Last year a story emerged about Hector Bellerin beating Theo Walcott’s record over 40 metres, making him the quickest player at the club.
Walcott had beaten Thierry Henry’s sprint record, which in turn was beaten by the young Spaniard, and he’s revealed it’s ‘work in the shadows’ and a natural gift that makes him the Billy Whizz (look it up kids) of this Arsenal side.
“There are some people who are just born quick and some people that are born slower,” he told the official website, “but I worked a lot on my speed and power with the conditioning coach last year – that’s something which has helped me a lot.
“The work that you don’t see, in the shadows, really shows on the pitch. My time over 40 metres was the fastest.
“It’s something I didn’t expect – we were just having a test and then they told me I was the fastest at the club. It’s nice to be able to say that I’m the quickest player.”
And having emerged from the youth set-up to be one of the good news stories of the season, Bellerin was quick to thank the manager for giving him the chance.
“He just told me all the time just to be confident and play like I was playing for the under-21s and Watford,” he said.
“It’s nice that he has the courage to trust you. He knows you can do it, so that’s what’s made me perform the way that I have.”
Hector Bellerin is extremely fast, it must be said
but more importantly, i think his positioning has been getting better! Debuchy might have some work to do to get back into this starting 11. A good problem, especially when you consider how well Jenks has been playing for West Ham.
His positioning was atrocious at Leicester I’m afraid. Gifted them several golden chances down his side.
Does it maybe something to do with who is playing in front of him? Also was evident in the Spuds game, but before when he had the Ox in front of him his positioning was quite good…
It doesn’t seem like a reason though as to why he was basically playing centre mid at times in the last 2 games…
Just an observation not a criticism, he has been on of the good stories this season
He is going to be a great player. I just hope those oiks in Barcalona don’t start bleating about his DNA. Vile cretins that they are!
You rang?
He’s fast, very fast, yet i can’t see him as a faster player than Theo by any means tbh
The great thing about science (i.e. measuring speed) is not (by any means) down to opinions and beliefs.
The thing about science is that people are all too quick to make generalizations based on specific data. Bellerin is only faster at 40m. There were presumably only a few trials so it’s far from scientific.
In reality, Bellerin can run faster on an indoor pitch but can he do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke?
Yes, but it’s totally arbitrary that we say the person with the shortest 40-meter time is the fastest – that’s certainly an opinion or belief. Why not 100 meters? 200? 10?
Because nobody runs 200 meters down the length of the pitch.
40m runs are more common during a football match
So? You haven’t addressed my comment at all. It is still completely arbitrary to say 40 meters is THE distance for measuring who is “fastest.” And then of course there’s the tiny, tiny sample size. I also disagree with your statement, anyway. How many times do players make straight-line 40-meter sprints without defenders in the way or without having to look over their shoulder to see where the ball is? Bellarin is fast. Walcott is also fast. To say one is faster than the other is totally a judgment call, not some objective scientific fact like the comment I responded… Read more »
Alexis Sanchez does…
The only thing that’s been proven with “science” is that Bellerin once ran 40 meters faster than Theo Walcott has run 40 meters while timed by coaches. Anything you infer from that fact is absolutely a personal opinion.
Brilliant player to come out of the shadows.
Done very well but can’t wait for Debuchy to have a sustained run.
FIFA better update him with 97+ speed and acceleration seeing as Walcott has 97!
Is it just me or does that pic of him make him look like Keanu Reeves circa 1999? Like in the original Matrix?
Close, but he has too much facial expression to be Keanu.
In that photo he looks kinda like a cross between robert de niro and robin van c*nty.
Funny thing is that Walcott confirmed this but tue difference he said was only a few hundreths of a second. Also Mertesacker isnt the slowest he confirmed on the clubs Soundcloud.
Who is the slowest then?
Probably Szczesny. That’s why he is always a split second too late when coming off his line. Other than that I think Chez is quality.
Arteta?
Diaby?
Arsene Wenger?
Bellerin is a real talent and he is developing solidly.
He could be our RB for a long time after Debuchy.
Great great potential to be our long term RB for years to come. The thing is, his speed compensates when his positioning isn’t quite right(will come with experience), but even that has improved. I was watching the spurs game and they(yids) were saying ‘oh Rose is in again’, I was like chill, he will catch him. It must have been 2-3 times he got back and blocked a cross. But yeah having Debuchy back will take some pressure off him and give him someone to learn from.
If Metersacker isn’t the slowest at the club, then who is? That person must be the slowest professional footballer
Its Diaby, he broke down after the first 10 metres
lolllll
THE BFG gets labelled as slow because of the way he looks when he runs. Those long legs give him quite a range though so I’m not surprised he isn’t the slowest.
Hahah no.. he is slow.
I think it’s more Mertesacker acceleration than his top speed that is atrocious. I’d bet his time on the last half of a 100m sprint is comperable to everybody else’s, but the first half he’d be ranked pretty damn low.
Its a 40m sprint test.
Maybe Hector could play as a right winger as well in a couple of years. Wouldnt mind seeing a right flank of Bellerin and Jenkinson!
Pretty sure he played RW at Barcelona and Wenger moved him back
Could be our own Carlos in the making.
Except Carlos was a left footed left back
This is our own Hector, right footed right back.
The title made me think hector was some kind of ninja turn footballer but yeah hard work is a cool story too! Keep it up hector!
He’s a happy Hector… look that one up kids!
I love this guy, not a shadow of doubt about it.
Has he also been running in the night til the morning comes ?
I like the idea of shadow football quite a lot. I don’t quite know what it would entail just yet but it’s a great name. ‘Mon the arse!
And from the shadows might just emerge one of our most valued players in many years to come. I dont know what happens now because I really admire Jenko’s [perceived] loyalty and love for the club. But Bellerin is surely usurping his station in the RB pecking order.
I expect logic to take over and as such, I find it hard to see Jenko stay. Not unless he is comfortable being Bellerin’s deputy after Debuchy fades from the picture.
Jenkinson is playing fantastically at W’Ham, though. I think we’ll end up with a Gibbs/Monreal situation at RB next year, except that we’ll have 3 great options there instead of just 2.
Wouldn’t that be 4 options- Jenks, Debuchy, Chambers and Bellerin, at right back? Or have you already moved Chambers into a CB/DM role?
Turns out the darkness really is his ally
His grandfather is actually Italian and worked for Nucky Thompson in the 30’s hence the Kray looks. He comes from a long line of criminals, misfits and legitimised loan sharks.
‘some people are just born quick and fast, others are born a bit slower’…. Per, is that you?
Am i the only one here who actually looked Billy Whizz though?
Who remembers that terrible song “In The Shadows” by that awful band “The Rasmus”?
Don’t talk like that about my fellow Finns!