Arsenal's Defensive Crisis Deepens as Ben White Limps Off

Arsenal's victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday was overshadowed by a concerning injury to key defender Ben White. The 28-year-old was forced off the pitch in the first half, appearing to aggravate a hamstring issue. The incident occurred around the 30-minute mark when White sprinted back to defend a Wolves counter-attack. He immediately signaled discomfort and, despite receiving brief treatment, was unable to continue. He was subsequently replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his concern after the game, stating that White's injury was "bad news". He indicated that the club would conduct further assessments to determine the extent of the hamstring injury. "It looks like a hamstring, so we don't know the extent of that, but probably tomorrow, or the day after we will know more," Arteta said.

White's injury is a significant blow to Arsenal, who are already facing a defensive crisis. The defender had only recently returned to the starting lineup after a spell of injuries. He had started his fourth consecutive game, showcasing his importance to the team. His versatility in playing both right-back and center-back makes him a valuable asset to Arteta's squad.

Arsenal has been hit hard by injuries to key players this season. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães have also been sidelined, further limiting Arteta's options in defense. Arteta admitted that he had to risk playing Saliba for 90 minutes against Wolves due to the lack of available replacements. "We had to even risk, today, Willy (William Saliba), because probably it wasn't the best call to play 90 minutes," Arteta explained. "We were buying tickets for another injury, but we don't have anybody else".

The injury to White compounds Arteta's selection problems as Arsenal approaches a critical stage of the season. With important domestic and European fixtures on the horizon, the manager will need to find solutions to cope with the mounting injury list. The Gunners have shown resilience despite the challenges, but the lack of defensive options could test their squad depth to its limits.

Earlier this month, Arteta had praised White, who was named man of the match in Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Brentford. Arteta said he was very happy for White and that the team felt the same way because he is a tremendous player.

The Arsenal manager has previously pointed to the number of games his players are playing as a factor in the increasing injury list. He said that the team does not have time to train and that missing players leads to other players being loaded more.

Arsenal will be hoping for a swift recovery for Ben White as they navigate a demanding period in their campaign.