Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are one of the most complete sides in world football.
They control every phase of the game, from build-up to rest defence, and have reached a level of collective understanding that few teams can match.
Their possession play suffocates opponents, their defensive structure is near impenetrable, and their set-piece routines are among the most innovative in the sport.
Even Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City were reduced to sitting in a low block versus this Gunners side.
Arsenal’s dominance from dead-ball situations has been widely documented.
Before the Burnley game, they had already scored nine set-piece goals this season, which is more than any other Premier League team.
Yet a closer look at the data reveals an imbalance in their attacking profile.
Out of 16 goals in total, only five have come from open play (17th in the league).
Their open-play xG of 7.8 ranks eighth, and with just 31% of their goals originating from open play, they have the lowest share in the Premier League.
Arsenal are not short of attacking talent, nor tactical clarity.
However, as their reliance on set-pieces grows, one overlooked solution could help restore fluidity in open play: Ben White.
This scout report does not seek to criticise Arteta or his methods.
Instead, it explores how Ben White’s unique influence, particularly his relationship with Bukayo Saka, could be the tactical tweak that restores Arsenal’s fluency in open-play attacks.
This tactical analysis will delve into the benefits of the White and Saka partnership and how White’s profile could be key to breaking down compact low-block defences that have frustrated Arsenal in recent weeks.
Arsenal Attacking Imbalance
The stats above illustrate a surprising truth.
Arsenal rank first for set-piece goals and fourth for total goals, but they are just 19th for the percentage of xG created from open play.
This imbalance doesn’t necessarily indicate a flaw, but it does hint at a missed opportunity.
Arteta’s Arsenal are capable of controlling matches through patience and structure, yet at times that control has come at the cost of unpredictability.
Their attacks often end in recycled possession rather than dynamic final-third entries.
Against low blocks, where the margins are tight, the absence of quick, purposeful combinations down the right flank has become noticeable.
This Arsenal analysis isn’t about criticising Mikel Arteta tactics.
Far from it.
It’s about identifying how one tactical adjustment, embodied in Ben White’s profile, can reintroduce the chaos and tempo that made Arsenal so devastating in the 2022/2023 season.
Ben White Style Of Play
To understand Ben White’s value, it’s worth tracing his development.
Before joining Arsenal, White played under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, a coach renowned for his man-to-man pressing system, relentless intensity, and emphasis on third-man movements.
Bielsa’s methods instilled an exceptional understanding of space, timing, and physical endurance, all traits that define White’s current game.
Under Mikel Arteta, he has harnessed that Bielsa intensity and channelled it into a more controlled, structured form of chaos, deepening his understanding of the full-back role.
White has evolved into a hybrid full-back who is capable of tucking inside to support build-up or bombing forward to create overloads.
His intelligence, timing, and engine allow him to adapt between roles seamlessly.
However, what makes Ben White particularly valuable is how he complements Bukayo Saka.
Recreating Arsenal’s 2022/2023 Fluency
When thinking back to Arsenal’s most fluid attacking spell, the 2022/2023 campaign stands out.
During that season, the right flank trio of Ben White, Martin Ødegaard, and Bukayo Saka formed one of the most effective trios in Europe.
Their rotations, one-touch combinations, and timing were almost telepathic.
Every time Saka received possession, he had multiple layers of support.
Ben White would provide intense overlapping or underlapping runs, forcing defenders to make uncomfortable choices.
Ødegaard operated between the lines, exploiting the pockets of space those movements created.
Crucially, White and Saka were never on the same line.
Ben White’s passes to Saka were angled and deliberate, allowing the winger to receive on the half-turn, facing goal rather than being forced backwards.
This detail made it incredibly hard for Arsenal’s right side to defend as the full-back had to respect White’s overlap.
In contrast, the wide midfielder had to track Saka’s inward movement, creating constant indecision.
That partnership has been disrupted in the last couple of seasons, partly due to injuries and the integration of Jurriën Timber, whose natural tendencies differ significantly.
Jurriën Timber Vs Ben White: Two Elite Profiles, One Key Difference
Jurriën Timber, a product of Ajax’s academy, developed primarily as a centre-back under Erik ten Hag.
His qualities include press resistance, composure under pressure, and efficient circulation, making him an outstanding modern defender.
However, his centre-back background shapes his instincts: he’s more of a circulatory full-back, comfortable recycling possession rather than breaking lines through off-the-ball movement.
White, by contrast, thrives on verticality and intensity.
His overlaps are not just functional, they’re purposeful.
Every run he makes demands attention, even when he doesn’t receive the ball.
The defender marking him has to react because the threat is real.
This commitment creates the milliseconds of hesitation that elite wingers like Saka exploit.
It’s not that Timber can’t overlap or underlap; he can, but it doesn’t come as naturally to him.
White’s overlaps are driven by instinct, rhythm, and understanding.
He knows exactly when to go, how to angle his run, and how to disguise his intentions.
This dynamic was crucial to Arsenal’s best attacking performances in the 2022/2023 season.
It didn’t always show up in assists or goals for White himself.
Still, it consistently enhanced Saka’s influence, allowing him to isolate defenders, create separation, and deliver higher-quality crosses into the box.
The Knock-On Effect: Unlocking Saka & Ødegaard
Reintroducing Ben White into these attacking sequences does more than help Saka; it reshapes the entire attacking network.
When Saka receives more 1-v-1 opportunities due to White’s overlapping threat, Arsenal’s strikers, such as Kai Havertz or Viktor Gyökeres, benefit from improved service.
The volume and quality of Saka’s deliveries increase, leading to more predictable crossing zones for centre-forwards to attack.
At the same time, Ødegaard’s rhythm improves.
During the 2022/2023 season, White’s overlaps often created a three-man chain: White to Saka, Saka into Ødegaard, Ødegaard back to White.
Those patterns opened up central spaces for Ødegaard to dictate play or arrive late into scoring positions.
Without that dynamic right-sided triangle, Arsenal’s current attacks often feel slower and more methodical.
Additionally, White’s intense overlaps and operating high and wide enable Saka to invert and get closer to the goal, much like Mo Salah, for example.
Currently, Saka receives the ball with multiple defenders and bodies in front of him out on the wing.
Reverting to these 2022/2023 rotations, Saka can get closer to goal and increase his goal output while reducing the carrying load he currently has isolated on the wing.
An Often-Overlooked Detail: Ben White Throw-Ins
An often-overlooked part of Ben White’s game is the quality of his throw-ins.
Arsenal are one of the most well-drilled teams in Europe, and even in these small moments, there is structure and intent.
White’s throws are quick, accurate, and proactive.
Rather than using them to simply retain possession, he often looks to release Bukayo Saka or Martin Ødegaard in space, playing the ball diagonally into the pitch to bypass the first line of pressure.
A good example came against Manchester City, where Arsenal set up specific patterns around White’s throw-ins.
On several occasions, he released Ødegaard into central areas, immediately turning defence into attack.
The same quick thinking has been evident against Liverpool and Wolves, where he has used sharp, forward throws to release Saka in behind before the opposition can reset.
Instead of slowing the game down, White’s throw-ins inject tempo and intent, helping Arsenal sustain attacking rhythm and catch opponents off balance.
White’s Passing Range & Build-Up Contribution
While White’s overlapping runs draw attention, his distribution is equally important.
One of the subtler aspects of his game is his ability to switch play accurately and quickly: something Arsenal currently lack when Timber plays at right-back.
When opposition teams press high, Arsenal’s structure often leaves the opposing full-back (usually Riccardo Calafiori or Myles Lewis-Skelly) free.
Ben White’s diagonal passing allows Arsenal to exploit this.
He’s capable of firing long-range, flat passes that immediately change the point of attack, stretching compact defences and giving Arsenal an extra dimension in transition.
Timber, by contrast, prefers to progress the ball through shorter combinations.
That’s not a flaw, it’s simply a different profile.
But against deep, compact defences, White’s ability to accelerate the tempo and switch the play to the opposite side becomes invaluable.
The Tactical Selection Balance
Arteta’s challenge is not choosing between White and Timber outright; it’s selecting them contextually.
Timber’s defensive solidity and press resistance are crucial against high-pressing teams or in big UEFA Champions League fixtures.
His composure under pressure helps Arsenal evade traps and sustain possession.
However, against low-block sides like the Burnleys of the league, Ben White’s inclusion offers the aggression and unpredictability Arsenal sometimes lack.
His constant forward runs stretch defences, tire out wide players, and create openings that set-piece routines alone can’t provide.
Playing White in these scenarios also serves a squad management purpose.
It keeps Timber fresh for the more demanding defensive tests, while allowing Arsenal to maintain their attacking variety domestically.
A Complete Team Searching For The Final 1%
Arsenal’s foundation is built on control.
With William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães forming arguably the best centre-back partnership in Europe, and Declan Rice offering protection in front, Arteta’s side possesses a defensive platform few teams can rival.
Add in the organisation of their set-pieces and transitions, and you get a near-perfect system.
However, even the best systems benefit from marginal gains: the “1%” improvements that turn contenders into champions.
Reintroducing Ben White as a key component against deep defences could be one of those refinements.
His aggressive overlaps open space for Saka.
His passing range allows Arsenal to switch play faster.
His intensity forces defensive errors and gives Arsenal’s forwards the kind of service that converts control into goals.
Conclusion
Arsenal are closer than ever to achieving total balance.
They’re the best defensive team in the league, the most dangerous from set-pieces, and arguably the most tactically disciplined.
But their open-play output remains the missing link in an otherwise complete side.
Ben White represents a bridge between Arsenal’s two identities: the structured, controlled team Arteta has built, and the fast, expressive side that emerged in the 2022/2023 season.
His chemistry with Saka and Ødegaard once gave Arsenal their sharpest attacking edge, and restoring that connection could be the final step toward reclaiming the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.
With Liverpool’s decline and City’s transition, the window of opportunity is open.
Arteta’s Arsenal have all the tools, and Ben White might just be the subtle, tactical lever that could be the key that fuels Arsenal’s ascent to the Premier League title.
