Manchester United’s former defender, Rio Ferdinand, has spoken about Arsenal defenders.
The gunners have begun their 2024- 2025 campaign on a good start. They currently sit in the second position with ten points. The second position has seen them just two points behind their Premier League rivals Manchester City.
Arsenal currently have the best defensive lineup and tactics in the Premier League. This plus point for the team could eventually play in handing them a title. The one area where Arsenal seriously lack is the midfield area.
The midfield is mainly guided by the Gunners captain Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian suffered an ankle injury against Austria in the Nation’s League game. The absence of Declan Rice due to a controversial red card has put a hole in the mid-region. Tottenham Hotspur took full advantage of this midfield weakness.
After a fierce battle up till the first half the score was 0-0 in the derby. The turning point came when a corner kick converted into a goal. In the 64th minute, Gabrielli Magalhaes received a well-put corner ball from Bukayo Saka. Magalhaes remained unmarked and leapt to put the ball in the middle of the net.
Ben white’s underrated performance for Arsenal
There are many flaws and there are many positives that came out of the North London derby. The disappointing part from Arsenal’s side was their midfield. After missing out on their main players Arteta had to make some serious replacements. Gunner’s strong defense saw them winning the game.
Martin Odegaard’s replacement was Jorginho who had not seen any game time before the North London clash. Jorginho’s performance in his assigned place was somewhat poor. The Italian lost many duels which made many chances for Spurs.
One area where Arteta’s men were strong was the defense. The chances were created due to the poor midfield area well controlled by the Arsenal defense. The armory to them was particularly brought on by Ben White.
White was the backbone of Arsenal’s defense. The Englishman won almost 8 duels and also put in important tackles. Ben’s clinical involvement in the defensive play kept Spurs from scoring many times. The defender who has been very consistent for his team is severely underrated.
Ben was also involved in a heated moment when Arsenal led the match. Just after Gabreil’s header went in don’t he 64th minute White ran towards the post. With his fist clenched he shouted towards Spurs keeper Maddison. He later went on to celebrate with his teammates.
The derby was full of such heated moments. The referee had already awarded eight yellow cards before the end of the first half. the clash was at Spurs’ home ground so the fans were also brutal for Arsenal. After a well-fought battle, the Gunners came out on top.
Man United legend’s statement on Gunner star
After the fierce battle of the North London derby, many pundits and analysts commented on the game. Former Manchester United player turned pundit Rio Ferdinand made a comment appreciating Arenal’s defense. He was particular about Ben White’s performance.
White’s consistency for the gunners has particularly impressed the former player. Ben’s consistent form has helped Arsenal maintain a good record in their games. Due to a strong backline, they have conceded only once in their last four outings.
“Ben White, He just does his thing but consistently. This is the reason why they need him.”
The ex-player also went to complement other defenders in the back lineup. Another player that impressed Rio was Jurien Timber. Jurien was another asset that led them to victory.
Mikel Arteta’s men now will look to start strong in their Champion’s League campaign of 2024-2025. They will face Atlanta on the 22nd of September.
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