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Krystian Bielik’s Time at Center Back to Help Build Arsenal Future
By Josh Sippie
Krystian Bielik had a lot of pressure plopped on his shoulders when Arsene Wenger launched three successive bids to bring the Polish wonderkid to Arsenal. He ended up landing him for around 3 million in the January transfer window.
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Since then, it has been all quiet on the Bielik front. He was not sent out on loan and he was equally not included in the A or B-list of Arsenal players for the UEFA Champion’s League. Normally that would not be too big of a concern for a 17 year old but given that Jeff Reine-Adelaide made the A-list and a handful of prospects made the B-list as well, it is the slightest bit concerning.
News has since emerged that Krystian Bielik is suiting up as a center back for the Arsenal U21 side. While that may raise some eyebrows given that he is pegged to be the next great defensive midfielder, the purpose is pretty easy to explain. In his development, a lot of his major problems have come from letting the opposition get around him too easily, not being aggressive enough in aerial duels and marking players getting in behind him.
By placing Bielik at center back, he is going to learn these aspects of the game and be able to apply them to his midfield play.
This strategy is very similar to what Arsene Wenger did with Calum Chambers. Destined to be a center back, Chambers was deployed on the right flank to give him a different perspective and build some parts of his game that he would not have been able to by playing one position his entire life. Plus, it enhances his versatility.
Essentially, this is a similar move that team mate Isaac Hayden underwent, except inverted. Hayden was a natural center back but has since been converted and is being used as a defensive midfielder. That move may be for the long run, however.
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Krystian Bielik is going to be a defensive midfielder. By getting him experience as a center back, he is learning to be a more responsible defender and learning how much of an impact his natural position has on his team mates behind him.
Not only that, but in the future he will be defending the ball from the midfield with the same zeal that a center back would. That is a useful tool and something that will compile masterfully in his years of development.
Just in case that was not enough, it also gives Bielik a little added versatility when it comes to positioning later on in his career.
Next: Joel Campbell ready to salvage his career