Arsenal: Ideally, that was all Hector Bellerin needed

Arsenal have been waiting for over a year to see the best of Hector Bellerin again. There have been plenty of frustrations along the way, but is this all he needed?

Arsenal have a lot riding on Hector Bellerin. They have for quite some time. When he stepped up onto the scene to become the go-to right back ahead of Mathieu Debuchy, he shot up the ranks of the top fullbacks in the world of football. So much so that Barcelona were ready to break the bank for the young Spaniard, to bring him back to where he started.

Since that time, it has been something of a flatline. Bellerin hasn’t improved like we might have expected given his quick ascendancy. His defense solidified, his speed was a constant weapon and that made us all pretty damn excited.

But this year especially, we have seen a tremendous dip in his form. And it isn’t just in his crossing, which has always been terrible. His defense has been akin to chasing shadows and his attack has been slower and far less effective.

Every match, we are left wondering what the alternatives are. And there are alternatives. Hell, Debuchy is back in the picture. Ainsley Maitland-Niles can play on the right hand side.

Going into Chelsea, you could be forgiven for not having the most confidence in the young Spanish rightback.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

For the most part, Bellerin played a lukewarm game. He had moments of effectiveness, particularly on the defense, and he wasn’t totally useless going forward. It had all the makings of a positive step forward, which is all we could ask for. You can’t expect a guy to turn it around in a day. That’s unrealistic.

But then stoppage time happened and Bellerin thumped an effort past Courtouis to tie the game at two apiece. It’s not the kind of goal that you see all that often. Ramsey did it. Xhaka has. Now Bellerin has.

It’s the kind of goal that can kickstart a guys confidence. And as we have seen with so many Arsenal guys, sometimes all you need is a bit of confidence.

That said, ideally, that one goal was all Bellerin needed to get back on track, which has become a major point of concern with the Gunners, as Wenger appears unwilling to drop the Spaniard.

Next: Arsenal vs Chelsea Player Ratings

He’s needed a flash like this, a quick brush with superiority, to restart his form. And it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him kick on from here in new, inspired form.

Home/Arsenal News