Arsenal have had a very strong start to the current Premier League season under Mikel Arteta.
After nine matches played, the Gunners have won eight, currently placing the north London club top of the table.
One man that has been a prominent figure in the team for Arteta this season is defender Ben White, who has started all nine of Arsenal’s league games.
Following that fine start to the campaign, the 25-year-old has been the recipient of glowing praise from one former Premier League striker who had previously criticised the Arsenal defender during the summer.
Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa attacker Gabby Agbonlahor admitted that he has now been won over by the Gunners maestro.
Agbonlahor praises Ben White
The talkSPORT pundit said: “I want to apologise to Ben White. I have given him a bit of stick recently, in the past year, but he’s been outstanding at right-back. Nothing gets past him and he’s decent on the ball as well.
“He could be one of those players that you look at and say he’s a right-back now. Going forward, he’s a right-back who can fill in at centre-back. Credit to Ben White because he’s proved me wrong.”
In June, Agbonlahor had described White as “overrated” and labelled his performances towards the end of last season as “dreadful”, in addition to suggesting that his previous club Brighton & Hove Albion played a blinder by selling him to Arsenal for £50m.
White’s impact at Arsenal
To highlight how impressive he has been for Arteta’s side this season, the 25-year-old has won more tackles in the defensive third of the pitch (nine) than any other Arsenal player, while also making more blocks (17) than any of his team-mates.
Also, only Gabriel Magalhaes (37) has plaued more passes into the final third of the pitch than the £120k-per-week English defender (34), while only Bukayo Saka (22) has made more carries into the final third of the pitch than the former Brighton man (17).
Taking all that into account, it’s only right that Agbonlahor has made this U-turn on his previous criticism of White and has showered him with praise for his performances this season, as the 25-year-old has undoubtedly been a shining light for Arteta.
