Arsenal: Hector Bellerin Absence Not The Problem
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal were without Hector Bellerin against Manchester United, but his absence wasn’t as big of a problem as some people think.
Arsenal has given us a ton of talking points following a sloppy, albeit crucial one point earned at Old Trafford. I have been beating several points to death – most involving Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud.
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But one thing that has not been touched on too terribly much is the absence of Hector Bellerin. I have heard the cries (mainly from that American chap on NBCSN) that it was Bellerin’s absence that truly cost the Gunner’s against their beloved rivals.
I could not disagree more. Carl Jenkinson actually did a fantastic job defensively and there were times when he used his aerial ability, something Bellerin doesn’t have, to make a big difference.
Sure, he wasn’t as keen going forward with the ball because he doesn’t have that winger experience, but that isn’t what cost Arsenal and I have the numbers to prove it.
Seeing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain send in the perfect cross to secure the point is what prompted this “we are missing Bellerin” talk, but that just isn’t true. Bellerin could not have done anything differently than what was done all match.
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For instance, Arsenal attempted 13 crosses against Manchester United and none of them were completed until the Ox send in his cross. So thinking that having Bellerin overlapping on the right and sending balls into the box is a fine thought, but how accurate is it, really?
Speaking of accuracy, if there is one thing that Hector Bellerin doesn’t really have just yet, it is crossing accuracy. He has attempted 30 crosses this year and only five have been accurate. Again, forgive me for doubting young Bellerin, but having him sending balls into the box instead of Jenko or instead of Walcott, it all makes little difference.
The only thing that Bellerin would have provided is the added threat of late runs when the attack was trying to push forward, but again, how much would that have actually changed things? The Gunner’s attack had nothing to do with his game until Giroud and the Ox came on.
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Bellerin missing was not a major problem. If anything, we should be delighted at how well Jenkinson did his defensive duties, not wallowing in this belief that his lack of offensive push, which wasn’t even that lacking, was a cause of our distress.