Hector Bellerin has been one of the few players who has come under heavy scrutiny during Arsenal’s recent slump form. The Spaniard has had a few disappointing outings in the Arsenal shirt this season, however, he has largely been solid and reliable. Though in those cases he has even received criticism for being “too defensive” in his approach, especially when compared to full-back on the opposite flank, Kieran Tierney.
Here we look at three reasons why Hector Bellerin is underappreciated at Arsenal:
Vastly improved: One of Hector Bellerin staunchest criticism has been regarding his style of play where he’s described as a full-back who is not contributing enough in terms of attack for a modern day full-back. However, the criticism seems like more of an agenda based on his last year’s performances. The Spaniard was averaging just 0.02 xA/90 last season, which was nowhere satisfactory enough for a full-back playing in a team with major ambitions. However, Bellerin has registered an xA/90 of 0.14 this season and has showcased how he has been such a key player in terms of producing goal scoring opportunities.
Longest serving player: After Mesut Özil’s departure from Arsenal football club, Hector Bellerin is Arsenal’s longest serving player. He has been one of the constants in a disruptive period at Arsenal and has maintained his consistent performance levels under each manager he has worked with.
A Leader: Hector Bellerin is one of the few players who can be described as a leader in a team which is consistently criticised for it’s lack of leadership. Even under Mikel Arteta, Bellerin has wore the captain’s armband in the absence of club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He has been one of the few who has been an ambassador for the football club.
