Is the criticism of Ben White unfair?

Ben White

Is the criticism of Ben White unfair?

By Oscar Maung-Haley

Let’s face it, whichever way you spin it, £50m is a lot of money to spend on a centre-back with only one full Premier League season under their belt.

Ben White’s summer move from Brighton & Hove Albion certainly led to a few raised eyebrows.

And while his debut against Brentford, a 2-0 loss on the opening day of Premier League action, was one to forget, it leads us to ask the question whether some of criticism around White has been wholly unjust.

When White was at Brighton under Graham Potter, they predominantly played with a back three, with White featuring in the back line alongside Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk.

At 6ft 3in and 6ft 4in, Webster and Dunk offered aerial coverage at the back, while White provided an abundance of ball-playing ability.

Additionally, they also had the towering presence of Dan Burn in defence for them too, who stands at a lofty 6ft 7in…

It’s safe to say that White would never necessarily need to be excellent in the air.

However, with Mikel Arteta seemingly opting to start the season with a back four, it means that White is left on more of an island – one-on-one.

And at 6ft, he lacks the towering presence of former team mates Webster and Dunk.

Against Brentford, Ivan Toney bullied White in the air and exposed his aerial inefficiencies.

To put in simply, Brentford targeted White and it was a major part of their game plan.

Here in lies a potential problem.

White training

Arsenal are a side that want to use the ball on the floor, playing out of defence.

They have, when fit, two centre-backs who are more than capable of doing this in White and Gabriel.

However, while it’s all well and good being good on the ball, the most important skill as a defender is being able to defend.

White can’t make himself taller – but he can be smarter with how he uses his height and picks his battles.

Brentford was one game and Arsenal were by no means at full strength. White will certainly have better games for the Gunners.

A more pressing concern now might be the fact White is now currently facing a spell on the side-lines with COVID-19.

The virus has already had an impact on Premier League proceedings, especially at the Emirates.

Having missed the game against Chelsea and Manchester City, White might not find himself back to full fitness even after recovering from COVID-19.

Take Newcastle pair Allan Saint-Maximin and Karl Darlow for example.

Saint-Maximin’s battle with COVID last season left him struggling with long-term effects.

This summer, Darlow lost nearly two stone and was hospitalised following his bout of COVID.

White will need time more than ever before to bed in, more so now that he might take a while to get fully back up to speed.

Arsenal have bought for the future, and at 23-years-old, White has an exciting career ahead of him.

His performances can be rightly criticised when poor but it’s important to try and understand why they might have been below-par and why some of the criticism may be unjust.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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