Ben White may not offer Arsenal much in the way a normal full-back does. He isn’t a major crosser. He can’t spray passes from defence and doesn’t create like the modern-day wideman.
As a repurposed centre-back he plays a completely different role. He operates in a much more functional position. Last season, for example, he got the same number of assists as Gabriel Martinelli and only two fewer goals. You would be hard-pressed to remember any of them.
Instead of being unplayable going forward, White is a tactical dream for Mikel Arteta. His positioning rarely leaves Arsenal exposed and always offers a passing angle for his teammates.
It is why, despite the lack of expressive flicks or tricks, White has been such a key part of one of Arsenal’s best weapons: Their right-side triangle.
Understandably it is Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka who take the plaudits. They dominate matches and win them on their own in a tangible way. The movement and spaces occupied by White has paved the way for so much of their dual-wield attacking play, though.
It is no surprise that things have been less slick for Arteta without the 27-year-old. Even though his absence has not seen a marked downturn in form – Arsenal are yet to lose a league game without him and have won 11 of the 15 he has been out for – but there have been issues.
