Ben White has been considered one of Arsenal’s most constant and standard 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 harm 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 prime 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, possibly longer, he additionally performed by the ache barrier with a knee harm, particularly as Jurrien Timber instantly suffered a season-ending harm in August 2023.
There are a sequence of merciless ironies in White’s harm points which 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 type, only a straight up competitors between two elite choices. Managers will typically let you know that they establish 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 feel Arsenal noticed qualities they favored 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. At the moment Arsenal have 4 elite choices for the 2 full-backs positions. Lewis-Skelly and White haven’t accomplished something to warrant sitting subsequent to 1 one other within the dugout for the largest video games, it’s simply that Timber and Calafiori have accomplished quite a bit 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. Up to now this season, he has retained these requirements as considered one of Arsenal’s finest performers. A stocky right-back sporting the quantity 12 shirt with the construct of a middleweight boxer kindles constructive reminiscences for Arsenal followers of a sure age and I feel he shares different similarities with Lauren (particularly 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, considered one of their defining options was their skill in duels and their skill to defend giant areas. Elite groups go away their defenders on an island quite a bit 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 skill 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 pace, 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, type a wall of resistance.
As a result of it’s one factor to have bodily presents and one other to know learn how 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 publish extra typically), 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.
One in every of Timber’s biggest attributes is that lots of 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 will dribble in 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 typically 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, typically knifing his run in-field in direction of the center of the pitch in order that Arsenal don’t find yourself with a sequence of low alternative throw-ins close to the touchline. The whole lot in his defending fashion is constructed round not simply successful the ball again however arriving with it in larger 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).
Nevertheless, in the intervening time, Timber is the primary selection right-back which is a exceptional feat given how properly White has performed over an prolonged interval. There are sufficient video games for White to re-state his declare, maybe an harm to Timber will open the door for him. But when Arsenal had been enjoying within the Champions League Ultimate tomorrow, there isn’t any doubt about who would begin at right-back.
