Ben White was one of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s heroes on the night when Arsenal drew 2-2 with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Leandro Trossard’s dismissal at the end of the first half forced Arsenal to “park the bus” in the second half in order to avoid losing to the “Cityzens.” Ben White contributed massively to Arsenal’s outstanding defensive performance in the second half.
Many were surprised that White didn’t start that match, but Mikel Arteta chose to rest him because he wasn’t 100%, as he revealed post-game. Even so, the Arsenal manager had to make a tactical decision at halftime, and after glancing at his substitutes bench, he couldn’t resist substituting in White, who he claims would die for this Arsenal team.
“He will run through a brick wall for you,” Arteta said of White. “We didn’t want to play him, but we had to.”
The Spaniard revealed that he had a conversation with White, aiming to protect him from further injury. “I spoke to him; I wanted to protect him,”
The Englishman’s dedication was evident despite his injury. “He won’t ever tell you that he’s not fit,” Arteta added, highlighting the defender’s dedication to the team.
If Arsenal has proven anything, it is that they are the most defensive, rock-solid team there is. In two games, a 1-1 tie against Brighton and a 2-2 draw against Manchester City, they have played the majority of the second half with ten men, but they have remained a difficult nut to crack.
While all Gunners’ players deserve recognition, we should also give more credit to unsung heroes like Ben White.
Daniel O
