Arsenal: Hector Bellerin value confirmed in absence

Hector Bellerin has been unavailable for selection throughout the festive period. His value has been confirmed in his absence. Bellerin is critical to Arsenal.

It was a tough period for Unai Emery and Arsenal. A raft of injuries in defensive positions ravaged the squad and forced Emery into some rather extensive selection surgery. One player who was unavailable throughout the whole of the festive schedule was right-back Hector Bellerin.

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Suffering a left calf issue, Bellerin sat on the sidelines for the best part of a month, only just returning to full training on Wednesday. In his absence, Emery has predominantly utilised a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation with Ainsley Maitland-Niles at right wing-back, but Stephan Lichtsteiner has also played right-back at times also.

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While Maitland-Niles has offered attacking production comparable to Bellerin’s four Premier League assists, both he and Lichtsteiner have not been able to replicate the consistent outlet that Bellerin has ever since Emery’s arrival.

Maitland-Niles is not as astute a defender, failing to sense danger quickly and oftentimes having to rely on his pace to recover his position, while Lichtsteiner has looked painfully old, with his lack of athleticism noticeable, especially when up against Saido Mane versus Liverpool shortly before the New Year.

Both Lichtsteiner and Maitland-Niles do not provide the same all-round influence that Bellerin does. One is too slow and lethargic, especially if he is asked to push into advanced areas, while the other lacks the mental concentration to be relied upon as a regular starter in defence.

Although Bellerin suffered two somewhat concerning down years, his performances under Emery this season have been admirable. He seems to have rediscovered that extra yard of pace that was missing when dealing with a nagging ankle problem, and his loose defensive moments are not quite as prominent or frequent as they had been.

There are many in the Arsenal fan base that are not convinced of Bellerin’s value to the team. Like Theo Walcott, some see him more like a sprinter in football boots, not a genuine player who understands the game and acts accordingly. There is some truth to that stance — his primary asset is his speed. But it also devalues his production and influence up and down the right flank.

The modern game is asking more and more of full-backs. They must defend vast spaces when pressing, they must play out from the back when being hounded by opposing attackers, they must offer offensive creativity without sacrificing defensive security. It is an extremely difficult position to play. There is a reason Pep Guardiola spent almost £150 million on three full-backs two summers ago.

And Bellerin plays the position better than most. Is he perfect? No. But he is more than serviceable. Arsenal have seen what a lesser right-back constitutes in recent weeks. It is not a pretty sight. Bellerin, therefore, is a welcome returnee with his value now cemented.