**Mikel Arteta insists Ben White has a big role to play for Arsenal this season.**
The defender has played just once in the Premier League so far this campaign because of continued injury problems but Arteta says he is now ready for a bigger role.
“He had a setback, and that hasn’t helped, but I think in pre-season he was probably our best player,” Arteta said.
“I think he played every game, and he was in great form, and we need him because when Ben is at the level that he can show, he’s a top player for us, a player that drives the team in a different way, gives us a different threat on that flank as well, and we need him at his best.
“It was an injury that kept him out for a few weeks and we have to manage his load and he didn’t have the rhythm to do that.
“So, the reason why he’s not been playing is to manage that. He’s in a good place now. He’s been training more recently and his feeling has been very good and he will have minutes to play.
“With that injury, it didn’t allow him to have that consistency and hopefully now he’s going to get that rhythm because the team needs him.”