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Arsenal defender Daniel Ballard gave a good account of himself while on national duty with Northern Ireland. The young defender had an excellent outing against Switzerland. The two teams settled for a 0-0 draw in the sixth match of the Group C fixture in the World Cup Qualifier campaign.
His performance has grabbed the attention of some fans on social media. They believe that Ballard is just as good, if not better, than Arsenal's new £50 million signing, Ben White.
Ballard is currently on loan at Millwall FC
21-year-old Ballard has been at Arsenal since the age of 8. After coming through the youth ranks, the Northern Ireland defender was sent out on loan to various clubs.
The young defender has had spells at Swindon Town and Blackpool FC. He was sent out on loan to Millwall FC last season and is set to return at the end of the current season.
Ballard is a no-nonsense defender who keeps the game simple. He is not afraid to take on players for a physical tussle and is not scared of throwing his body on the line while defending. The brave nature of his defending could be an asset for any club.
Arsenal might have missed a trick with Ballard
Arsenal have started to steer the club towards a new direction under Mikel Arteta. Although results are yet to come, the board seems keen to rebuild the club with young players at the helm.
The Gunners spent close to £150m this summer and every new player is 23 years or younger. They have also promoted and backed youth academy players like Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
Despite the heavy outlay this summer, their defense seems to be shakier than ever. Ben White was ruled out with COVID immediately after making his Arsenal debut while Gabriel is yet to establish his authority at the back.
In their absence, Pablo Mari and Rob Holding have been filling in at centre-back for Arsenal. The club might have missed a trick by loaning out Ballard in this situation. The young centre-back fits the profile of the players manager Mikel Arteta wants at the club. Moreover, Ballard's hard-hitting style of play would have added a real spine to Arsenal's weak defense.
Arsenal have endured their worst start to the new Premier League season, losing all three matches. They are currently placed at the bottom of the table.
