Morning all.
As we don’t play till Monday night time, it’s more likely to be a fairly quiet weekend from an Arsenal perspective. We’ll be maintaining a tally of outcomes elsewhere, hoping that each Nottingham Forest and Man Utd can get one thing from their video games towards Liverpool and Man Metropolis respectively, however I believe everyone knows what’s going to occur. Particularly within the Manchester derby which could possibly be a massacre, given what number of probabilities United dish up in each recreation.
There’s an interview with Ben White within the Guardian which is price a learn. I’m most likely a bit too lengthy within the tooth to have favorite gamers … however he’s my favorite participant. Let’s be sincere, there are such a lot of to select from on this Arsenal squad, as a result of their qualities and personalities, however there’s one thing about him which is only a bit uncommon within the fashionable recreation. You’ll be able to see when he does post-match interviews, for instance, that the media coaching all footballers get is there, however it comes out another way to most others.
The stuff about him not watching soccer is commonly handled as a little bit of a joke, once more as a result of it’s uncommon. It’s at odds with our personal expertise, as a result of even when it’s simply Arsenal, we spend a whole lot of time and power watching soccer. However there’s an enormous distinction between the idea of not watching soccer and never caring about soccer. It appears fairly clear to me that to be successful on this Arsenal crew, it is advisable to perceive the sport and the opposition, which would require some examine (and watching soccer footage!). It’s simply he doesn’t do this when he goes dwelling. You don’t get to the place he has within the recreation and not using a actual aggressive nature, one thing he touches on, saying:
I need to win all the things that I do. My missus and I play a whole lot of video games at dwelling and I gained’t be letting her win. I bear in mind being younger and all the time eager to play aggressively and do as a lot as I may to win.
It was onerous not to consider Ben White when questions had been put to Mikel Arteta in regards to the ‘darkish arts’ of the sport final week. His function at corners for instance:
There’s all types, standing in your toes, elbows. It’s OK. I simply have to face in the way in which and see what occurs. A number of the movies I’ve seen … It comes again to doing something to win.
The main focus is nearly all the time on him as this type of penalty field pest, a goalkeeper’s irritant, however it’s a two approach avenue. He’s getting some again as he stands in the way in which, doing his finest to keep up a face with the innocence of a choirboy, however we all know he’s simply making an attempt to be a bit naughty with out being caught. Just like the schoolboy with a peashooter who fires one on the blackboard each time the instructor turns round to put in writing one thing on it.
Finally although, for all these attention-grabbing and pleasurable character traits, and for all of the sly journeys and clattering Anthony Gordon and making an attempt to throttle Phil Foden all of us relish, on the coronary heart of it he’s a incredible defender and all-round footballer. The sport has modified lately, with way more versatility required – particularly in defensive positions – besides his transfer from centre-half to among the best right-backs within the Premier League deserves extra credit score. He’s a quintessentially fashionable soccer participant. Return in your thoughts to among the nice central defenders we’ve had in our time at this membership, and take into consideration what number of of them wouldn’t have simply survived being moved to full-back, however thrived. It’d be a fairly brief record of some incredible gamers.
It’s no marvel Arsenal have tied him right down to a deal new deal, set to be introduced within the not too distant future (I think the timing of it’s linked to FFP and accounting functions), however it’s a wrap. And it’s nice information. When he signed from Brighton for £50m, eyebrows had been definitely raised. He wasn’t essentially excessive profile, though he had been a part of the England squad that summer time, however no one thinks twice about his price-tag anymore. It’s been cash very nicely spent by Arsenal, and his finest years are most likely forward of him too.
Wingers, and goalkeepers, be careful. And let’s hope that may to win stays a key a part of Arsenal going the gap this season.
Proper, let’s depart it there for now. We’ll have a Premier League preview podcast for you over on Patreon just a little later this morning, so please be a part of us for that. It prices round £5.50 a month for immediate entry to all our unique content material, in addition to supporting all the things we do right here on Arseblog.
Have a terrific Saturday of us.
