Despite all the claims of football being the “beautiful game”, in reality, it is the number of goals that determine the winners. One has to outscore the opponent to win a match and the players know that very well. Players would usually do anything to win and it has been a feature of all the great teams. From goalkeepers wasting time to forwards throwing themselves at the mere hint of touch inside the box, everything’s fair when the match is on the line.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is not an exception to the rule either. Despite hogging all the possession and intricate passing patterns put on display by Martin Odegaard and co., fans have found a rather underhanded tactic that Arsenal player Ben White employs that has been circling the socials on Monday. The English defender has been making valuable goal contributions throughout the season that none of the opponent coaches, nor the performance metrics have been able to spot.
In a compilation of footage, a fan has exposed how White sabotages goalkeepers during dead-ball scenarios to aid Arsenal’s scoring chances. The video shows White harassing goalkeepers by blocking their movements, obstructing their view, and nudging them away from the ball, ever so slightly, every time. None of these transgressions are strong enough to be called a foul but on all occasions, the goalkeepers either lose sight of the ball or miss the flight.
The video was especially relevant after White did the same thing to Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Vicario, twice. And sadly, Arsenal managed to score on both occasions.
For both the first and the third goal, White was deployed in front of the goalie with devastating results. At one point, White even went as far as to undo the gloves of the Spurs goalie.
According to BBC, Arsenal have been immensely successful in their set-piece routines this season. They have scored 22 goals from set plays, and a massive 16 from just corners. Although Arsenal’s set piece coach, Nicola’s Jover has done a great job in making Arsenal such a formidable side from dead balls, Ben White’s antics have definitely played a vital role. Along with these, Gabriel Magalhaes, the Brazilian centre back has also shown his borderline John Terry-esque ability to pop up in dangerous areas.
However, these figures are not going to satisfy the fans of the 19 other clubs Arsenal has been exploiting through White. Fans on social media have been venting their frustration against both Arsenal and the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) against such ‘tactics’. While some took to creative avenues, others have directly tagged the match officials on thousands of posts asking for a response. The fans also want reformation in rules and regulations in order to stop teams from exploiting the loopholes in the existing ones.
Ben White, on the other hand, known for his ruthless mentality, would not mind a few slanders if he won the league. Defending his actions, White had said, “I want to win everything that I do. I remember being young and always wanting to win and play aggressive and do as much as I could to win.” But would Arsenal fans, famous advocates of playing the beautiful way, also crucify one of their own or would they resort to the argument we raised in the very beginning, Winning is all that matters?
