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Hector Bellerin: The B's Knee

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Bellerin's been good but think he needs some time out on loan next season. He's got a lot to work on as has been mentioned in this thread (defensive positioning, strength, pace, etc), so think some time in a foreign league would do him good. In the meantime we should show some ambition and sign an elite right back like Dani Alvs or Marcelo, and when they retire bring Bellerin back from loan.
 

Big Poppa

Established Member
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Country: USA

Player:Saliba
i don't buy the concept of this thread at all.

Bellerin is super sound defensively.

His defensive work has surpassed his attacking play over the course of the season.

the number of times he's bailed out our CBs on the cover this season is utterly ridiculous.

Kinda hard for people to get it. His stats look good in terms of tackles, blocks and interceptions. The problems occured when he was ahead of play and we lost the ball with nobody to cover him. I've noticed 3 changes in the last few games that have improved this:

1) Mertesacker dropped for Gabriel. The latter's recovery pace allows him to cover the space more quickly in a high line
2) El Neny's discipline over Ramsey. Coquelin was doing two peoples' job when we lost the ball as Ramsey was often nowhere to be seen
3) Alexis has upped his workrate on the rate. Could well be just an improvement in his fitness but because he offers more natural width and presses the opposition left back, Bellerin doesnt have to press ss high himself

People get upset when you point out areas of concern regarding a specific player (especially one tgat is young and popular) but if you read the opening post there is no criticism of Bellerin's individual qualities or potential but a question mark over the cause of our defensive vulnerability on his side of the pitch.

The frustration with this team is that due to our lack of specialist cover in critical positions, it takes Wenger several trial and error attempts to find the right balance when we have our usual speight of mid season injuries.

I hope we keep one of Jenkinson or Debuchy at the club so that Hector has healthy competition to challenge for his spot.
 

razörist

Soft With The Ladies, Hard With The Mes

Country: Morocco
Nah, I don't believe this. Sure Bellerin is not your typical defensive fullback like for example the Chelsea ones. But you (the post above) have already pointes out the real issues on the right side, Mertesacker and Ramsey. Most of the times that Bellerin was caught out of position and resulted in goal threat was when we lost the ball in the build up/transition like against Barca or Swansea.

Bellerin runs back like a maniak everytime we lose the ball but you cannot expect him to resolve the liabilities our defence/midfield poses. He has good recovery pace but even that won't help you when our defence misplaces passes so many times. The only solution to that would be for him to stay glued to his position, but he most likely is asked to go forward and offer that passing option. He can't do two jobs.

I will give you the balance argument, you're spot on there. Yet I think Bellerin is doing exactly what he needs to do.
 

Stoneh

Active Member
Bellerin been out of position a few times when we were attacking. He is amazing asset when he joins the attack it's when defence play stupid passes to opposition that he get caught out.

It's natural for a RB to push ahead when we are in possession. Trouble is when our defenders have a lapse and either pass to opposition or lose ball under no pressure.

That when they exploit the spaces left
 

TopGunner81

Active Member
Bellerin's been good but think he needs some time out on loan next season. He's got a lot to work on as has been mentioned in this thread (defensive positioning, strength, pace, etc), so think some time in a foreign league would do him good. In the meantime we should show some ambition and sign an elite right back like Dani Alvs or Marcelo, and when they retire bring Bellerin back from loan.
What is this guy on seriously????
 

Lancelot

Established Member
My minute-by-minute contextual summary of his performance against West Ham April 9, 2016:

Bellerin

Positive Impact
  • Great through ball from the half-way line that gave Alexis ample space and time to attack the goal (10:41)
  • Quick reaction to the loose ball in the middle of West Ham's half and proceeded to clear it out of bounds (prevent a counter-attacking chance) (10:56)
  • Spotted Welbeck making the run and promptly release a through ball for him, only to be cleared by Tomkins' good defending (15:40)
  • Received the ball from Alexis in the middle of West Ham's half and quickly spotted Elneny diagonal run from central area towards the right flank; he then proceeded to deliver a nice through ball which reached Elneny inside the box (21:57)
Notable Credit
  • Ran across West Ham's box from the right flank towards the center and deliver a good pass to Iwobi (44:52-44:54)
  • Good one-touch pass that left Özil with good opportunity to make something happen with the ball down the right flank (58:58)
Negative Impact
  • Got extremely lucky with poor offside decision because he was guilty of ball-watching when he should have been watching our 'defensive line' instead (a legitimate 1-0 lead for West Ham) (13:21)
  • We're about to commence a counter-attack when Alexis headed the ball towards him and all go to waste because of his horrible and awkward first touch that sent the ball in Lanzini's direction (21:23)
  • Had just received a good through ball from Iwobi and then sloppily passed it directly to Cresswell's leg (this + Gabriel's poor chesting to Cresswell's clearance a moment afterward = West Ham's counter attacking chance) (54:55)
  • Tried to get the ball back after #1, only to look even more clueless tactically as Payet back-heeled a back pass to Lanzini (right now we already had Iwobi on him). He should have followed through with Payet's run and kept him marked. Lanzini took advantage of this and cleverly chipped the ball past both Iwobi and Bellerin to meet with Payet who now only had Gabriel to deal with (85:07) #2
Notable Mistake
  • Had all the time in the world, only to deliver a poor cross into the box (14:30)
  • Ran all the way with the ball down the right flank from deep in our half, only to lose the ball to Cresswell's slide right around the middle of their half, still on the flank (Cresswell recovered the ball and exploited Bellerin's absence with his mid-range pass to Payet) (74:44)
  • Had the ball near the left corner of their box and dilly-dallied around until 3 West Ham's players - Cresswell, Lanzini and Payet- completely surrounded him and left him with only one channel to pass the ball. He picked that channel, of course, and gone were the ball straight to Noble who prepared for that all along (85:03) #1
 
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WhatAFC

Well-Known Member
Nah, I don't believe this. Sure Bellerin is not your typical defensive fullback like for example the Chelsea ones. But you (the post above) have already pointes out the real issues on the right side, Mertesacker and Ramsey. Most of the times that Bellerin was caught out of position and resulted in goal threat was when we lost the ball in the build up/transition like against Barca or Swansea.

Bellerin runs back like a maniak everytime we lose the ball but you cannot expect him to resolve the liabilities our defence/midfield poses. He has good recovery pace but even that won't help you when our defence misplaces passes so many times. The only solution to that would be for him to stay glued to his position, but he most likely is asked to go forward and offer that passing option. He can't do two jobs.

I will give you the balance argument, you're spot on there. Yet I think Bellerin is doing exactly what he needs to do.

This is where tactics come in. You have a full back who makes positive runs forward so when the possibility of a counter is there due to the full back being up field, the DM drops into CB and pushes the other CB to RB or makes a 3rd CB. Happens at barca, Bayern & Chelsea(last season). Pretty basic stuff that a little tactical awareness from team mates sorts out.
 

bingobob

A-M’s Resident Hunskelper
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Country: Scotland
It doesn't matter who are full backs are the way we play leaves them all exposed in the same way. Thankfully Bellerin has the pace to bail himself out.
 

James Bond

Moderation Consultant
kane is still eligible no?

Good shout I figured since he won it last year they'll give it to Alli, but you're right I cant see anyone but those two win YPOTY.

If Sp**s win the title then Kane will win POTY and Alli will take home YPOTY. Makes me sick sick just thinking about it, please god dont let it happen.
 

Aevi

Hale End FC
Moderator

Coutinho/Barkley over Bellerin is pretty bullshit tbh, not that I expected him to actually win the whole thing.
 
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