Ben White is developing something of a reputation for being a straight-talking interviewee when he faces the media after Arsenal matches.
Eye contact is minimal, answers are short and if he believes a question is stupid, he has no qualms about making it clear that he thinks that’s the case. In short, he doesn’t suffer fools.
In the aftermath of today’s 1-1 draw with Southampton, Norwegian station ViaPlay Fotball spent a couple of minutes with him. By the end, their reporter couldn’t wait to get away.
Here’s a transcript…
Viaplay: Ben White, a brilliant 20 to 25 minutes there, what changed the dynamics of the match in the first half?
BW: Erm, I think the first half was really good, created loads of chances, should have scored more, [we] probably put the game to bed in the first half and we didn’t.
And then, what happened in the second half, what’s the reason for the change of rhythm in the match?
I think there’s loads of reasons, loads of details we didn’t do. You know, I think we performed opposite to the way we did in the first half and that showed.
Was it sloppy from your side, was it the physicality of the match or just Southampton changing tactics?
No, just sloppy from us. We know what we’re going to be dealing with each game and we know if we do our best, we’re going to win most games, but today we didn’t do that.
How do you see the physicality of the match, all the fights that Jesus was in, for instance, with their centre-half?
Yeah, that’s football. Our centre-halves do it as well, all our players do it, so it’s nothing new.
Is it important since you’re now the league leaders obviously and a few years back people could say, if you go at Arsenal, you can have a go, is it important for you not to be bullied in matches like this?
Yeah, I don’t think we were bullied. Yeah…I’m not really sure where we got bullied [death stare]
It was a physical game, it looked like…
[nods head]
More than usual, but no, maybe not. [nervous laugh]
I mean, yeah, not that I know of. I’ve been playing this year.
How do you see that 1-1, dropping two points?
Yeah, we obviously didn’t deserve to win the game so, yeah that’s it.
Ben White’s post-match interview today. 🤣 [@ViaplayFotboll] #afc pic.twitter.com/0xPHvRFnd5
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) October 23, 2022
Legend
Goes up in my estimation with every interview.
He’s so fucking funny. Absolute dead pan brilliance.
Brian Clough II
😂
I have a feeling Salah was his fantasy captain again.
As he doesn’t watch or particularly like football you can only surmise his raison d’etre is the post match interview.
Takeaways from yesterday’s game –
1. We are not going to win every game
2. Nketiah is not at the level of our first XI and definitely not an alternative to Martinelli
3. Viera is not up to it either and cannot be the guy running the midfield. So bring him on for Xhaka if you want and not Odegard
4. Tierney has a lot more to offer than Arteta thinks
You must eat an awful lot of crap food.
Spot on
I think if Vieira comes on for Xhaka in an MF role we’ll fold like a cheap… something that folds easily and cheaply.
Viera,I agree at the moment…. Nketiah is already one of the best back up centre forwards in the league…
Bring Vieira on for Xhaka and we probably end up losing.
I think people still don’t realize what Xhaka gives the team.
When we recently played Ode and FV together we were quite brittle.
Vieira won’t really be ready until next season I think.
We need a centre forward that takes his chance. Jesus missed too many, like what he was at City. That’s why they let him go and bought Haaland
Lets buy Haaland than shall we Peter?
Aside from that nonsense, Ben White’s interviews are possibly the best in the league. I absolutely love it.
The interviewer had his arsenal are soft narrative all worked out, set out feeling very happy with himself. By the end he was like a nervous teenager trying to ask a girl on a date.
Journalist reconsiders his life choices after shaking in his boots from asking if someone was bullied.
I wish someone would just ask him a proper footballing question. Something specific, tactical, detailed. Just so we can have an insight into Ben Whites footballing brain.
He is obviously an intelligent player who has enough understanding of the game to adapt and show the reading of the game to step forward or not.
The energy levels were a few percent lower in the 2nd half and then confidence drains with misplaced passes. First teamers’ have played too many Europa League minutes. This leaves them tired and other players cold when they come on.
In hindsight, I wish Eddie had started this match, with Jesus on the bench in case. Also, why is Marquinos not getting 20 minutes at the end of matches. He has the ability.
Like one of those SnubTV interviews with a moody indie band in the late 1980s