For those who don't know it, Ben White is more physically talented than a host of other CBs in the league. Physicality is not just about smashing people to the ground, it's also about your running power, your step count, your ability to stop and start on a moment's notice...
Top wingers often have this unique ability to decelerate and accelerate on the ball. That shift of time and pace destroys most defender's ability to keep up because it's not just running you need but the capacity to match the same step counts with ease. Small, then larger.
Think of how Kylian Mbappé goes on the dribble. He goes with small steps and suddenly explodes in a few yards. That shifting of gears cannot be contained by raw power because you need to maintain optimal angles for a tackle or a block on either way. You have to match the tempo.
White is one of the few defenders in the world who is able to shift gears when he's sprinting back like he's an attacker. For me, I don't think he knows how gifted he is yet. He is physically a ground duelling machine like Saliba. Just needs his confidence up there as well.
Naturally, he should be very difficult to beat out wide. Yet, one of his major weaknesses is his tendency to quickly go to the ground when he's defending wide or to inexplicably just lose his duel like against Jota. I call that stripping. And I think it's all in his head.
Which is understandable. Considering his background. Told he'd never be an athlete. Always sick all day. Started from the very bottom. You can even see him in the documentary insinuating that he's not one of the best. Cuesta insists otherwise and reminds him of his strengths.
Go ask Wilfred Zaha if he thinks White is physically average and you'll see what he says. He is the most physically powerful winger in the world just behind Mbappé.
