3. Bellerin repays Wenger’s faith
If there is one person that will be incredibly pleased with the 4-1 win over Newcastle, it is not Wenger or Giroud, but one Hector Bellerin. Although Wenger got the crowd off his back thanks to a convincing win and Giroud continued his love affair with the visitors as he scored his sixth goal in five games, it is the 19-year-old Spanish right back Bellerin, who will be most pleased with his day’s work.
Having been hauled off at half-time at Stoke last weekend, the Spaniard had to put in a good performance to show the manager that he should keep his place next week. The task was going to be particularly difficult with the return of Mathieu Debuchy, but the teenager, who is regarded as the fastest footballer in Arsenal at the moment, showed just why he can cut it as a top-class full back. Bellerin’s enthusiasm and energy on the right flank lifted the club’s spirits and he showed on more than one occasion, his blistering pace which gave the visitors all sorts of problems. Whether it was a picking out a teammate with a cross, pinching the ball off the forwards or slaloming past opposing defenders, Bellerin put in a performance that is sure to keep him in the Starting XI for the game against Liverpool next Sunday.