Ben White can’t be pigeon-holed as an individual, nor as a footballer. Earlier than becoming a member of Arsenal, White was predominantly a centre-back, however performed in midfield at instances for each Leeds and Brighton. His last season on the south coast — the one which satisfied Arsenal to half with £50m to signal him — noticed him largely utilized in a hybrid function on the precise of a again three, driving ahead down the precise to assist wing-back Tariq Lamptey.
Having performed as one thing between centre-back and right-back that season, his transition to full-time right-back at Arsenal shouldn’t be so shocking. Nonetheless, the seamless method he has taken to the function has allowed Mikel Arteta to slowly increase White’s remit over time and his performances at the moment are completely integral to the event of the staff.
Proper-back doesn’t imply right-back now because it did 20 and even 10 years in the past. Talking to Sky Sports activities again in October, White talked about his adaptability and the precise challenges of taking part in the place below Arteta:
“I might play full-back, I might play wherever throughout the backline or in centre mid, however taking part in full-back the best way he desires is, I believe, utterly totally different to some other supervisor.
“To play full-back for him, you’ve acquired to be a centre mid, a centre-back, a winger, a No 10. So, it’s been about creating the entire of my sport, reasonably than simply as a full-back or a centre-back.”
That growth has by no means been extra apparent than the final couple of months. And the important thing factor is the calls for on White — to be a centre-mid, centre-back, winger, no. 10 — chop and alter inside a matter of seconds on the sector, not to mention throughout video games, but he has been dealing with it with none concern in any respect.
Taking a look at heatmaps from a number of current fixtures and the altering calls for of White are apparent. In an enormous sport towards Liverpool he performed a conventional function, largely staying extensive and supporting Bukayo Saka within the last third. Towards West Ham he tucked inside extra typically, making up for the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko from the opposite facet; towards Sheffield United it was all about supporting Saka within the last third; and there was extra of the identical, however with extra defending to do, towards Brentford.
4 video games over two months all in the identical place however with a special goal to the staff and totally different tasks to finest assist his team-mates.
Beneath is without doubt one of the conditions Liverpool pressed in on the Emirates, with White lining up the place you’d count on your right-back to be …
… however because the ball went lengthy, he tucked inside reasonably than becoming a member of the assault …
White’s first job isn’t to assist the assault right here however to guard the centre of the pitch. With the ball on the left he tucks in on the precise, contracting the house, kind of marking the opposition left winger in case possession is misplaced, a) to forestall a counter-attack and b) to be aggressive within the counter-press and assist Arsenal maintain an assault.
It didn’t occur within the particular instance of the Liverpool press above however White’s subsequent job, when the ball is on the precise within the last third, is to offer assist for Saka from a central place, both by overlapping to offer an possibility (or take a defender away) or by hanging again within the vacant house as Saka is defended two-on-one.
Each runs — or reasonably, one resolution to not make a run after which one resolution to overlap — led to assists towards Brentford. For the primary purpose he performs the ball out to Saka after which hung again within the house as Brentford’s left-sided midfielder appeared to assist double up on the Arsenal winger.
Generally it’s about not making a run to search out your self in house, particularly when opposition defences are as terrified as they’re of a participant like Saka, whose popularity is such that he didn’t even actually need to do something you or I couldn’t have accomplished to tee up White’s help.
For the second, White exchanged a lot of passes with Martin Odegaard (and William Saliba) to push the guests additional and additional again earlier than lastly making a darting run to the byline. It’s so typically the choice making — when to maintain it easy with the passing, when to make the run, when to remain — that makes the distinction on the prime stage and White hardly ever misses a beat.
Going again to Liverpool, he’s excellent at negating the press, which make him superb for receiving the ball and serving to Arsenal construct up whether or not that’s on the precise, in midfield, or in additional of a again three. White’s fast toes, confidence and calm are big in serving to him play out of tight spots, which is huge to negate the press from a staff like Liverpool, who will need to have smelt blood on a few these events.
That capability to wriggle out of house can nullify the press completely and Liverpool’s modus operandi when trying to seize a foothold in large video games is to press tougher and tougher. White himself might not have been straight concerned, however the first two targets in that sport each got here from the 26-year-old forming a again three with Saliba and Gabriel, drawing Liverpool on earlier than Arsenal might play by means of and over them.
Having that again three as a security internet permits Mikel Arteta to provide the gamers extra flexibility upfield, whether or not that’s Odegaard roaming, Havertz dropping deep to mix, or Martinelli making a run for the ball excessive, with out concern of Arsenal’s defensive form being compromised.
The brilliance of White the athlete means he can do it . We noticed it on the opening day towards Nottingham Forest, when he performed centre-half in a again three however nonetheless made an effort to overlap Bukayo Saka when he might, however we noticed it in one other method towards West Ham, the place White ceaselessly tucked into midfield alongside Declan Rice however nonetheless made the hassle to assist Saka on the precise but once more.
Odegaard signalled to White early on to tuck inside and he did, with a enjoyable knock-on impact the truth that the makeshift again three tilting the opposite method leaves William Saliba on the surface of it, giving the Frenchman extra freedom to stretch his legs and use his distinctive capability to hold the ball.
However White didn’t simply tuck in. He did all the pieces else he often does on prime of that. From midfield he would search for Saka out extensive …
… earlier than, so long as it didn’t depart Arsenal compromised on the again, offering an possibility on the overlap as soon as West Ham have been had dropped deep sufficient to comfortably depart Saliba and Gabriel with a two-on-one wherever outdoors the ultimate 30 yards of the pitch.
Minutes after that instance White went one additional, once more spraying the ball out to Saka …
… then providing an choice to obtain the ball within the place he would help from towards Brentford a number of weeks later …
… earlier than overlapping on the precise as soon as West Ham had once more been pushed deep into their very own field by Saka’s mixtures with Odegaard.
And that’s the factor: White not solely does a number of issues to a world class stage however he can do them . In his phrases, he can “be a centre mid, a centre-back, a winger, a No 10.” from right-back however I’d go one additional. He will be these issues from right-back throughout the blink of a watch.
It’s not simply that White can do all of the issues requested of right-backs within the fashionable sport — play as a 3rd centre-half, tuck into midfield, present the width and crossing capability of a winger — however that he is aware of when to change from one to the opposite relying on what the sport wants, the place his team-mates are, and the way the opposition will be uncovered or might expose us.
Finest-made plans might change into a bit predictable at instances for Arsenal in 2021/22 and 2022/23, however this set of gamers are discovering rising freedom as they change into higher and higher at dominating video games and discovering options with out leaving the opposition house to breathe. In that, the event White has made embodies one of the best of this present Arsenal staff in addition to any of his team-mates.
Right here’s to 4+1 extra years.
