Where’s the Right-Back?

Published by

Jack McRae

on

17th Jul 2024

_{^{Photograph: Wikimedia Commons/Hossein Zohrevand}}

At the stroke of 9.30pm on a summer’s evening in July, England was plunged into the darkest winter as an ‘ice cold’ wind swept the nation. Never had the string of Boxparks been so arctic as Cole Palmer usurped Jack Frost as the nation’s coolest man.

Yet in just 13 minutes the ice began to thaw and the seasoned professional Frost was back in charge. The Palmer freeze undone by a fiery La Roja counter attack, fueled by the subsequent rush of fury, blood boiled and hot-headed rants of ‘where’s the right-back?’ had left England in a soggy slush, melting on football’s biggest stage.

Two days later, Gareth Southgate decided he was no longer the man to lead England. The Three Lions must emerge from this new ice-age and into the sun under the guise of a new manager and find answers to the age old questions of is football ever coming home? Will Harry Kane make it to the penalty area by the 2026 World Cup? And, again, where’s the right-back?

As a new dawn breaks, the answers to those questions appear all but speculative. Football — both world and European — enjoys a luxurious life in Argentinian and Spanish ‘casas’. Harry Kane is contemplating dropping even further down the pitch to contest Manuel Neuer as Bayern Munich’s number one. And, umpteen English right-backs are bewilderedly scattered like lost cattle, unsure of a future without Southgate shoehorning at least three of them into his starting 11.

While Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold trudged their way through the European Championships and the sludge of English dreams, one right-back had nothing but love for Spain.

Ben White represents the one blotch on Southgate’s otherwise flawless player management resume. The Arsenal right-back has not played for his country since a supposed falling out with the England boss’ assistant Steve Holland at the 2022 World Cup and the damage could not be repaired before Euro 2024.

So, where’s this right-back?

White escaped the damp English summer by smoking cigars and basking in the Spanish sun in Ibiza before joining a handful of Arsenal team-mates and boss Mikel Arteta at a pre-pre-season training camp on the Spanish mainland in Marbella.

While his England team-mates and competition were being cooked by the Spanish heat, White was soaking it up, readying his tan for the new season and a race to the World Cup in 2026.

It had always been expected that Southgate, and by extension Holland, would leave England after this summer’s tournament. Few will benefit more than White who felt isolated by Holland in Qatar.

The root of the apparent fallout came as the coach picked on White’s apathy when watching football — a slight often unfairly targeted at the mild mannered player which accuses him of not caring.

It is no secret that White is not a football fanatic, but there can be little doubt that White cares. It would be impossible for a player to be held in such high esteem by two complacency-loathing, passion-demanding, footballing psychopaths in Arteta and Marcelo Bielsa if he was not bothered.

White has put himself through hell for his managers, and not just to enjoy the warmth. Former Arsenal defender Rob Holding revealed that despite carrying a grade three hamstring injury, White still made himself available for a brutal trip to St. James’ Park in 2022 amid a defensive crisis.

With no complaints or attitude, he was shunted to right-back against Crystal Palace for the first game of the 2022/23 season. Since then, White has featured in 75 of Arsenal’s 76 Premier League games, chipping in with six goals and nine assists.

White’s connection with Bukayo Saka, which has developed so strongly in 72 of those 76 league games featuring the winger, is perhaps the most impressive and positive aspect for both the Gunners and England.

They have developed an almost telepathic understanding, knitted neatly together with Martin Ødegaard, that has been integral to Arteta’s record-breaking attack in the last two, title-challenging seasons.

For Arsenal, Saka does not question ‘where’s the right back?’ as teams double, triple and quadruple up on him. On the overlap, White is already galavanting like a maniac to offer another option.

For England though, and despite his best efforts, Saka is often isolated. Left the highest and widest on the pitch as the only attacking outlet, the winger is expected to just make things happen. As supportive as he is off the pitch, Southgate’s inability to fashion a team that supported one another on the pitch, rather than becoming increasingly reliant on individual brilliance, eventually cost England in the biggest moments.

Who is to say that the next manager will improve the situation? It would be very English for things to get worse, or even much worse, before they get better — especially when the measure of ‘better’ has settled on the small task of winning the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

There will be a shift in personnel. Out goes Southgate, Holland and almost certainly a crop of ageing, declining England favourites. Trippier and Walker have been staples, but they represent the staleness of the Southgate regime so often perforated at the back post — this year by Breel Embolo and Nico Williams.

If there were a dearth of alternatives, the new manager would be forgiven for sticking with the old stalwarts. Yet, with Alexander-Arnold and White in the wings, it marks a chance to move away from the banality of Southgate’s era and embrace the sun(beds).

As the ice melts, the Steve Holland-shaped shadow lifts and a Love Island tan is topped up, Ben White can prove to himself, England and the old coaching team that, in answer to the old question, he has the answer:

Here’s the right back!

Before he bombs beyond Saka for Arsenal, and England.

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