Player Focus: Héctor Bellerín's Rise to Arsenal Regular
Arsenal are currently in the midst of their seasonal spring run, which raises hopes that next term will be "their year". The Gunners’ 8-game winning run is the longest of its kind in the Premier League since Liverpool won 11 games back-to-back at the tailend of last season, and Arsenal's longest since their 'Invincibles' season. With that, their recent form has catapulted them into 2nd place in the table, a hugely impressive feat given the north London side sat 13 points behind Manchester City - then in 2nd spot - at the turn of the year.
Defeat to Spurs in the North London derby back in February proved to be the shot in the arm Arsenal required to haul themselves back into the running for an automatic Champions League berth. Some might even go as far as to say they can be considered dark horses for the title, such has been the quality of their performances over recent weeks. Arsène Wenger’s side are still to welcome league leaders Chelsea before the campaign draws to a close, and that will be a key fixture before the season comes to a head.
Plenty of players warrant praise for Arsenal’s resurgent form. Mesut Özil looks back to his best following injury; Olivier Giroud is one of the in-form frontmen in England's top tier; Francis Coquelin, who returned from a loan spell at Charlton in December to much skepticism from supporters, has become indispensable. Héctor Bellerín, meanwhile, has also established himself as a player who can also be deemed undroppable.
The 20-year-old followed the same path to the Emirates Stadium as former Arsenal hero Cesc Fàbregas, having been plucked from the Barcelona youth academy at a young age. It was the same route to England as midfielder Fran Merida, who ultimately flopped at the club before moving to Atletico Madrid in 2010. Bellerín must have been wary that his career would take a similar path to that of Merida when he initially moved to England in 2011 and a lack of competitive action suggested this could be his fate.
A brief loan spell with Watford last season saw him gain some much-needed minutes in England’s second tier. However, the summer acquisitions of Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers indicated he would be unlikely to force his way into first team reckoning this season.
Injury problems for Debuchy hastened Bellerín’s ascent to the Arsenal first team. While his performances early on did little to suggest he could hold down a regular starting berth, Bellerín’s recent displays at right-back have seen his list of admirers grow.
"This season has been my best season far," enthused Bellerín prior to Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Burnley on Saturday. "I’ve been playing two seasons professionally, but this one has been really good. It was unexpected with regards to the game time I’ve been getting. I’m really happy and grateful for the minutes and I’ve just been trying to push myself." The Spaniard’s WhoScored rating (7.28) ranks among the best of Arsenal’s regulars in the Premier League this season.
Bellerín’s performances on the flank have contributed to Arsenal gaining a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘attacking down the wings’. The young defender has gained a strength of ‘dribbling’ and for good reason. Bellerín is averaging more successful dribbles per game (1.7) than every defender in the Premier League this season.
With Wenger allowing his attacking players to roam freely across the final third, space opens up for the full-backs to overlap and exploit, which Bellerín does to an impressive standard, maximising his explosive pace. The Spaniard has 2 league goals to his name this campaign, rewarded for his efforts with strikes against Aston Villa and Liverpool. The young defender excels defensively as well, averaging both 2.1 interceptions and 2.1 tackles per game for the Gunners, the latter of which is bettered by only three Arsenal players this campaign.
His all-round displays have guaranteed him a regular starting berth for the foreseeable future and perhaps beyond, especially if he can maintain his current form. Former employers Barcelona have been strongly linked with a move for Bellerín, especially with Dani Alves’ future at Camp Nou hanging in the balance. Fortunately for the Gunners faithful, the young defender has pledged his future to the north London club.
Bellerín’s progression to Arsenal’s starting XI, as fortunate as it perhaps was, has been impressive to say the least. The Spaniard has formed part of a more balanced defensive line since coming into the starting XI, with his performances going far from unnoticed. Arsenal spent upwards of £25m to sign both Debuchy and Chambers last summer, but Wenger should have perhaps looked closer to home to find Bacary Sagna's replacement following the Frenchman's switch to Manchester City. Bellerín looks set to fulfill his potential at the Emirates, with his displays suggesting he is good enough to be Arsenal's starting right-back for years to come.
Do you think Héctor Bellerín deserves to hold down a regular starting berth for Arsenal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
