Hector Bellerin says Arsenal can still win the Premier League and need only to look to West London for inspiration.
Pointing out that Chelsea won the title last season after recovering from an appalling start, including a 3-0 defeat at the Emirates, the Spaniard played up the importance of the Gunners stringing together a consistent run of form after damaging defeats to Stoke and Liverpool.
“If we did not think that we could win the title, what we would we be doing here?” he told the International Business Times.
“It would not make any sense. We train every day very hard to be able to win the Premier League. It has only been two bad games.”
He added: “Look at how Chelsea began last season and how they ended up winning the title.
“It doesn’t only matter how you start but to be consistent. Check the Chelsea results at the beginning of last season. They had a difficult time too, they lost two games and won several games in the last minutes. Then, they won 13 consecutive games and eventually won the Premier League.
“Manchester City, however, started very well and then faded out. The important thing is to be consistent throughout the season. We have had two bad games but we now have six points and we have to look forward.”
After a two-week Interlull the Gunners got back to winning ways against Bournemouth on Saturday. It was a performance that pleased Bellerin given the negative atmosphere that again enveloped the club.
“It has been a difficult period for the Arsenal family,” he remarked.
“Players knew that we had to give our 100% against Bournemouth because we had to win no matter what. It was a good way to prove that we have just had two bad games and we have to move on. I am very happy with the attitude and the result.”
Not sure about that?
Think we’ll turn Chelsea over though.
Haven’t we recently already done just that? In two of the highest-profile games where they actually gave their best shot.
Two games where they played a man short
I wonder what gets one team a man short.
Damn complicated football rules. It’s hard for a fan who has watched the game all his life to understand.
How’s that our fault?
Belerin, try not to be a spiritual motivator or over promising. Just focus more on your performance on the right hand side and please, get a hair stylist and listen to him/her, seriously.
I am all for the guys in the dressing room having lofty ambitions and desires about winning the title. That’s obviously a really good positive thing. But talking about doing it, and actually doing it, are two very different things. I’ve lost count of how many watered down early season interviews I’ve heard over the years where players say the same thing. I still distinctly remember Theo’s ‘We’ve got a really great dressing room, we all feel its going to be a special season,’ obviously paraphrasing a bit, but it was along those lines. Then 2 months later when we… Read more »
Do we have the talent to do what Chelsea did last season? Yes. Do we have the discipline to do it? I don’t think so
If we perform like we did at the end of last season for the whole season it’s possible but for some reason we usually don’t
couldn’t agree more. The manager always seems to re-balance the team but it is nearly always too late. Then after the summer transfer sagas the balance seems to be gone. In past seasons I have always blamed injuries to key players. As far back as Eduardo and Diaby right up to the last couple of seasons when it was mainly the loss of Carzola IMO. But now I just can’t see it as that. There is something else going wrong because surely we have enough money to have enough cover for these players. Which leads me to blame whoever oversees… Read more »
I’m a very vocal supporter of the manager but I completely agree with your assessment here. The balance is always wrong and we never seem to get it right until the season has slipped away. It starts with the injuries to key players but it’s never addressed when those same players always seem to get injured. The manager always seem to have a misplaced trust in some players to do the job. But when it’s obvious that’s they are severely flawed, we don’t address the issue. Is it out of the realm of reality to play Ramsey at the CM… Read more »
The manager is shit. Has been for 8 years. Be patient tho. He’ll move on eventually and we’ll get our club back. Until then get used to dross and disappointment.
COYG.
This is Arsene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z2JTPalv_s
Well, “some reason” is that it is incredibly difficult to remain on the highest level for a full season. Chelsea, with some luck (no Europe, few injuries) came closest last season–and then were badly outplayed by us in the cup final.
No we are sadly lacking in discipline.
Also last season Chelsea had no European football to contend with, a tactically adept manager and by March were only feeling mild pressure from a Spuds side that never really looked like they’d take it all the way.
We have the Europa League to contend with, a manager who hasn’t mounted a sustained title challenge in a decade and seems to be losing both the plot and the dressing room, and at the very least both Manchester clubs and Chelsea look considerably stronger than us.
Fortress Emirates would be a good start.
Will we have as few injuries to do it with? probably not
We have the talent you say. How does our midfield dynamism and positioning compare to theirs last season? They have a Manager that had to adapt to a new team and league. The main reason he was able to steady the ship after a false start to the league was because he has a proven record in league football, with the formation he knows and believes in. So in short, I think it’s highly wishful to think we can do a “Chelsea” with the current state of the squad.
Sure, Hector. Now go and do it.
If I were the manager I would forbid any comment like:” We are title challengers”, “we will bounce back” “we are Bayern, Chalsea, Leicester” etc
There is a psychological moment in it. When you hear your manager saying “we will bonce back”, this remains his view. When you say it yourself, with your mouth, it becomes your promise, and your mind takes ownership of that. Of course, you really have to believe in it, and not just to read form the Manual of Football Bullshit.
Deep.
best be ;Bounce’ and not ‘Nonce’ back. we are playing the rent boys so who knows eh
We need to be in contention for the title by the time we get to the last 5 games of the season.
Until then, stop all this PR bolloxs and just focus on getting points on the pitch.
“Do a chelsea”?
Without context it sounds like code for something illegal and/or immoral
It does sound like a code for all the players suddenly turning into cunts… 😀
Are we ever going to be able to read and make comments on the app?
Dear Hector and all others, please realise that you must give 100% in EVERY game for EVERY minute. I know its just nitpicking but….
“It was a good way to prove that we have just had two bad games and we have to move on.”
Whatever about positivity and a win being nice, but they’re a little far from proving much right now.
Yes a little far from proving anything, good or bad…
I thought we were trying to do a Leicester…
That IS the model we want to emulate, right?
Hope we do a Chelsea, but I’m not betting on it.
Wouldnt put £1.on it
“Players knew that we had to give our 100% against Bournemouth”
Thats should be the attitude for every f****** game!
Let’s do the Macarena first
And then, come on, come on, do the Locomotion. Or Lacamotion.
If we play our best available 11 consistently in the PL in their correct positions taking into account the opposition : using tactical nous and the players being totally motivated in every game ; then, yes we can certainly compete.
Will it happen….very much doubt it unfortunately.
Sadly true…
One good thing, though, is that Hazard isn’t playing.
Why is that – is he injured?
He fractured something in pre-season so hasn’t played. But I just remembered that Conte was going to have him on the bench for a game sometime around now so I correct my earlier statement… he may play against us.
He played last week for Belgium and scored I think. He also came on for Chelsea in the last 10 minutes on Saturday.
Yup, that was it. Nice username by the way. Made me chuckle…
I think. I just remembered that he’s only just coming back off injury so he actually may be okay to start against us. But he probably won’t be his lethal best.
I think read somewhere that the invincible squad used to meet at PV4’s house and go over tactics against the next oppo… whilst I think the coaching staff should do this.. maybe this is something the players should take into their own hands… I mean look what it did for the invincible squad…
Think JT (throwing up) did something similar with the Chelsea squad, but tbf maybe he was just lining up his team WAGS.
the delusion has started already, lets just take it 1 game at a time jheez
We’ll probably get battered by Chelsea on sunday(i hope not) and then it’ll all be doom and gloom again. Not falling for this sh*t again, lets just wait and see
They key is going to be (as it always is for us) not dropping too many points to those teams below us, especially at home. That is what kept us out of the top 4 last year. We likely won’t get too many points off of the top 4-5 teams (as we haven’t for years), but getting draws or better against them can be huge to limit their point take from us as well as getting three points as much as possible in those matches we are favored in.
I would prefer it if the players stopped talking about what we could do, and deliver the good on the pitch. I know social media is changing the game, but part of me thinks that we need to shut up, close ranks and develop a siege mentality. Do your talking on the pitch
I agree. Complete and utter player media ban. Win games or stfu
That’s the spirit!
Bit off topic, but I see Liverpool are going to appeal against the length of Mané’s suspension. Klopp says “everyone knows he didn’t see the goalie.” He didn’t see a man 6ft something tall dressed in green? If he didn’t see him, why is his foot so high? I think his team mates should club round for a pair of specs for the poor lad.
Total piss-take by Klopp – I hope the FA add matches on for time wasting.
Even more of a joke than Wenger’s “I didn’t see the incident”.
I’m all for hating Liverpool but I also believe that there was no malicious intent. It was, however, undoubtedly a red
Consistent throughout the season. Not comeback in packages. We hope for consistency but we always end up with comebacks which didnt help to get even to top 4 last season.
Forget about whether we’re gonna win the league or not, when are you gonna sort out your Barnet, Hector?
True story:
Barnet council held a workshop about their online services with some residents.
The hipster lady opened up with ‘what does Barnet mean to you?’
Bloke next to me says ‘it means fuckin hair innit luv’
“If we did not think that we could win the title, what we would we be doing here?”
Good question. Didn’t he ask to leave this summer?
No he didn’t.
This made me laugh, then made me sad.
A year ago, no players we wanted to keep wanted to leave us. It’s changed so quickly.
Last year it was “We can do a Leicester”. This year – “We can do a Chelsea”. Next year – “Depends on who wins this year no?”
At the end of the day, we all know we’ll just do what we do best and that is “do an Arsenal”
If the defense from midfield is stable then maybe i start thinking about it.
I would love that more than anything else but I think Arsene did not do enough in the market to make that possible. Our midfield is nothing compared to Chelsea’s. They had Ngolo Kante, Fabregas, Matic, Hazard, all playing really well.
Also, Alonso and Victor Moses played really well in the WB positions.
They had no European distraction and very few injuries (as usual).
I hate this bullshit. We cannot do a “Chelsea”. I wish the players would stop with these corny lines. We’re gonna be out of the title race in November.
Sadly I could still see the vast open spaces in midfield against Bournemouth that Ramsey will leave for Chelsea this weekend. We really need to put someone more disciplined in there for big matches.
Just saying, Granit- Ramsey have prevailed over Chelsea in FA cup and Charity shield.
You mean like the midfield that owned the same Chelsea team in the FA cup final?
Problem is we can also do an Arsenal! Which on recent results and history is more likely. Anyway kinda looking forward to the midweek game and a changed team. Coyg
dream on hector, even if you know you cant win the league you would still be there you idiot, also we aren,t Chelsea, also Chelsea didn,t have wenger as there manager, need I say more.
?
BUT we beat Chelsea 3 times in calendar year and that was Wenger not doing tactics. Was the FA cup a dream?
They clearly have some fault lines at the back and we have yet to unleash the tank Kolasinac on them let alone the sharpshooter Laca.
Yes i think you need to think more.;)
“Look at how Chelsea began last season and how they ended up winning the title.”
Yeah, and that happened because their manager is brilliant when it comes to tactics, sadly, I can’t say that about ours.
Wish some players would do a Stan Kroenke and shut the hell up.
Captain in the making
I mean we’ve beaten them twice now ( 3 if you consider Charity Shield) over last year. Wenger seems to have Conte in his pocket. so much for no tactics. And we did those wins with a Granit-Ramsey midfield. NOT to take anything for granted but no reason why we can’t get a positive result. There’s something flawed about the Chelsea backline we have been exploiting. And they haven’t had the privilege of Kolasinac bearing down on them full force or for the matter our sharpshooter Laca…so we have plenty of surprises in store. Plus I’m sure Alexis will be… Read more »
I think Kolasinac is re-invigorating Bellerin as well.
Absolutely love the way we switch tempo on the flanks, thread the ball with quick passes and work the diagonals.
And that’s not just the fullbacks but the entire team including plenty of Ozil but also Alexis, Laca, Giroud even and of course Welbeck all playing off the two fullbacks.
My only worry is the cover for the fullbacks…beyond Bellerin and Kolasinac, we are into the unknown. I think this was the main reason why Wenger had such a hard on for Lemar. He would ensure Monreal stays at left of back 3 and afforded an alternative for Kolasinac. Currently, (very) young Reiss Nelson is a possibility. He seems to be mature positioning himself when not on the ball but evidently is far more of an asset attacking. He has a learning curve though. Also another option is Chambers. As mentioned, Wenger should frankly refrain from trying to convert him… Read more »
We should be giving 100% in every game. Sums up our mentality that he mentioned that.
Yes, we believe we can. Time for you guys to roll up your sleeves and get into the trench. It’s a long long season indeed.
COYG!
I misread the title. I thought he was referring to do-ing them and getting Kolisinac to dropkick Cahill in his temple from the off! Just to set the tone! I prefer my version!
Why do you know you have to give 100% against Chelsea hector? What have you been giving against the other teams then?? Premier league football is a farce – players don’t play for teams anymore, they only play for contracts these days. unfortunately for fans. Support your local team and tell the PL and SKY to stick it where the SUN don’t shine. For people today – if you guage success or failure on the fortunes of a team and club that could not give one flying fuck about what you think then it’s time to re- evaluate your life
Says the guy that wanted to transfert to Barcelona
Look, just try to beat Chelsea first, then start thinking about challenging for the title (or not).
Expectation : Chelsea 16/17.
Reality : Chelsea 15/16.
I think we’re more on course for doing a Chelsea the season before. Hope not though, COYG
I wish players would talk to team mates about this sort of thing. This is your life and job, just try to get each other playing to their best, train at the things you mess up after normal training, meet among yourselves every week to discuss things relating to your collective game. I feel that the Arsenal training is lacking in some areas at times as is reflected on the pitch. Designate a leader and sub leader for each game, who will take control and point out areas that lack. There is so much you all can do. It takes… Read more »
I don’t like how our players always seem to start talking as if we are the champions of the world after one convincing win. Just shut up, play good football, win matches and let the results do the talking.
We have heard this rubbish for over a decade. Just shut up.