Mikel Arteta had plenty of praise for Ben White after the right-back’s Player of the Match performance against Brentford on Wednesday night.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made a few big selection decisions ahead of Wednesday’s match against Brentford, taking Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze, and Bukayo Saka out of the starting lineup for Ben White, Martin Odegaard, and Noni Madueke.
None of the changes were particularly controversial. It was inevitable that Odegaard would eventually break back into the starting lineup, as one of Arsenal’s key players when fit. Then Timber and Saka needed rests at some point, after three tough games over the previous week.
But that did mean White was called upon for just his second Premier League start of the season, and his first start in all competitions since October.
Any rustiness the 28-year-old might have been feeling didn’t show on the pitch, as he quickly set up Arsenal’s opening goal in the 11th minute. The defender ended up playing the full 90, and he won the Player of the Match award for his performance.
Speaking afterwards, Arteta admitted he and the rest of the squad were delighted for White.
“Personally, I’m very, very happy for him as a human being,” Arteta said.
“I think the rest of the team is the same because he’s a player who has always played for us, and sadly, because of the right reasons, he wasn’t playing that much because Jurrien [Timber] was excellent, and he was out for a while, and then he needed to earn his place.”
“But his attitude has been so positive, so good,” Arteta continued. “Then when you are ready and you’re given the opportunity, you take it like he did today.
“So I’m very happy that we have him back in the best version of himself as well, and we’re going to need him because he’s a tremendous player.
“The first thing as a defender is he defends, and defends with that purpose and with that determination and efficiency. He’s done that today.
“Then if he can add the value that he can add with the ball through his passing, through his movement and through the deliveries that he can put in with the quality that he has, so be it, and today I think he’s done both very well.”
White may well be called upon again this weekend, if William Saliba doesn’t make it back in time. Cristhian Mosquera’s midweek injury is likely to rule him out of the contest, which could mean both of Arsenal’s usual right-centre-back options missing against Aston Villa.
If that’s the case, Jurrien Timber will probably fill in at centre-back, as he did against Brentford. Then White would be required to start at right-back again.
At the very least, now we know the England international is capable of performing at the required level. The question is whether he’s physically ready for another game just two days from now.