‘Ben White alarm bells at Arsenal after huge Mikel Arteta decision’
Ben White’s long-term position in Arsenal’s starting eleven has been thrown into major doubt following Mikel Arteta’s decision to bench him against Real Madrid.
Since joining the Gunners in a £50million deal from Brighton in 2021, White has shown his versatility playing in multiple positions across the back four under the Spaniard.
Starting as a centre-back, the 27-year-old made the transition to right-back comfortably having played there 113 times in his Arsenal career.
However, after a combination of White’s struggles for fitness this term along with the emergence of Jurrien Timber his long-term position at the club is starting to be questioned.
Now, Arteta has made the major decision to start Jakub Kiwior in place of the injured Gabriel Magalhaes for the first leg of the Champions League quarter final, to cast a serious shadow over the Englishman’s status at the Emirates.
Kiwior favoured ahead of White at centre-back against Real Madrid
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday (8 April), former Tottenham midfielder Andros Townsend said: “For me the Real Madrid front four is the deadliest in Europe and even with Gabriel I think it would be a tough task for Arsenal to hold them off.
“Jakub Kiwior coming in, looking unsteady at times at the wekeend, is that an area that Kylian Mbappe will drift over to and cause problems?
“Then there is Jude Bellingham who will drop into the pockets in front of Kiwior. That might be an area that Real Madrid target tonight.”
White needs to force himself back into Arteta’s side
Football Insider verdict
Undoubtedly a lack of rhythm due to injuries have disrupted much of White‘s season, having undergone surgery for a persistent knee injury in November of last year.
| Arteta’s preferred back four this season | Position |
| Timber | RB |
| Gabriel | CB |
| Saliba | CB |
| Lewis-Skelly | LB |
As a result, this gave Timber time to establish his position in the team on the right hand side of the defence, with the Dutch international hardly putting a foot wrong in his absence.
The aim for White will be to rekindle the form he has shown, especially with the return of Bukayo Saka, with the pair possessing an excellent understanding.
Despite the England international’s lack of match fitness, he will be extremely disappointed with being left out of the starting eleven for Real Madrid‘s visit to the Emirates.
Arteta’s decision to favour Kiwior in perhaps the club’s biggest game during his reign, signals where White is in the pecking order at this moment.
It remains to be seen whether this choice will have ramifications for Arsenal or if the 43-year-old coach will be proved right in picking the Polish defender.
Kiwior is hardly seen as a powerhouse at Arsenal and did indeed find his hands full with French superstar Mbappe as the first half ended goalless, so if the Pole is seen as a surer option than White at this stage it shows how far the former England international is off the pace still.
At a club as impatient for success as the Gunners he won’t get forever to find his way back to his former level so the latest developments have to be a concern for him.