MOT View: Outstanding performance from Leeds ace reiterates considerable potential
Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa raised more than a few eyebrows with his tactical choices against Barnsley on Thursday evening.
The Argentine moved away from his usual formation and employed a three at the back, with Ben White sitting just in front of the back four.
And while there was a certain amount of uncharacteristic disorganisation in the Leeds ranks, White’s performance was a solid reminder of just how much potential the Brighton loanee has.
Playing out of position, and having to deputise for Kalvin Phillips, the youngster put in exactly the kind of display we have come to expect from him.
White registered a pass completion rate of 80% – just 1.8% lower than his season average – as well as a 100% dribble completion rate, and a duel success rate that was 15.4% better than his average over the course of the entire campaign, as per Wyscout.
And in a must-win game for the Whites, he did everything he was expected to with aplomb.
Take his pass map as an example.
White showed fantastic range, and his execution was largely faultless.
The pass above, for instance, sees White pick it up in the heart of he engine room and casually stroke a wonderful diagonal out to Jack Harrison.
There are more than a few shades of the absent Phillips in his ability to pick a pass, and to switch the emphasis of an attack with such ease.
Similarly, his ability to sniff out danger makes him a real natural in that role just in front of the back four.
You can almost see from his defensive duel map above just how effective he is when it comes to shielding the back four.
The dots above almost make a wall in front of the 18-yard line, and we saw White putting his defensive talents to good use time and time again against the Tykes.
The two images above, for example, were taken just seconds apart, illustrating White’s brilliant mobility, as well as his top quality anticipation of danger.
Obviously, his strongest position is at centre-half, but the fact that Bielsa trusted in midfield – and the fact that he performed so admirably – is a reminder of just how great this lad’s potential is.
In other Leeds United news, What a raging Bielsa barked at Leeds staff before bringing Pablo Hernandez off v Barnsley.