Hector Bellerin says Mikel Arteta is the right man to help Arsenal build for the future and says the players are doing everything they can to take on board his ideas as they lay the foundations for long-term improvement.
While the Gunners have won only one Premier League game since Arteta took over and continue to languish in mid-table, a renewed emphasis on defensive solidity has seen us extend our unbeaten run to seven games since the turn of the year.
There’s still huge room for improvement, evidenced by the fact we’ve become draw-obsessed, but Bellerin sees shoots of hope after seven weeks working with his former captain.
Speaking to Dubai-based publication The National, the right-back said: “Mikel has been an appointment that is not just to cover [a short time], this is something to build upon.
“He has the Arsenal philosophy from the start; when he came as a player they knew that he was the right person to lead the dressing room, because he came as a captain as well.
“He’s a great choice and this is for the future. And that’s the way we’re training as well. We want to obviously win the games that we have in hand, but we also want to build a good foundation to be able to, whatever player comes, whatever player goes, it doesn’t matter what first XI is starting on the pitch, everyone knows what their job is.”
A particular emphasis has been placed on being more disciplined on and off the pitch, something Bellerin has welcomed after a ragged end to Unai Emery’s time in charge.
Asked to compare Arteta and his predecessor, he said, “They’re very different type of managers.
“Mikel has always been very tactical in his work and in his whole life – he’s very professional with very clear ideas. He’s put that into the team very quickly.
“The discipline in the dressing room has also changed a lot and that’s a very important pillar to then build on.”
In the short-term, Arsenal have three fronts to fight on as we look to rescue a season that has been worse than anyone might have expected.
“We can always make top four; that’s the least that Arsenal can have as a target,” said Bellerin.
“But what we need to do is get the idea that the boss wants to implement, get it 100 per cent and, once we can, build from that.
“Once we can play every single game and can control every game in the way we want to do, top four is just going to be something that will come.”
In Mikel We Trust?
I 100% do. Got the feeling he will be here for a very long time.
WE GOTTA START WINNING GAMES!!
I think if we out together a 10 game winning run we could maybe make top 4 or at least make Europe. I think this year more than ever we need to win the europa league. It’ll be a great start for mikel imagine first season an europa league trophy and an fa cup trophy? I think those 2 are attainable this year even with this squad
10 points behind, with 39 to play for….
We’d surely need a minimum of 32/39 points, to stand any realistic chance of top 4.
From a group of players who look hopelessly out of their depth.
Stranger things have happened, but this would be up there with Leicester winning the league.
Hopefully we get the luck of the draws in the cups, would be great to have a couple of cup finals to look forward too, and if we could turnover United in the Europa final? It would make the summer break much more barrable,
I’d imagine we’d need a Liverpool-esque run of form from here on in… All being well with an ‘invincibles’ protecting victory over them in the mix
With every article I read about how things have improved since Emery‘s departure, I can’t help but think how big a mess it has been under him and how disconnected from reality he has been by giving all these “improvement and hard work” press conferences. Wasn’t he able to realise it or did he really thought he can turn it around? Absolutely baffled that it took us so long to get rid of him. It will probably cost us our best striker of the last decade as we surely won’t be able and willing to extend Auba’s contract without CL… Read more »
He was completely out of his depth and it is shaming that Raul et al took so long to pull the trigger (or even appointed him in the first place). Worse, even still, is that they didn’t see the downward turn coming, and wanted to renew his contract after a shaky and unconvincing first year. It’s the biggest impediment to optimism for me: as much as I believe Arteta can improve our fortunes, I’m skeptical those above him have what it takes to build the squad he’ll need.
Our best striker of the last decade went to Manu Utd for 24m
Nah he had a trial there but they didn’t sign him.
No, arms crossed, she still plays for us.
It appears that the ethereal Arsenal philosophy has won out, at least in theory if not yet on the pitch, despite the massive changes in personnel on and off the pitch. Quite incredible, really, and I think some credit is due to the fans for this. It is, of course, time for the team actualize this on the pitch, and to get some results. I can’t wait.
Work hard is such a trope. Work smart, work effectively… that’s what we need.
The fan in me wants to believe that Emery served a purpose, helping us to find rock bottom…. like we, both teams and the fans, needed that frame of reference to remind people just how good things were in the Wenger-era and help us appreciate when the team is halfway organized.
I still cannot and probably never will understand how he was kept being in charge after that europa league final deflation. Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. The fault for this current season is not on him at all.
Arsenal philosophy? That must mean Wenger philosophy. I would disagree then. Wenger allowed his flair players a lot of space and freedom. He would let lose on the attack, let them play football. Arteta is so far very heavily system based. Only one side attacking, 2 defensive mids absolutely just sitting in their holes. Thats nothing to do with even just the average years of Arsenal football. But the fanclub of Wenger years will somehow see these two coaches as same, so far they could not be further apart with their approaches.
Arteta is building something. Step one is establishing team structure, to play as a unit, and to diminish the goals against. He’s done that. The next steps are more pace, fluidity, and goals. It’s hard to be patient after the last 2 years, but we have to be to see this through to results.
Sorry, but just what is “dressing room discipline”?
Apparently, Emery used to let them put their feet on the seats before taking their shoes off,
And speak with their mouth full of food…disgusting!
Not flicking people’s bums with towels etc?
Maybe it’s like discipline in a classroom? Don’t interrupt the teacher; don’t do things to undermine his/her authority; don’t disrupt other students with your hijinks; pay attention; do your homework; etc. 😉
Basically don’t do Eboué stuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LFZJIm3mD0
idk what you’re talking about, eboue was a great listener
I love him, I hope he sorted himself out with his money problems
Very impressed with Bellerin every time he speaks. I think he is definitely a future captain. I think all the talking is done and hopefully now we can get some wins under our belt in the next couple of weeks. On another note this winter break is a pain, I miss watching Arsenal.
Hector Bellerin, the true Arsenal captain!
Yeah he’d definitely be my pick, but only if he can prove his fitness and get his playing standard back to where we don’t have to consider signing a new RB as 1st choice.
So with this from Bellerin, previous comments from other players, and Emery’s own statements, it is pretty damn clear what happened. Emery lost the dressing room. Or never had it. Same issue at PSG, and we were all warned of it. Shame we had to choose to go head first to find what is hopefully the bottom. Hopefully the silver lining is that Emery took the brunt of Wenger’s departure and cleared the slate a bit, from which Arteta can operate with less overblown Post-Wenger scrutiny and more of the garden variety Gooner self-loathing over-scrutiny. One thing I am really… Read more »
Exactly MPLS, well said. I also think our defensive personnel was/is a major problem, it wasnt Emery’s fault, and I am probably alone, but I dont think there was much Raul could have done differently about it. I mean, in 2 years, the amount of dead weight removed has been incredible, and going into this season with 2 of our defenders severely injured (Holding and Bellerin), Saliba out on loan, and the Koseilny/Luis development, I think this was always going to be a throw away year
I would say Mikel has paid far more attention to details. Emery was good first season with subbing players but when it went pear shape this season, he started to second guess himself and made some poor decisions with selections. BUT they are both delt the hand they have and the transfer team have not covered themselves entirely in glory by any far stretch of the imagination. So both operate with one hand tied behind the back. Unai’s problem was he started to become too dogmatic in insisting we play out from the back without making minute detailed changes to… Read more »
Bellerin Used To Stay In Arteta’s House As A Teenager In The Academy…I Remember Clearly The Season Bellerin Broke Into The First Team…After A Champions League Game Against Dortmund In Which He Struggled…Arteta Faced The Media And Said “Bellerin Could Be Arsenal’s First Choice For Years”…Despite That Performance Arteta As A Player Then Saw The Raw Ingredients In Bellerin And Predicted That…Now As A Coach That Instinct To Spot Fantatstic Players Must Be Better From All He’s Learnt…Am Really Looking Forward To What Arteta Can Do With This Arsenal Squad…#COYG?
Iwobi, is that you?
Im loving this, the synergy between the playing staff and the coach and coaching direction.
But what a threat this also is, we’ve outsourced our direction and philosophy to Mikel.
If he is any good, he will move on; and fair play as i believe the world is his oyster.
Without this direction and drive coming from the top, we will always ride along on the coat tails of a manager, and that is not a prudent approach.
Mikel is a breathe of fresh air actually. The toxic atmosphere under Emery, and the simple fact we lost our identity under him makes Arteta’s appointment even more exciting.
Only thing now is for our attackers to start banging them in left, right centre. Defensively we have improved a bit.
I hope we keep our unbeaten run to 2020 going till the end of the season, but this time with more W’s than L’s.
I’m not sure a top 4 finish is realistic, but certainly 6th or 7th would be achievable. I much prefer to think that we can go out there and defend effectively, at least we won’t lose if we don’t concede goals. Worst case, 29 points from draws and 15 from wins would see us stay up every year. I didn’t think I’d ever say that though, so let’s make it 29 wins and 5 draws instead.