Hector Bellerin says he loves learning how to defend from Steve Bould and admits his career has been moulded by the Arsenal coach’s influence.
The Spaniard, who moved from Barcelona to the Emirates in 2011, spent his formative years as a winger before embarking on remarkable and rapid transformation into a dependable right-back.
Now the Arsene Wenger’s first choice right-back the 21-year-old explained how much he has benefitted from the wise words of one of the Gunners’ most famous defenders:
“When I first came to Arsenal, I didn’t know how to defend,” he told The Sun.
“If there was a person who I had to identify as helping me a lot, that would have to be Bould. I was a winger but from the Under-18s up, I remember him just showing me the basics.
“Even then, I remember him sometimes holding his head like, ‘What is Hector doing?’. He’s been one of the key people in my career. He’s one of the reasons I’m here now.
“When we defended the FA Cup, I reminded Steve of all those times stressing in training, or when we lost the Youth Cup, which was such a big thing for us.
“Steve was a top defender himself and has so much knowledge.
“Sometimes when he’s speaking, I just laugh because he makes it look so easy and so obvious, and you haven’t realised before. I really enjoy learning with him.”
Elsewhere, fellow Spanish full-back, Nacho Monreal, says he’s feeling pretty peachy about life in London.
Pinpointing the importance of learning English to his ability to settle both on and off the pitch, the 29-year-old told Arsenal Player: “I can say that I feel at home on and off the pitch.
“If you don’t feel good off the pitch and in life in general, obviously you can’t give 100 per cent. However, at the moment, I love England, I love London and I love my team-mates so everything is positive.
“When I arrived here I knew that the first thing I had to do was learn English because, if you want to speak to your team-mates, the staff and anyone here, you need to learn the language. It was difficult for me because I’m very bad with different languages but I am trying.
“Mikel, Santi and Hector were very helpful for me because I didn’t speak English when I arrived, I didn’t understand anything, so every time I had a problem or didn’t understand something they explained it to me.
“Even in the evenings, sometimes you have nothing to do and you can spend your time with them. They helped me a lot.”
This story first came in Arsenal newsletter last week. Sun nicked it from there?
Interesting for those that say Bouldy just lays out the cones and has no serious input at all (not doubt the same people that say that Wenger doesn’t do tactics or look at the oppo – see Lehmann’s comments last week).
Joined the club in 2011; joined the first team in 2013.
Arteta appears to be instrumental in bedding in the Spanish speakers.
He appears to be important to the future our club, even if he never plays for us again.
Think some Arsenal fans should think about this before engaging in the sort nasty scapegoating that happened last weekend.
I get you like Arteta but where from that article did you get that from?
Hello John, ‘Mikel’. I remember reading stuff in the past where any non-English speaking Spanish speaking player that we signed (in the last few years), Arteta’s name in particular was always mentioned in the subsequent interviews. And it’s not a case that I like him in particular – Ramsey is my favourite player – I just think that the vitriol our players sometimes have to endure from our own fans is shameful and embarrassing. Screaming directly (or via Twitter) that you’re ‘fucking shit’ or ‘you aren’t good enough and should hang your boots up’ is not something that I believe… Read more »
But what does that have to do with this article?
Being able to speak Spanish isn’t a qualification for being an Arsenal player
“Mikel, Santi and Hector” were all mentioned, so we can now get rid of him because he’s been replaced by Santi and Hector.
I don’t get the sentimentality of some of you. Thierry Henry was the best striker Arsenal have ever had but i wasn’t disappointed when he left because in his last season with us he was a shadow of his former self.
That’s life, that’s football, and players must be judged on their current performances not last years or many years before. Change is inevitable i’m afraid, embrace it.
Sorry John, we’re hopeless romantics. Here’s another thumb down.
¿Nacho and Hector, where’d we be without ’em?
Our defending is absolutely terrible at times. Especially this season. Don’t think Steve is doing enough or he doesn’t have the level of input he should have.
“at times” is correct.
In fairness, for all our recent travails we’ve actually conceded the third-fewest goals in the league.
That’s true but those we do concede are generally due to comical defending and rarely down to great play from the opposition.
Imagine how far we will get if we fix the comical defending. I still remember of Gabriel last weekend.
And the 2 against West Brom?
But a lot of the goals we do concede are from very average defending. Especially on set pieces. Nearly every goal we’ve conceded in the champions league has been defended woefully and Cech has made some monster saves.
He’s bae. Bellerin is Bae.
I like that he doesn’t even mention Cuntalonia
Thumb down for the use of ‘bae’.
This article can’t be right. I read that Wenger doesn’t let Bouldy or any other coaches do anything because of his stubbornness…
You must have read that in an article that can’t be right.
he’s only 20 not 21!!!
Nacho’s english is probably better than santi’s right now. he seemed to be translating something when santi was injured and the physio was asking questions..
Hmmm… wanted to comment on the Nacho piece but was directed here instead. Anyway just want to say Nacho has been one of our most consistent players past 2 years and really thankful we have 2 awesome fullbacks. Both have been immense.
See? That’s barca DNA garbage is just a motive for treators when they are deserting. I really thought it was the haircut. I always knew there was something behind this meteoric rise. Turns out to be Bould
Ah Bloudy, do give him the credits when it’s due
Love how much Nacho has come on over the last couple of years. Genuinely thought he would always be a bit-part player but has literally become one of the best left-backs in the league! Keep it up!