Arsenal’s Benjamin White and Tomiyasu dilemma vs Spurs

Arsenal head into the North London Derby well aware of the two key players they are missing, with the other major uncertainty prior to Thursday being the availability of Benjamin White.

Mikel Arteta didn’t exactly fill everyone with hope in his pre-match press conference, stating that White is still ‘a doubt’ but feeling ‘better’, while he added that the situation is likewise in regards to Bukayo Saka.

If Arsenal head into the biggest game of their season and a potentially defining moment in their Champions League ambitions without Saka, White, Thomas Partey or Kieran Tierney, four cemented starters in their lineup, it is a massive blow.

Knowing how Arteta has gone about player availability in the past, it could all be one giant ruse. For all we know White and Saka were the fittest players in Wednesday’s session and are absolutely fine. Well, we hope.

Arsenal’s Benjamin White and Takehiro Tomiyasu dilemma vs Tottenham centres around the threat of Heung-min Son on the right side of defence

Should all be swell at London Colney there is then a tactical blueprint the manager could adopt. Bringing White in at right-back and keeping Takehiro Tomiyasu at left-back would allow Arsenal to fluctuate between a back three in possession and a flat four without the ball. Tomiyasu can move into midfield when Arsenal attack and having Martinelli in the side, someone to hug the touchline and stretch the pitch, caters to a more defensively minded option on the left.

In theory it would resemble the ever-changing systems Arsenal employed in the 4-2 win over Chelsea. There is, however, one dilemma in this approach.

Whether fit to start or not, White is not a natural right-back. He’s filled in there exceptionally well and can be trusted, but just coming back from a tight hamstring, the responsibility thrust onto his shoulders to deal with the threat of arguably the best left-winger in the Premier League is enormous.

Heung-min Son is a world class forward and gives the best defenders in the world nightmares, thus the predicament is whether or not it would make more sense to have the best available full-back at the club, Tomiyasu, dealing with his threat.

Excellent in recovery, one-on-one duels and physically dominant, Tomiyasu is by far the best Arsenal have to face the force of Son. Yet, were he to play there, it would mean one of Cedric or Nuno Tavares playing at left-back. Exactly.

Whether this is as a wing-back or more orthodox full-back, the prospect of someone like Nuno inviting the exact chaos which Spurs thrive on is a worry. Can Arsenal trust one of the two in a game of this magnitude, and does that concern outweigh the danger of a returning White facing Son?

It is but one of the many interesting calls that Arteta has to make.