Revisiting the Official Throw-In Rules Following Another Hector Bellerin Foul Throw

Who'd have thought we'd have needed a step-by-step guide on how to complete a throw-in in 2020? It's dead easy, no?

Hector Bellerin is proving otherwise.

It's hard to dislike the attacking right back turned fashionista turned environmentalist, but managing to commit five foul throws in a season before Christmas isn't helping his reputation. Like, at all.

Hector, mate, it's a throw-in. You throw the ball into play. Where's the difficulty?

It sounds a bit silly to be going over the rules of the throw in, but considering that a global pandemic almost cost Liverpool their first league title in 30 years this year, we'll put it down to that and let it slide. That, and if it doesn't improve, someone at Arsenal Fan TV might actually explode with anger.

According to the official FA website, law 15 - the throw-in - states: "At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower must:

- stand facing the field of play

- have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline

- throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point where it left the field of play."

The problem for Bellerin - and most who commit a foul throw - seems to stem with where they throw the ball from. The Spaniard's fifth offence this season against Spurs was for releasing the ball too late, to a point where he had held it over and beyond his head.

It's incredibly difficult stuff - well beyond the realms of comprehension for fans - and it's only solved by one means; release the ball earlier.

That's it.

Stop holding onto the ball when it's going beyond your head, Hector. Please.

Bellerin's five foul throws make him the player with the most among any of Europe's top five leagues, and makes him responsible for roughly a third of the 16 committed in the Premier League this season. Instead of planting 1000 trees for every time Arsenal won a league game (four), he'd have had more luck planting them every time he fluffed a throw-in.

It doesn't help that the Spaniard is one of the players suffering the most in what's proving to be a shaky season for the Gunners. Bellerin is seen as 'Mr Arsenal' these days, which often means the buck stops with him when the chips are down and fans need someone to blame.

Arsenal haven't managed a Premier League win since they beat Manchester United on 1 November, which has obviously gone down a treat with the fans. A player held in as high a regard as Bellerin continually making such silly errors is a summary of Mikel Arteta's first full season in charge so far. Arsenal are their own worst enemy at the moment and it's up to themselves to get out of a rut they've dropped themselves into.

As for Bellerin, it's simple. Great hair, great fashion sense and loves the environment. Dreadful at throw-ins, though.