Team of the Season – Hector Bellerin

After establishing himself as Arsenal’s first-choice right-back towards the end of 2014/15, Hector Bellerin further enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a series of eye-catching displays at both ends of the pitch. The young Spaniard’s raids down the right culminated in his inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year and saw him rise to top spot in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) defender standings in the final Gameweek of the season.

THE STATISTICS

While Arsene Wenger’s side got off to a slow start, it quickly became clear their defence was going to be one of the more reliable for Fantasy managers to lean on, picking up an impressive six clean sheets between Gameweeks 3 and 11. Bellerin also registered two assists over this period, and subsequently saw his price rise from 5.5 to 5.9 in FPL.

A further 11 shut-outs over the next 25 matches ensured Bellerin remained one of the leading options for our five-man backlines throughout the season, with the Barcelona youth product also adding a further goal and three assists in terms of attacking returns.

FPL bosses were spoilt for choice from the Arsenal rearguard, with Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal also regular starters in a backline that had racked up an impressive 18 clean sheets. Indeed, the trio sit in three of the top four defender spots in FPL, with Bellerin (172) bettering both Koscielny (153) and Monreal (152) at the summit.

In terms of bonus points, Bellerin managed to register a reasonable 18, ranking him joint-fourth among defenders along with team-mate Koscielny. The latter held the edge in terms of goal threat, though, and outscored his team-mate by four to one.

THE PROSPECTS

Having started 36 league outings this season, Bellerin’s guaranteed pitch time and attacking potential will certainly earn him a price hike for next season. After beginning last year at 5.5 to Koscielny’s 6.0, he now looks set to mirror the Frenchman’s valuation next time out and with the calming influence of Petr Cech behind them, there could even be a rise to 6.5 on the cards.

Bellerin appears to have little competition for the right-back spot, with Mathieu Debuchy looking to have no future at the club after being loaned out to Bordeaux in January, while Calum Chambers seems no more than back-up. Koscielny and Monreal seem as similarly nailed-on and there’d be no surprise if all three were afforded the same price tag for 2016/17.

Having only kept 13 clean sheets during the 2014/15 season, the addition of Petr Cech has certainly had the desired effect on the Gunners backline, and the likelihood is that their defensive unit will remain one of the more productive on offer for Fantasy managers heading into next season. Indeed, Arsenal’s 18 clean sheets this term is more than any other side, though United could equal that tally if they keep out Bournemouth tonight

Certainly, from a value perspective, we’d ideally hope for the battle between Gabriel and Per Mertesacker to be resolved next season. The pair started 18 and 24 league matches respectively last time out and will therefore be priced cheaper than the above-mentioned trio – if either one can secure the role next to Koscielny, the Gunners’ increased resilience would considerably boost their Fantasy appeal.

For those Fantasy managers keen to find a position for at least one premium defender at the start of next season, Bellerin’s attacking potential could yet justify a premium price tag. In the final third, he sits first amongst defenders for both touches and passes completed and takes second place for passes received. Given that he surprisingly managed only 23 chances created and three shots on target (from 13 attempts), it’s arguable that there is plenty of scope for further improvement next time around.