Arsenal: Ben White’s tactical roles with Tomiyasu in 4-2-3-1 system

The final signing of the summer transfer window was one of the more interesting ones of the entire summer. The desire for a right-back couldn’t be set aside any longer following the horror start to the season and Arsenal signed Takehiro Tomiyasu.

All six of the summer additions that Mikel Arteta brought in were done so with a specific role in mind. Every arrival needs to suit a certain tactical need but of them all, Tomiyasu felt extra niche.

Central defenders who’ve morphed into hybrid full-backs capable of playing across the backline and in various shapes are not readily available, and if they are they don’t come cheap.

Well known is the tactical role that the 22-year-old will have under Arteta. Like many, Arsenal want to build up their play in a back three and set up in a defensive 4-4-2 shape when they aren’t pressing high, and at Bologna this was a similar remit for Tomiyasu.

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Ben White can assume numerous tactical roles with Takehiro Tomiyasu at Arsenal in Mikel Arteta’s 4-2-3-1 system with back three build up

What does it mean for Ben White?

The most expensive defender in the club’s history spent the majority of last season thriving in a role not too dissimilar to the one Tomiyasu has played before. There are differences, of course, with Brighton adopting natural wing-backs, but when the back three took shape it was White who assumed the right-sided berth.

This catered to his excellent ball carrying ability and better than average pace, where his strength in delivery down the line and through the lines could either progress the Seagulls laterally or switch play at pace.

In what will line up as a ‘4-2-3-1’ (inverted commas since it’s ever fluctuating) when in possession alongside the expected duo of Gabriel and Tomiyasu, it will be White playing the central role much like Pablo Mari has done previously.

Arsenal won’t build up the same way every time they start from the goalkeeper as they do often split their centre-backs bringing a midfielder in to create a central triangle, but if it is the three defenders forming a horizontal line it may impact White’s trademark carries through the middle.

These were able to flourish as the right-sided centre-back down the line as wide areas could be covered by midfielders in case of turnovers to assert some numerical control. Being the central option of the three could imply that Arsenal will look to his deep long progression as a key attribute and lean more to Gabriel and Tomiyasu’s distribution down the line.

But changing the role White has usually played is not a negative. It’s another option, of which there are plenty.

Continued…

How Ben White Can be Tactically Flexible With Takehiro Tomiyasu

The positives are that these two in the backline can promote versatility in build-up. Tomiyasu will play as a full-back closer to the white lines and look to underlap and overlap, allowing White to move into the right side and one of the midfielders to drop in.

He can also take on the mantle of being the drop-in midfielder as a version of a No. 6, with Sambi and Thomas Partey, or whoever it may be, either side to open more passing lanes into phase two.

Unlike previously with David Luiz and Chambers/Bellerin, there is real scope for versatility here with Tomiyasu’s arrival.

• White assumes right-sided berth in back three with midfielder dropping in
• White takes a David Luiz-esque deep central berth to pick out long passes
• White pushes forward into a No. 6 role with Gabriel and Tomiyasu splitting
• White can tuck into midfield three with Tomiyasu dropping back
• A more traditional back four lines up with White able to charge the channels

The dynamic of the defence can alter depending on how the opposition set up and what position Arsenal find themselves in in terms of the scoreline.

Arteta won’t have Arsenal trapped in a back three every time they’re in possession even if that style of build-up will be preferred, and these additional options in phase one can diversify the usually predictable methods of play building from the goalkeeper.

White being quick and Tomiyasu being most certainly faster – beneficial to lateral movements – than Chambers aids this, so too does having a hybrid full-back who is two footed and versatile across numerous positions. Interchanging with the £50m man is also an option.

When it’s Rob Holding and Chambers in the defence making the most passes of the team in Premier League matches, the groans can be heard from the dugout: everything is lacking tempo, cumbersome and a stark drop off in quality from what is needed.

Foreseeing it in advance can differ greatly from in practice. Arteta may want to stay in a rigid system as Arsenal play out from the back and White may be consigned to that central role of the three more often than not. But, at least, the options are there.