There was plenty to take from Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid. And while most of it was positive, a few concerns lingered.
One of those? How Mikel Arteta really sees Ben White.
Once a key cog in the Spaniard’s Arsenal project, it now seems painfully clear that White is slipping down the pecking order.
He last featured in the Olympiacos tie, and truthfully, it wasn’t his finest outing. His performance raised eyebrows, and since then he has remained an unused substitute in Arsenal’s last two fixtures.
Overlooked against Atletico Madrid
On Tuesday night, many expected White to return to the starting eleven, especially with Jurrien Timber due for a rest.
But that wasn’t the case. Timber kept his place at right-back, while White stayed on the bench, only introduced for the final ten minutes.
Some might argue that at least he got minutes off the bench, but everyone knows how vital White has been for Arsenal and the role he once played.
Which begs the question: does Arteta no longer trust him to start?
Because if he did, as he clearly does with Myles Lewis-Skelly, White would have started against Atletico. Surely Timber needed a breather, and the opportunity was there.
With such limited game time, the ex-Brighton man risks falling further out of favour and potentially missing out on England’s World Cup squad.
White the warrior
All in all, seeing White overlooked is disappointing.
He played through injury for months, taking injections to stay on the pitch when Arsenal had no other right-back available. If there’s one player the club should show patience with, it’s him.
White needs opportunities. And if given them, he’ll surely reclaim his place in Arteta’s plans, even if Timber appears to have made the right-back position his own.
Let’s discuss in the comments.
Daniel O
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I personally don’t see this as a problem. Throughout a long season White will get his opportunity’s. Brighton in the League cup springs to mind in the near future.
Timber’s performances are consistent at the moment, it’s a no brainer to play him. Although that said, he will need resting along the way of course, as the article eludes to.
But if and when White does get his chances, he needs to be ready to take them. Just now the right back slot belongs to Timber for obvious reasons. It’s whites job to push him at all times, and be ready when called upon.
Arteta is only managing White well because he is still feeling the after effect of playing through injections and he is not even 85% fit yet.
There are many games that White will play a part of this season.
I believe he will start the Carobao Cup game against Brighton on Wednesday.
White can only play RB if Timber gets injured or becomes unfit, because Timber is just too good in the RB position
,@Gai
On point👌
But I think Arteta should be given White 10-15 minutes in Epl games so that he doesn’t become rusty.
Yup
“… and potentially missing out on England’s World Cup squad.”
White is never going to make himself available for the national team. Although I do agree he should not overplay Timber like he did Saka, to avoid injuries.
Plenty of games for White to play, not an issue.
However, if your issue is Ben White as the starting RB, those days have passed.
White is a fine player, a good RB. Unfortunately for him, Timber is just better; at everything compared to White.
Timber has more pace, better technically,
better 1v1 defender (not even close), and Timber is even a better CB; Timber is more physical, better defender, and wins headers; White is not know for his aerial prowess is he?
I’m glad we have White to rotate and as insurance, but absolutely no way does White replace Timber in starting lineup.
Its clear White had injuries and therefore Timber is in possession of the spot. White is still getting to match fitness hence minutes here and there
MLS is already fully match fit and hence why he is starting here and there especially CL … but also proving a point to Arteta how good he is …(great run for Martinelli’s goal ! )
In years gone by players used the matches themselves to keep match fit….we don’t see what’s going on behind closed doors at training…perhaps Timber is sitting out and White getting miles in his legs.
In a strange way Ode getting injured I think will get Eze up to speed quicker than if he was also having minutes off the bench as that left wing has serious competiton with Trossard and Martinelli doing so well …
Great to see Gyo get 2 scrappy goals. Doesn’t matter as he now has 5 in 11 or 12 so around 1 in 2 . Hope this kick starts a run for him. Most teams won’t know what to do if he now has more confidence and starts scoring as they already double team him !
Re Carabao Cup it will be good to see our so called 2nd string start thise games. Most could easily begin our starting XI which we didn’t have the luxury of in the past. Let’s not take Brighton or anyone else for that matter too easily…..one game at a time as they say
if Arteta had rushed White in and dropped Timber as soon as White was available then the article would have been on how he is using the players like a bar of soap, has favouritism etc etc. White has really struggled physically ever since returning from surgery. In that time Timber has been probably the best RB in the league so no wonder he’s not getting a sniff. We know Arteta loves him so there has to be something physical holding him back.
I think Arsenal have moved on from Ben White.
No worries only a strength. Only 11 players can start a game and Arteta must choose who in his deep squad can best provide the best result, without overplaying any particular player.
White is one of the more sellable players in squad to balance the books, I think. His contract is running down and He needs to play more for spot in the national team with the WC coming up. Top class player
I really rate White. His connection with Saka and Odegaard was the reason why we have previously discussed the lack of it on the left.
Timber is doing brilliantly so even when fully fit I now expect White to play second fiddle.
This is one of the weaknesses Arteta has, he does not rotate. Unfortunately, Timber will be played untill he breaks down whether due to fatigue or injury. Only then will Ben White get a chance to play. Even Nwaneri, Norgaard and Mosquera will have to wait for injuries before they ever get any chance to play. Really unfortunate.
I do not think Arteta is losing faith in Ben White. You normally fix what is not broken. If I were to suggest to our coach , we need to have an away lineup or combination and a home game one. For instance I would field Lewis Skelly when playing at the Emirates and Califiory away and also field Merino away
There’s still time and plenty of games to play before you start lamenting what if timber is injured right now
Ben White is key to Arsenal defense and below I will try to explain why.
His tactical versatility allows him to invert in midfield, his excellent positioning, how he reads the game and his ball winning abilities are key traits the gaffer is obsessed with.
I think with White it’s not a matter of losing Arteta’s faith but at the moment no epl full back can bench Timber and also White has to be managed delicately due to his touch and go health bill. Wednesday Arsenal play his former club Brighton in Carabao and White surely plays from the off. The season is too long and there will surely come a time White plays regularly to an extent White himself requires a breather. White’s situation same with Skelly bar injury.
We have a player who has yet to fully regain his form and fitness. We have another who is currently one of the best right backs in world football.
The season is still early with many games to play. There’s plenty of time for BW to get good playing time.
the opening fixture against man utd he was not very commanding. he even got injured. I think it is about fitness which he will gain with time
It’s obvious that Timber is better than White atm. Having said that, Arteta should be giving him some minutes so that we not lose Timber to injury during critical moments in the season. Same to other fringe players, the coach should learn from mistakes of Saka. The season is very long. Let us not lose our best players to injury due to so many games.
Just to add something slightly different regarding the Timber/White issue.
Timber faces at International level, what White faces at club level.
Timber plays Centre Back for his Country, because currently Dumfries is the first choice Right Back.
I’m not suggesting that we play White at Centre Back. But I hope you get my drift. 👍
The combination of White , Saka and Odegaard has been a very important part of the Arsenal performance over the past few years. Timber as an individual is a better player but Saka has not set the world alight with his last few performances possibly due to injury concerns but maybee because the combination does not work as well