If Arsenal’s draw against Tottenham last weekend wasn’t any indication of their November curse, then the injury news of their star defender Hector Bellerin will surely verify that it has started. After a scare of Alexis Sanchez getting injured on international duty with Chile, which later turned out to be a minor one, Bellerin’s one is, unfortunately, a grave one.
If it’s serious as it is reported, then he might miss Arsenal’s clash against Manchester United, PSG, Bournemouth and Southampton, which could be a huge blow to Arsenal’s title challenge.
The agile right back looks set to miss all of the November fixtures for Arsenal after picking up an ankle ligament damage in last weekend’s North London Derby. It was a late diagnosis as the defender travelled with Spain under-21 but was later replaced with Sunderland’s Javier Manquillo.
The injury was old with Bellerin missing the Champions League clash away at Ludogorets due to an ankle problem. It just got exacerbated last weekend. Arsene Wenger has options in Mathieu Debuchy and Carl Jenkinson who could replace Bellerin in the right back position. With Debuchy probably a winter departure, Wenger will have to stick to Jenkinson.
But, in that case, Arsenal’s attacking dynamics change a lot. Bellerin’s pace always keeps opponents wary of an extra threat down the right flank apart from Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. With Jenkinson, it’s just plain defending.
Manchester United could make the most of it with Anthony Martial on that flank, who is fast and a smart dribbler. He seems like a frequent winner in his one v one battles with Jenkinson down the right flank and Mourinho will try to break through that weak spot.
Jenkinson returned in the League Cup against Reading FC in the League Cup and has been quite decent against Ludogorets as no goals were conceded from that flank. With Walcott also coming down to defend, Jenkinson will hopefully not be under a lot of pressure.
Another option for Wenger is Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who is quite young and inexperienced. However, if pace will be an important issue, then he could cope in that position. Wenger will have a real problem picking a player in that position.
However, United are also without Luke Shaw owing to injury and is expected to miss the Arsenal clash. Hence, it would be difficult to completely liberate Martial to express himself with Walcott posing a threat. It would be quite a tactical battle between the old rivals.
