Arsenal: Hector Bellerin recovery critical to Unai Emery plan

Hector Bellerin is currently undertaking rehabilitation for a torn ACL, which will keep him out until August at the earliest. Because of the style that Unai Emery wants to implement at Arsenal, a successful recovery is absolutely critical.

Unai Emery inherited a limited squad. In turn, that limited what he could do with it. So when it came to trying to implement a clear and concise system, many of the players did not fit into this plan. As such, he had to adapt. That is why there have been so many formation and tactical changes throughout the year.

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Emery wants his team to be flexible, yes, but he also recognises that there are clear restrictions on what he can ask of his players, and so he has had to adapt his plans.

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Nowhere has that been made more clear than at right-back. Last season, Arsenal had to solely rely on Hector Bellerin due to a complete and utter lack of depth at the position. As a result, Bellerin played almost 4000 minutes. This season, however, injuries have laid Emery plans at the position bare. Bellerin is already out for the rest of the year and has dealt with knee and ankle issues prior to tearing his ACL.

In Bellerin’s absence, it was painfully noticeable how much Arsenal relied on the Spaniard. Not only was a secure defender with tremendous recovery speed, but he also provided both an outlet to outmanoeuvre high-pressing opponents and an attacking option in the final third with overlapping runs — his five league assists rank third-best in the squad.

And the alternative options that Emery turned to when Bellerin was unavailable were largely unconvincing. Stephan Lichtsteiner proved to be somewhat past his prime, lacking the necessary athleticism for top-tier Premier League football, Ainsley Maitland-Niles was vulnerable defensively and could only be trusted at wing-back, while Carl Jenkinson simply isn’t good enough.

With Bellerin out, Emery has been forced into some rather evasive action. Predominantly pivoting to a back-three-based system with Maitland-Niles at right-back, Emery has had to abandon his ideal 4-3-3 shape with a lone centre-forward and two out-and-out wingers.

Given the players that he has had at his disposal, that change in shape is understandable. Arsenal neither have the replacement full-backs nor the starting wingers to play 4-3-3 every match. And Emery, as a result, has been forced to adapt. But as he turns his gaze forward for the project ahead, expect to see the 4-3-3 integrated with increasing regularity.

With that being the case, Bellerin’s recovery from an ACL tear will be critical. None of the internal solutions can replicate his impact at right-back and Arsenal have too many other positions of need to attribute serious funds to a replacement. Emery needs Bellerin. Let’s hope, then, that the rehabilitation goes well.