though. Sterling’s decision making was awful… Zinchenko was poor… KDB was missed big time….and Ederson, well what the bloody hell was up with him? He had one to forget…..
Not the way he has played the last 3 years, weak, not the greatest crosser, poor poor defender and totally underwhelming for me. Like a few of our players, never dominates his position.
@Reggie .wan Bissaka showed today what a Right back should be doing and Trent Alexander Arnold is amazing .For Bellerin he doesnt have a thing he is good at ,Which is the story of almost every arsenal player
He was good or at least had potential but in reality he isn’t good enough.
First job of a full back is to defend.
Sadly H B doesn’t.
As for getting up on the outside – king of the stop , check back, pass back.
The signing of Cedric, and Papa being played at R/ B speaks volumes.
Never have rated Bellerin at all as a defender. He can’t defend, even basically well. I’d love to se him sold this summer and the money used wisely to get a PROPER right back.
OT, if you had been told last July, that in March we would have lost fewer Prem games than the then champions, who had got 100 points, how excited would you have felt? It is now the case!
Agree first para’.
Second para. Yes, progress IS being made. We now have to step on, and back M A – provide the man with the tools to continue taking us forward.
How Sokratis plays at right back over Bellerin I’ll never understand!
@GB
So what’s Papa done wrong whilst playing there, and has he let us down ? Clean sheets are good right.
Buying time , whilst keeping solid, until Cedric’s fit perhaps.
M A is at last a manager who doesn’t seem to fancy Bellerin..
Mind you when we face opposition with pace out wide, could be a different story,
.
The prospect of Socratis trying to cope with Sterlng or Sane on Wednesday fills me with dread.Bellerin has never been a great defender and never will be.AMN to me should be given another opportunity at RB where he was doing well until his apparent “fallout” with Arteta.
Wan Bissaca did a great job on Sterling today and AMN also has the pace to nullify the winger.Neither Luis nor Mari have pace therefore they will have to defend deeply to keep City at bay.Let’s hope their goalkeeper continues to be charitable when we meet,
I think he kept him out of the last game for city… I’m not sure though… Coz I don’t honestly believe Arteta thinks Papa is better there than Bellerin and Niles.
Hopefully Debruyne will still be unfit for that game, can’t even picture Xhaka near him…
Must admit to playing devils advocate, as I honestly don’t believe either Bellerin or ANM are up to Arsenal standard.
I said this the other day that AMN is far better than Bellerin.
The only thing Bellerin has is pace. Can’t cross, can’t defend, can’t JUMP to head a ball.
There’s no need to spend and get a new RB when AMN can fit well into MA’s system.
AMN – I’ll be surprised if he’s still with us next year.
As for Bellerin, we’ll have to wait and see.
Net result , we need a “proper” right back.
Fancy Max Aaron’s, of Norwich.
Tierney left, Aaron’s right….nice.
bellerin has never been entirely convincing. I think MA will be looking for a new RB this summer. He seems to understand that City’s fullbacks and LFC’s fullbacks are crucial to the way they play and Arsenal’s are not up to snuff. AMN and Sokratis have both been better options currently than Bellerin has. I think at a point you have to cut your losses and accept that Bellerin is fine backup, but is not quality enough to be a starter if we are a team trying to improve.
News out this mornining claims Hector is playing through a groin tear injury. Taking pain killers just to play. It’s probably the reason he’s not playing top draw footy.