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Arsenal defender Ben White has recently been experiencing fitness issues due to a position change from centre-back to right-back. This is according to Premier Injuries owner and medical expert Ben Dinnery.
White joined the Gunners from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of £50 million last summer. He has since established himself as a first-team name in Mikel Arteta's side. The 24-year-old featured in 32 Premier League games in his debut campaign, helping his team finish fifth.
However, since William Saliba's return from his loan spell from Marseille, White has shifted to the right side of the backline. He has started all seven of Arsenal's Premier League matches this season at right-back.
As per The Telegraph's Sam Dean, White has been dealing with fitness issues related to his position change. He pointed out that the player has already been substituted off five times this season.
Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery claimed that White will require time to adapt to the demands of playing at right-back. He added that modern full-backs cover quite a lot of distance. He said:
"You are placing your body under different and perhaps more extreme demands. There are different body positions, different movements, different intensities. You are coming up against players like Wilfried Zaha, who he faces on the opening day of the season."
He added:
"You are having to cover greater distances at higher intensities with less recovery time. For a centre-half, you're expected to cover less distance than a full-back. Gone are the days of a static back four. The full-backs are a lot more adventurous. With heat maps, they are placed a lot higher up the pitch. It takes time to adapt."
Arsenal are currently atop the 2022-23 Premier League standings with 18 points from seven matches. The club will next be in action against city rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on October 1.
Arsenal dealt injury blow as Emile Smith Rowe's groin injury worsens
Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery asserted that the groin injuries suffered by Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe have worsened over the past nine to ten months. He elaborated:
"Smith Rowe is 22, so this is a bit rare as you aren't going to see a significant growth spurt with him. They are pointing to issues he had during his time with RB Leipzig back in 2018-19."
He continued:
"This is a very complex area of the body. In the last nine to 10 months, things have gotten worse. Conservative treatment and rest are typically the best courses of action."
Smith Rowe has featured in just 47 minutes of action this season, appearing from the bench on four occasions in the Premier League.
