Ben White has been one in every of Arsenal’s most constant and in style gamers since signing for Arsenal from Brighton in the summertime of 2021. His first season as a centre-half subsequent to Gabriel was fairly good however his transfer to right-back a season later to accommodate William Saliba was a real masterstroke.
White was a beneficiary of Takehiro Tomiyasu’s damage points, so we by no means actually noticed a correct tussle between the 2 for the right-back spot. Even when Tomiyasu was match, he tended to play at left-back since that turned place extra of a difficulty for Arsenal as Oleksandr Zinchenko was thought of more and more dispensable.
White modified his bodily outputs to develop into a high class full-back, he turned extra slender and extra athletic and constructed his stamina, making use of himself ruthlessly to his new position. For a number of months, perhaps longer, he additionally performed by way of the ache barrier with a knee damage, particularly as Jurrien Timber instantly suffered a season-ending damage in August 2023.
There are a collection of merciless ironies in White’s damage points that means that he has dropped barely within the pecking order since Timber’s return. It’s particularly merciless for him since he has accomplished exactly nothing fallacious. Within the broader image, the competitors between White and Timber is precisely what you need in an elite squad.
Timber hasn’t taken over due to something White has accomplished fallacious however due to what Timber has accomplished proper. There was no detached kind, only a straight up competitors between two elite choices. Managers will usually inform you that they determine attributes first and work out positions in a while.
I’m not satisfied Arteta envisaged Timber or White primarily as right-backs once they had been signed. I believe Arsenal noticed qualities they appreciated in each gamers and simply let occasions take over. That’s one of many benefits of recruiting on this method; it permits the staff to tackle a pure form. I’m not satisfied that Arteta noticed Kai Havertz as primarily a striker or Declan Rice as primarily a ‘left eight’ when he purchased them.
I’m sure he supposed to make use of them in these roles on loads of events however circumstances dictated that they suited these positions finest throughout the general unit. Presently Arsenal have 4 elite choices for the 2 full-backs positions. Lewis-Skelly and White haven’t accomplished something to warrant sitting subsequent to at least one one other within the dugout for the most important video games, it’s simply that Timber and Calafiori have accomplished loads proper.
Which brings me on to Jurrien Timber. Final season, he would have very a lot ‘podiumed’ for the participant of the season award for my cash. To date this season, he has retained these requirements as one in every of Arsenal’s finest performers. A stocky right-back carrying the quantity 12 shirt with the construct of a middleweight boxer kindles optimistic reminiscences for Arsenal followers of a sure age and I believe he shares different similarities with Lauren (specifically that I might run away very, in a short time if he ever squared as much as me).
Once I look again at that Invincibles defence of Lauren, Toure, Campbell and Cole, one in every of their defining options was their potential in duels and their potential to defend massive areas. Elite groups depart their defenders on an island rather a lot and defenders in these groups have to have the ability to deal with that. Liverpool have constructed many a trophy successful season on Virgil van Dijk’s potential to deal with a tightwire knife battle.
Timber has a beneficial physique for a one v one duel. Muscular however not a lot that it reduces his velocity, low centre of gravity and the form of agency buttocks (I’ll circle again to the purpose quickly, I promise!) which, when parked between an opposing winger and the ball, kind a wall of resistance.
As a result of it’s one factor to have bodily items and one other to know the right way to use them. And the way in which Timber makes use of his physique is the important thing to his prowess in one-v-one conditions. He hardly ever ‘tackles’ within the conventional sense. He engages early, manoeuvres his shoulder or, erm, arse into an opponent and easily strikes the attacker out of the way in which.
He averaged fewer fouls per 90 final season (1.15) than Zinchenko or Calafiori (in equity, these gamers had been requested to vacate their submit extra usually), he additionally wins simply greater than a foul a recreation from an opponent- solely Myles Lewis-Skelly, with over three fouls per 90 won- averaged extra final season.
Certainly one of Timber’s biggest attributes is that numerous his actions are micro actions, like a boxer dancing, shifting his shoulders, in search of the prospect to land the jab. He additionally engages opponents excessive up, earlier than they’ll dribble in the direction of the penalty space the place you actually can’t contact them.
Solely Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino received the ball within the center third extra usually than Timber from the Arsenal squad final season. He engages excessive up and doesn’t enable hazard to unfold close to the penalty space. When he wins the ball, he tends to maintain it too. No smashing gamers into the promoting hoarding and conceding a throw, he’s extra tick than assault canine.
He will get his physique between the ball and the opponent and wriggles away with it, usually knifing his run in-field in the direction of the center of the pitch in order that Arsenal don’t find yourself with a collection of low alternative throw-ins close to the touchline. Every little thing in his defending type is constructed round not simply successful the ball again however arriving with it in greater worth areas.
There are enhancements for Timber, after all. In 2023-24, Ben White averaged 2.59 shot creating actions per 90 in comparison with 1.94 per 90 for Timber final season. Context is required, after all, Saka was absent for practically 4 months and Havertz for 3 months in Timber’s case. He additionally compares favourably to White as a dribbler throughout these two seasons (Timber was profitable with 45% of his take-ons in comparison with 40% from White the season earlier than).
Nonetheless, in the meanwhile, Timber is the primary selection right-back which is a outstanding feat given how nicely White has performed over an prolonged interval. There are sufficient video games for White to re-state his declare, maybe an damage to Timber will open the door for him. But when Arsenal had been enjoying within the Champions League Closing tomorrow, there is no such thing as a doubt about who would begin at right-back.
