It's quite remarkable how situations develop over the course of a season. Before a ball had been kicked in the 2022/23 campaign, there was a strong argument that right-back was an area of strength for Arsenal at present and certainly in the future.
But as the penultimate month of the season fast approaches, the Gunners are one setback away from somewhat of a crisis with Benjamin White now the only recognised senior option in this position following confirmation that Takehiro Tomiyasu has undergone knee surgery.
"Following his substitution during last Thursday’s Europa League match, subsequent assessments have confirmed that Takehiro Tomiyasu sustained a significant injury to his right knee," a statement read. "Tomi has had successful surgery in London on Tuesday and will be ruled out for the remainder of this season. Everyone at the club will now be working hard with Tomi, so he can join pre-season training ahead of next season."
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Taking Arsenal's final 10 games of this season into account, it's safe to say that White will be a guaranteed starter for them all unless a dream scenario emerges where the Premier League title race is wrapped up with a couple of games to spare, but that seems unlikely given Manchester City's recent history.
Therefore, it's a huge boost that White wasn't selected by England manager Gareth Southgate for international duty as his importance to Mikel Arteta has been emphasised following Tomiyasu's aforementioned injury, not to mention Cedric Soares' temporary switch to Fulham on transfer deadline day in January.
In many ways, a dreaded scenario for the Gunners occurred before the international break as Arteta was without two senior defenders - William Saliba being the other - and as a result, it meant a call-up for highly-rated academy prospect Reuell Walters who was named on the bench against Crystal Palace.
Effectively, the 18-year-old finds himself in a position where he's on standby to be involved with the first-team matchday squad on a regular basis between now and the end of the season, especially if there's another injury setback in defence as he can operate as a centre-half and as a left-back.
The fact that Walters was the only academy player included in the first-team squad for the pre-season tour of the United States last summer - on the back of being included in the Germany training camp and a start against Nurnberg - is perhaps a clear indication of how highly rated the teenager is at the club.
However, whilst the teenager was on the bench against Palace and has often trained with the senior team this season, a first-team debut may not be forthcoming, even if White needs a breather in the final 10 games and there are a couple of factors that point to this, with one being Arteta's reluctance to use the likes of Marcelo Flores, Charlie Patino, Omari Hutchinson and Zak Swanson when Arsenal were battling for a top-four finish last season.
"It is part of the project and it is part of our DNA," the Spaniard previously said. "Our academy players have to have opportunities in this club and we want to give them opportunities. But we have to give them when they are ready. We will decide, depending on the game, whether or not they are ready to take that next step. When I see them closer I will tell you if they are ready!"
It would be a huge surprise for Arteta to hand Walters an opportunity at the business end of a season where Arsenal are aiming to be crowned Premier League champions and his decision to experiment with Thomas Partey at right-back in the closing stages against Palace is perhaps the decisive factor that suggests the teenager will only be used in the case of a severe emergency.
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