All hail return of the marauding defender
There were around 100 yards and 10 players between Ben White and the opposition goal when he received the ball on the edge of his own penalty area in Arsenal’s recent victory over Aston Villa. Only six minutes had passed in the match, and Villa’s energetic forwards were pressing high up the pitch in an attempt to limit White’s options.
Nine seconds later, Arsenal were only 30 yards from Villa’s goal and there were just three defenders blocking their path. Defence had been rapidly transformed into a purposeful attack, with more than half of Villa’s team now cut out of the game, and the ball had not even left White’s foot.
Without an obvious pass, the Arsenal centre-back had taken matters into his own hands and simply carved apart the Villa midfield by himself. His weaving run took him beyond four different opponents, opening up the game and creating a goalscoring opportunity for his team.
White’s dribble was a brief moment that showcased some of the qualities he has brought to his new side, and why Mikel Arteta deemed him to be worth £50 million this summer. This was an ultra-modern move by an ultra-modern player, a centre-back who seems more comfortable in possession than many midfielders.
It was far from the only example of White’s willingness to surge into forward areas this season. He did the same against Leicester City last weekend, helping to force the corner which led to Arsenal’s opening goal.
Such boldness from a centreback speaks to the dramatic changes in the modern game and the evolution of football over the past few years. It is an increasingly useful attribute for centre-backs in an age where intensive pressing has become the most fashionable approach among top-flight sides. The dribbling centre-back can be the key to unbalancing the opposition. If a defender like White can cruise beyond one opponent, another opponent will have to leave their position to challenge him. The game then opens up, the press has been beaten, and there are now more options for the man in possession.
“It is used by managers to create a numerical superiority,” says a coach at a Premier League club. “If you drive with the ball you attract pressure and open up a pass elsewhere”.
For Arsenal, White’s willingness to run with the ball has altered the dynamic of their build-up play. None of Arsenal’s defenders, including their attacking fullbacks, completed as many dribbles per game as White at Brighton last season.
Clearly, there is a significant element of risk every time a centre-back tries to weave his way out of defence. Just ask Norwich City, who paid a heavy price for Ozan Kabak’s disastrous attempts to drive through the midfield in last Sunday’s defeat by Leeds. Kabak lost possession in a perilous position, and Leeds scored their winner as a result.
As with any tactic, finding the right balance is crucial. For those defenders who know when to time these interventions, their dribbles can open up a world of attacking possibilities in the modern game.