Ben White is proving his enormous value in Arsenal's journey to conquer titles, as the reunion between him and Bukayo Saka makes the "Gunners'" right wing more dangerous than ever.
In the victory over Fulham at the Emirates Stadium, White and Saka continuously created fast combinations on the right flank, causing the opponent's defense to fall into a passive state. The harmonious movement between the two England players helped Arsenal maintain continuous pressure and open up many spaces for the satellites around.
White's return is also considered an important factor helping Saka regain his explosive form. After a long period of injury that made both of them rarely have the opportunity to play together, Arsenal once had to use Jurrien Timber as right-back. Although Timber played stably, he still could not create a natural connection with Saka like White.
According to statistics, since the 2022-2023 season, White and Saka have coordinated passing an average of nearly 20 times per 90 minutes in the Premier League, far higher than other options on Arsenal's right wing. White often performs overlapping touches, stretching the defense to create conditions for Saka to face the opponent's defender directly.
Not only supporting in the ball deployment stage, White is also a defender ready to make forward passes with high risk to increase attack speed. This style helps Arsenal deploy the ball more smoothly and maximize Saka's ability to create breakthroughs.
In the victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, this duo continued to show good coordination. White was the player who passed the ball to Saka the most during the time they appeared together on the field, before the English winger scored the decisive goal to put The Gunners into the final.
Coach Mikel Arteta also admitted the special connection between the two students: "They understand each other very well after many years of playing together. You can feel that in the way they coordinate".
Although Timber is still a quality choice thanks to his impressive defense and tackling ability, White brings a special tactical weapon to Arsenal. That is the opening of Saka's most dangerous version in the decisive stage of the season.
The difference also lies in the ball handling thinking between the two players. White often proactively pushes high, coordinates one-touch and performs "overlaps" at the right time to attract markers, thereby creating more space for Saka to push into the center or launch his signature breakthrough situations.
This support helps the English star maintain a significantly more stable scoring and assisting performance every time he plays alongside White. In the context of Arsenal entering the crucial stage of the season, the return of the 27-year-old defender is seen as a major boost for Arteta's team's championship ambitions.
