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Ben White endured a torrid start to his Arsenal career and was subject to plenty of criticism from fans and pundits alike. The likes of Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher were quick to write him off with harsh opinions soon after he joined the club. However, having become an integral part of Arsenal's resurgence this season, the English defender has said that the early criticism was 'not a nice feeling', but that it motivated him to do better.
Following Arsenal's defeat to Brentford in the opening game of the 2021-22 Premier League season, Neville and Carragher tore into Ben White for his performance.
Casting a prediction on White's future with the Gunners, Neville had said:
"If you are playing against Arsenal next week, you’ll be thinking: ‘We’ll stick it on him (White), we’ll put it up against him, we’ll put our big man on him … he will be a target.”
Carragher chipped in and shared his concerns about the Englishman's height and aerial ability. He had said:
“He was linked with Liverpool for 12-18 months and my fear was I wouldn’t want him to come to Liverpool because he is not tall enough, not good enough in the air.”
Over half a season later, Ben White has emphatically responded to his critics by becoming a crucial cog in the Gunners' defense as they look set to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Reflecting on the early and perhaps unfair criticism he received from Neville and Carragher, White claims that while some of it was true, the criticism served as the wind beneath his wings and helped him improve. As per the Mirror, White is reported to have said:
“I think it was the first time I have actually been singled out. It is not a nice feeling, it is not very good.
“But it just gave me more incentive to go out there and do well. Some of the stuff they said was true in that game - it wasn’t my best. But if I thought about it too much or kept listening to it back all the time, it would only affect me. So I just tried to do better.”
Arsenal's Ben White reacts to England call up
Due to his excellent performances and superior form for Arsenal, Ben White has been named in England's squad for their upcoming international friendlies.
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup looming large, White is exactly where he would like to be, and will naturally look to establish a place for himself in the national team.
Speaking about his selection, White admitted that his hard work seems to have paid off, and that it's a 'really nice feeling'. He said:
“Getting called up shows what I am doing is really paying off. I was at a new club and wanted to start off well but that didn’t happen. But I took it game by game, playing as well as I can for Arsenal.
“The last time I got called up I was straight into a tournament - so to come back in and be part of it again is a really nice feeling.”
