Hector Bellerin: The B's Knee

[Aevi]

How do you know this ?

My point is that we don't know this. Maybe Bellerin isn't playing as some of us would like (ie taking players on and crossing) because Wenger instructs him not to do so as part of his tactics, or maybe he has lost confidence. It's difficult to judge whether some of the things players generally do are down to Wenger or themselves, and we won't know until he leaves.

 

[celestis]

My point is that we don't know this. Maybe Bellerin isn't playing as some of us would like (ie taking players on and crossing) because Wenger instructs him not to do so as part of his tactics, or maybe he has lost confidence. It's difficult to judge whether some of the things players generally do are down to Wenger or themselves, and we won't know until he leaves.

'
I honestly don't think it's instruction , the Kola and Nacho frequently bomb down the wing and cross , Hector used to do it as well .

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

My point is that we don't know this. Maybe Bellerin isn't playing as some of us would like (ie taking players on and crossing) because Wenger instructs him not to do so as part of his tactics, or maybe he has lost confidence. It's difficult to judge whether some of the things players generally do are down to Wenger or themselves, and we won't know until he leaves.

But if Wenger’s instructions are not to cross, not to take his man on and not to play in a direct manner, what is it he’s asking of Hector?

I’m sure Wenger encourages expression in his full backs. Hector is well off it atm, and as one of the few members in our team who offer natural width, we’re suffering as a result.

One thing I will say, he has a good shot on him. I’d rather him shoot than cross when he gets in a position to do either/or.

 

[Aevi]

'
I honestly don't think it's instruction , the Kola and Nacho frequently bomb down the wing and cross , Hector used to do it as well .

Nacho doesn't cross much imo, I disagree. The most cross-like thing I feel he frequently does is cut the ball back, which is a part of the quick short-pass style Wenger has.

 

[celestis]

Nacho doesn't cross much imo, I disagree. The most cross-like thing I feel he frequently does is cut the ball back, which is a part of the quick short-pass style Wenger has.

Point is though he get's to the byline to do it not play safe , which Bellerin used to do .

 

[Aevi]

But if Wenger’s instructions are not to cross, not to take his man on and not to play in a direct manner, what is it he’s asking of Hector?

Well what I see on the pitch is Bellerin staying out wide in the buildup as an option to release pressure from the midfield. And then he normally passes back to the midfield with the hope that they then have more space to do something. Sometimes he also runs after through balls and cuts the ball back.

My opinion matters little but I see fullbacks as an attacking "plan B", normally the team builds but if they can't get through then the fullback can try to cross it in, as they have space and should normally be good at this. We never see this happen though, when we're struggling to break a team down our fullbacks end up taking part in the endless slow movement of the ball around the box. The likes of Azpi, Young, Mendy, and Trippier are examples of wide defenders that help a lot here I think.

I’m sure Wenger encourages expression in his full backs. Hector is well off it atm, and as one of the few members in our team who offer natural width, we’re suffering as a result.

I think so too, I'm just saying that I'm not sure about it. Either way, Hector expressing himself doesn't mean he'll take players on or cross balls in, and that's where he might need instructions to do so. But that's all speculation. I just know that I don't see some things from Bellerin that I'd like to.

One thing I will say, he has a good shot on him. I’d rather him shoot than cross when he gets in a position to do either/or.

Ideally, I'd prefer for him to be a good source of crossing. I guess if his strengths say otherwise, you adjust the team though.

Point is though he get's to the byline to do it not play safe , which Bellerin used to do .

Maybe Bellerin doing this was part of the youngster attitude of excitedly entering the scene and showing his stuff. Maybe he has just lost confidence. Maybe Wenger's tactics have changed. Maybe it's the hair. I just hope he gets some of his older form back, whatever the problem is.

 

[HollandGooner]

What happened to his form? also looks like he has lost some pace.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

One of the most dangerous full backs in the league if not the world. Will only get better.

 

[TakeChillPill]

firstly his crosses arent the best. But when has arsenal ever relied on crosses to score goals? Their is usually only 1-2 players ever in the box.

If you look at a team that focuses on getting crossess in i.e. burley you'll see that they try to get at least 3-4 people in the box.

It's partly about percentages and despite how terrible bellerin is crosses, having one person to aim at doesn't help. He's no Beckham or De Buryne

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Bellerin has been overplayed. Debuchy's injuries and attitude have left him without a mentor,without competition and needing to play virtually every game. He also had a summer tournament two seasons ago. He's burnt out. I think he's done well to maintain any kind of fitness and to keep trying even during this rough patch. I thought he was awesome during the FA Cup final so I'm not giving up on him. Most importantly, who can we afford that's better than Bellerin and will sign for us?

 

[HBL]

Awful again. If he doesn’t improve when we give him competition, he has to go.

 

[Furious]

He's legit bobbins these days

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Sane did embarrassed him so much today. All the 3 goals he should have better in all 3 goals.

 

[RacingPhoton]

His defensive frailties could be forgiven if he could show some numbers in attack. His attacking naivety could be forgiven if could do some solid defense. Right now, he just runs with the ball, makes a side/back pass to someone who loses the ball. Then he runs back to defend where he gets toyed around by other wingers.

 

[marting]

I kinda feel sorry for him at the moment, his performance's this season as a whole havent been great, his still a kid and his getting so exposed on the right its unreal.

Bellerin is currently playing as a right back with absolutely no cover, No right winger/right midfielder in front of him to help him. He was having a hard time last night, Its happens. Sane is very good and yes Bellerin could have done some things better but he needed help out there last night, He needed someone to drop in with him to help him double up, Everyone could see he was struggling...no one took the responsability to help him.

Going forward, his not taking people on any more, its a confidence thing 100% but not just confidence in his own ability, if he loses the ball he knows the chances are we will concede and it will be considered his fault. If he was behind a defence he could trust, he would take more risks.

His a victim of a failing system at the moment.

 

[Penn_]

Did he tackle Sane once over the two games?

 

[Ricardinho]

Looking like a player that doesn't want to be here anymore. Expect him to move on this summer.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Bellerin and Ramsey both going in the summer, we'll all be left scratching our heads when they're performing for their new clubs.

 

[Brown Gooner]

Hector has no competition for his RB spot and so he has become complacent because he knows he will not be dropped.

 

[KrissKringle]

also looks like he has lost some pace.

Some? He lost a lot of pace. He looks like he's running in slow-mo compared to his road runner-ish pace from the past two seasons.
I guess that extra hair and product are weighing him down quite a lot.
At the moment I think I'd rather see Chambers at right back, because that's one of his two positions and if I remember correctly, he was playing there for Southampton before we bought him.
I just want to see someone running at defenders and crossing in the box. It drives me mad seeing Bellerin running to receive the ball and then move a bit forward before passing it back to someone 9/10 times.