Arsenal: Give Hector Bellerin a chance before writing him off

Hector Bellerin has not been at his best recently. The Arsenal right-back has also been playing with a torn groin. He needs a chance to get fit before he is completely written off.

Theo Walcott was routinely underrated by Arsenal fans. The primary reason for this was his injury problems. And it was not the injuries themselves that scuppered his performance level and reputation, but rather the after-effects that they caused and the opinions that were founded as a result.

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Walcott suffered several extreme knee injuries. Upon his return, it would take him months to regain his true match sharpness. Despite being ‘fit’ and playing regularly, he was not properly sharp for at least 8-10 matches. But during these 8-10 matches, he would struggle as a result of his lack of sharpness and fans would base their opinions on the lacklustre performances he would produce these periods. The same phenomenon is now happening with Hector Bellerin.

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The Spaniard has not been at his best in recent weeks. He looks a step slower, he has rarely pushed forward as in his previous years, and faster attackers have exploited him at times — Bellerin has not been as disastrous as some would have you believe, but his overall performance level is nowhere near his peak.

It has since been reported that Bellerin is dealing with a torn groin. David Ornstein provided some context for the problem in his column with The Athletic:

"“Throughout this period, Bellerin has been given painkillers to help control the discomfort and keep him available for selection as Arteta’s side enter a critical final three months of the campaign. The groin complaint is hampering Bellerin’s performances — he is said to have difficulty crossing the ball — but it is hoped a less congested fixture schedule will enable the damage to heal and give him a consistent run of games, which is felt key to the full-back re-establishing himself.”"

Last year, Bellerin tore his ACL. This groin problem follows a hamstring tear that he suffered upon his initial return from the ACL tear. The year previous, he was dealing with ankle injuries throughout the year and never looked fully fit. Like in this recent period, he was widely criticised for his poor performances. There was little mercy for his injury issues.

Now, if you want to question Bellerin’s long-term value based on his injury history, it is a fair criticism to make. And if you are wondering whether he can rediscover that physical sharpness after so many injuries, that would be equally fair. But writing him off as finished without giving him a chance to get fully match fit in the first place would be naive and ill-advised.

In all reality, Arsenal should give Bellerin the remainder of the season to rest, recover, play when he feels able to, and return to regular football when he is entirely fit. Then, and only then, can a reasonable judgement be made regarding his future and his role in the team beyond the summer.

Like with Walcott before him, Bellerin is a victim of horrible injury problems. But those problems extend far beyond just the issues themselves. There is a level of opinion and reputation that is judged on your inevitably unsharp performances. So let’s not write Bellerin off just yet. He deserves a chance, and then some, to prove his fitness and form first.