Hector Bellerin explains why Arsenal won’t give up on CL dream
Hector Bellerin fears Arsenal’s slow start to the restarted season may cost them a Champions League place – but he insists they’ll continue to fight.
The Gunners lost their opening two matches as the Premier League returned following a 100-day shutdown.
But a resounding 4-0 win over Norwich on Wednesday night continued their turnaround in form. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as usual, was the hero. Granit Xhaka and a debut goal for Cedric Soares also netted as the sorry Canaries suffered another defeat.
With Chelsea and Leicester losing on the same night, Bellerin insists Arsenal can still secure a Champions League place.
“For us that has been the goal since the beginning of the season,” he said. “Obviously coming back from lockdown that has always been our goal.
“It wasn’t the best of starts to our Premier League return. We have been working really hard through quarantine – not just physically but tactically as well.
“I think we just needed those games to get all those new concepts onto the pitch. I think slowly we are getting there and are improving.”
If Arsenal are to achieve their ambition then the goals of Aubameyang will be a large factor in them doing so.
The striker has on Thursday been tipped as a summer target for Liverpool.
Presented both of his goals on a platter by Norwich, his first effort was his 50th Premier League goal in just 79 appearances. No Arsenal player has reached the landmark quicker.
Bellerin was full of praise for his skipper.
“I think the stats speak for themselves,” Bellerin added.
“It is very hard nowadays to get a striker that can score that many goals in that many games. We are very happy to have him.
“He has proved that he is also working really hard, because some of the goals he scores comes from the hard work the whole team is doing on the pitch, from pressing really high.”
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Tettey admits Norwich are suffering
While Arsenal have Champions League football on their mind, for Norwich it now looks almost certain to be the Championship for them next season.
Six points adrift at the bottom and without a point or a goal in their three league games since the restart, Alex Tettey knows confidence levels need to rise to give the East Anglian outfit any chance of beating the drop.
“We need to work hard and get some confidence,” he told the club’s official website.
“At the moment, it’s very difficult for the team to get confidence by creating chances.
“It’s been a difficult season, we’ve only ever had one or two centre-backs that have been fit.
“To play in the Premier League with only two fit centre-backs, that’s not a pillar to start from. You need to have all your centre-halves available. I have stepped in sometimes…You need your back four to be the same game after game.”
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