#5 In the process, we trust: Interview on the current state of Arsenal women’s team, Ben White Visualized

Interview

Lots have been going around Arsenal women’s team this season with manager Joe Montemurro leaving, the side struggling to push the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City for the title, to the rumors of Danïelle van de Donk leaving. And for all that is happening, none of it seems like a positive development.

While the fans have been quite vocal about the mismanagement of the men’s team, the same can’t be said about the women’s team. There have been questions raised over what’s been going at the club, however, more needs to be done. This interview is an attempt to do exactly that.

I have Rich Laverty, a highly informed and respected voice amongst women’s football, to discuss what’s going at Arsenal, the lack of a first-team coach, the competency of the trio in-charge of recruitment, and much more.

The full transcript of the interview:

Q: How would you describe the current state of affairs for Arsenal women’s side?

It could obviously be better but of course be much worse. The crucial aspect is the club still has Champions League, which not only brings in money but helps attract players to the club and will play a big part in players deciding whether to stay or not. I think it has been clear for a few years now Arsenal aren’t investing what Manchester City and Chelsea are though and it will be interesting to see if the club responds, as they did back in 2017 when they invested in their squad and went on to win the league.

Q: Arsenal needs to close the gap down to Manchester City and Chelsea, do you see them doing so on their current trajectory?

The only way to do it is to start investing again. It’s hard to see City and Chelsea stopping and while Arsenal may continue to hold third depending on what Manchester United and Everton do, the top players want to compete for titles and right now Arsenal don’t look like doing that.

Q: How are a club of Arsenal’s stature without a manager at this stage of the transfer window?

I’m not overly worried about that, the same as with Manchester United. I’d rather a club ensure they get the right person and transfers can still happen without a manager, as Arsenal have already experienced with Mana Iwabuchi. I think if come the end of June a manager still hasn’t been appointed, it’s time to ask some questions.

Q: Ruby Mace has left Arsenal for Manchester City while Danïelle van de Donk is being strongly linked to Olympique Lyon. Is there a level of incompetence in how Arsenal are operating in the market?

There’s not a lot Arsenal could have done about Mace, but it does show younger players are starting to feel they can develop better elsewhere. Players under 18 are not on professional contracts so Mace could essentially choose where she goes and it’s not hard to understand given their track-record with British players why Mace has chosen City.

Q: Do you think the trio of Edu, Vinai Venketesham and, Clare Wheatley have enough experience and knowledge of women’s football to bring back success to Arsenal? Or should they be looking for external additions?

Clare certainly does as someone who has been engrained in Arsenal’s history, it would be interesting to know how much Edu and Vinai rely on her knowledge and experience in terms of decisions over the new manager and potential players. If they’re not, you have to ask why given neither Edu nor Vinai have a background in the women’s game.

Q: Who do you see responsible for the lack of progress for a traditionally successful side?

I think you always have to look at the top, if the investment is drying up it comes from the owners. It’s well documented the men’s side don’t/can’t spend what their rivals do and it appears that is starting to happen, perhaps expectedly, on the women’s side. Arsenal will always be competitive but it would be a huge shame to see one of the most historic women’s teams fail to match and challenge what others are now doing.

Ben White: Visualized

The title got a good ring to it, no?

Many have been wondering about Arsenal’s interest in Ben White given they already have Rob Holding and William Saliba on their books. Both, Holding and Saliba, are young and competing for the right-sided center-back spot.

However, in Ben White Arsenal a getting a player who has a more complete profile than the Arsenal duo. While Holding is well settled at the club, however, he isn’t the ball-playing center-back Mikel Arteta desires. In Saliba, Arteta does get his desired quality though the young Frenchman still doesn’t have a taste of English football baring some appearances for the U23s.

• He tends to wander into the spaces which are traditionally occupied by a conventional right-back, which seems in line with the idea of a Mikel Arteta wide center-back.
• The majority of his touches are concentrated in the midfield which indicates he’s more than comfortable playing in a high line. He can also slot in as a midfielder during a certain phase of the game, another quality Arteta appreciates.

The aforementioned attributes are well backed by the following heat map of his touches.

Ben White is highly regarded as a ball-playing center-back and his progressive passes map doesn’t do any harm to this image of his.

Loads of his progressive passes reach the final third aiding progression and also feeding player in the half-spaces. Someone like a Bukayo Saka, who doesn't hug the touchline even when deployed as a winger, should benefit from White’s passing ability.

On the right, the end locations of his progressive carries are marked, and it’s fair to say he’s again helpful in progressing the ball to the midfield, a quality not many of the current crop of Arsenal center-backs possess.

The Brighton man’s defensive actions are again some of what you would expect from an Arteta player. His actions higher up the pitch helps in regaining possession quickly to initiate a probable counter-attack.

While he also occupies the defensive zones of a right-back to a great effect. Which would enable the right-back to tuck inside and overloading the midfield.

He’s a center-back who is comfortable in playing out from the back, occupies the space left by the right-back while also being an effective progressor. While the £50m price tag still might put off a few, however, you could see why Arsenal are interested.

Having said that, I claim no final word on whether we should sign him or not, as data tells you only so much about a player. I would only express my judgment on him, once I have watched enough of him, which I haven’t yet.

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