Ben White recently sat down to reflect on our 2-0 win against Wolves and look ahead to this weekend’s game against Aston Villa.
Commenting on our season opener at Emirates Stadium, Ben said the performance and the result was a good indication of the hard work the team are doing in training.
“It was an amazing start for us to win and get back into the flow of things, starting where we left off last season,” he said.
“It’s always tough in the first game. You’re seeing where you are, the level you’ve been training at, and playing a game gives you the reassurance that you’re doing the right thing.
“We’re not worried about anyone else, what they’re doing, or sending messages. We’ve got to continue to do what we’ve been doing and reach higher levels as a team. If we play the way we can, we’ll beat anyone.”
"Perfect is probably what it takes to win the Premier League. We’re capable of doing that."
Asked about Manchester City’s success and if it will take a perfect season to beat them to the Premier League title, Ben said: “They’re unbelievable and have done it for so many years now.
“The players they have are outstanding, so each season is very different. Perfect is probably what it takes to win the Premier League. We’re capable of doing that.
“We’re all driven to win and you see the work that we do day in, day out. The manager has ways of getting us into the right frame of mind. He’s a special manager to play for and you can’t not give 100 percent for him.
“This pre-season was different, a different atmosphere. We’re here to really do something and we know that we can because we got so close. It’s the confidence that we’re producing in training and in the first game.”
Next up, we travel to Villa Park looking to get our first win over Unai Emery’s side since February 2023, having lost both matches last season.
“We need to put that right and get that result this time,” Ben said. “I’m sure we’ll do that and prepare well for it.
“They’re all big games, no matter who you play against. The points you drop anywhere in the season, you can put it back to that. There are games that we drew that we should’ve won and they’re two points that we should pick up.
“It’s always a tough game when you get there. There are a lot of duels, it’s very aggressive. They’re very quick and want to play on the counter, so we’ve got to be ready for that.”
One player who has helped to bolster the ranks in recent weeks has been summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, who made a good first impression on Ben.
“He’s amazing,” he said. “He’s fit right in and is doing well. He’s been training with us for a few weeks and has settled well.
“He’s strong, big, aggressive and a very front foot defender. He gives us a different type of full back so it’s good for everyone to compete and bring up the levels for everyone.
“When you see the defensive record you just look at the back four and the goalie, but it’s much bigger than that. Most of the attacking players have a massive part to play in it. Most of the time the ball doesn’t even get back to us because of the high press and the attackers doing so well for us.”
In terms of his own personal goals for this season, Ben’s are very much in line with helping out the team.
“I set myself goals every season, individually and in my life,” he explained. “It’s the same thing, just doing my best and trying to improve every day for the team.
“If you ask the manager, there’d be loads of things I can improve! There are different situations I can definitely improve in and that’s what this season is for.”
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