Arsenal: Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Hector Bellerin show competition benefit

Ainsley Maitland-Niles performed excellently at right-back under Mikel Arteta. Hector Bellerin then returned and flourished. The pair show the benefit of inner-squad competition throughout the Arsenal team.

For many years, Arsenal have not depth throughout their squad. They have always had a relatively strong starting XI, but there were was a significant drop-off from the starters to the depth players that were replacing them when injuries and suspensions struck.

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Not only did this cause problems during long and arduous seasons that require rotation throughout the various competitions to ensure that key players remain fresh for the more important games later in the year; it also reduced the level of inner-squad competition at the club, allowing players to grow comfortable with the protected role they were handed in the team.

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However, this season, while there are still major holes at crucial positions throughout the team, there is a greater versatility and depth to the squad. The starting XI might not be as strong, for instance, lacking the star power of previous years, but there is a very decent line-up to be made out of players 12 through 22. This could not be said about the personnel options at the Gunners in years past, that much is certain.

One position that is benefitting from this inner-squad competition is right-back, where Mikel Arteta now has two fit and firing players fighting for one starting position. With incumbent starter Hector Bellerin on the sidelines with a hamstring strain following his return from an ACL tear earlier in the year, Arteta turned to Ainsley Maitland-Niles to fill the right-back position. Maitland-Niles shone.

While not a natural right-back, the Englishman possesses the athleticism and tackling ability to play the full-back position, while also providing a calmness and tidiness on the ball that Arteta wants from an inverted full-back who moves into central midfield when his team is in safe possession. Maitland-Niles is a midfielder by trade and his composure and comfort with the ball at his feet has been evident in his performances under Arteta thus far.

Bellerin is a more orthodox full-back, preferring to surge around the outside of the winger in front of him with lung-bursting overlapping runs, but when making his first appearance under Arteta in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw against Chelsea, he showed his adaptability and fighting spirit. Despite being obviously short on match fitness, Bellerin was excellent, battling his way through the second half as Arsenal had their backs to the wall thanks to a man disadvantage. Bellerin even popped up with the equalising strike in the closing stages, curling a lovely left-footed shot into the far bottom corner.

It was a little surprising that Belleirn started, but Arteta obviously felt he needed to rotate. And now he has two very capable starting options for just one role in his starting XI. Bellerin was the presumed starter, but with Maitland-Niles impressing greatly in recent weeks, the battle is now on to win the starting right-back position. And it is noticeable in his performance on Tuesday that Bellerin understood his position is now under threat.

The benefit of inner-squad competition is quite clear: it makes players play harder, with more energy, effort, and, ultimately, quality and effectiveness. Bellerin performed better because Maitland-Niles is pushing him to. Arsenal must now replicate this throughout the team.