Arsenal: Top 3 players who can benefit from position change

2. Hector Bellerin

Hector Bellerin is a modernised full-back. He is extremely athletic, possesses terrific stamina, allowing him to bound up and down the touchline throughout the 90 minutes, and is most effective when searing past the winger in front of him on an overlapping run.

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Arteta, however, has played in a very unbalanced manner at the two full-back positions. While the left-back is pushed very high up the pitch, predominantly impacting the game in the final third and combining with the inverted left-winger, the right-back tucks into central midfield to provide a protecting shell against the counter-attack and the option to play out from the back or recycle possession.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is much more comfortable in possession than Bellerin and performed this role excellently, his development as a midfielder aiding him greatly. Bellerin, on the other hand, relies on his speed and athleticism to bombard forwards and backwards, primarily on the outside of the pitch, stretching the play with his pace. Tasked with a more nuanced, technical role, his freer, more explosive side of his game has been curtailed a little.

There are more reasons than just tactical ones for this development. Bellerin has been dealing with a groin problem and might have asked for a less strenuous role. Bukayo Saka’s presence at left-back means he is much more suited to the offensive-minded left-back position, thereby requiring balance on the right side. But should Kieran Tierney, a natural left-back, return in Saka’s place and Bellerin finally shake off his injury problems, the Spaniard might burst back to his best with a slight alteration in role.