Hector Bellerín isn’t playing well enough to be sure of a place in the Arsenal side, according to Kevin Kilbane.

Kilbane was speaking to Irish radio station Newstalk via Daily Star about Bellerín’s “incredible” decline. “Hector Bellerin has gone from being one of the best right-backs in football to almost now thinking he’s not good enough to get in the Arsenal side,” he said.

The way that Bellerín has been judged after the first few games of the season has been more than a little harsh. For the opening three matches, the Spaniard was forced to play left wing-back to fit Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into the side.

Although he started the match against Leicester City at right wing-back, that didn’t last long after Oxlade-Chamberlain struggled on the opposite flank. The two had to switch positions as as a result and the defence remained that way until the 24-year-old left for Liverpool.

Back on the right where he belongs against Bournemouth, Bellerín was much-improved and put in a good performance. He helped the defence keep a clean sheet and although he wasn’t involved in the goals, the former Barcelona man still looked dangerous going forward.

So Kilbane can’t have been making his judgement on that game. And if he was critiquing Bellerin on the previous three performances, then evaluating somebody out of position seems a bit harsh.

Bellerín hasn’t always been at his best in recent months, but now that he’s back where he’s meant to be, he can surely look forward to a run in the team in his preferred slot. And with Arsenal back to winning ways, hopefully things will start looking up for him.