Benjamin Arthur interview: Studying Virgil van Dijk, bouncing back from injury, and friendships on and off the pitch | OneFootball

Benjamin Arthur has been a consistent presence in the Brentford B backline this year, playing a central part in an excellent season.

Despite a fantastic individual campaign to match a superb team effort, it hasn’t been all plain sailing this year for the 19-year-old centre-back, however.

Arthur explains: “It’s been a good season, I had to come back from a tough start to pre-season with an injury, but since then I’ve been strong, fit and consistent with my performances."

He talks about how the staff help him manage the intense schedule of Under-21s football, especially returning with such confidence from some difficult times on the sidelines.

“It’s about finding a balance between prioritising games, focusing on what you’re doing in the gym, nutrition, rest and recovery. It’s all so important to make sure you’re fit to start every game," the defender adds.

“The staff here are on point with everything. They’re really specific to each player and what they need."

The young Bees are still in contention to win three trophies this season - an incredible achievement given it is their first in league competition since reopening the Academy.

They head into a semi-final in the Premier League Cup against Southampton on Thursday 1 May, before a final against Hanwell Town in the London Senior Cup.

As well as this, the west Londoners are pushing for a play-off spot in the Professional Development League Group B.

“We have a massive eye for success, we want to win as much as we can and finish the season strong. I believe we’ll win the PL Cup and the league as well," Arthur stated.

“As a team, with all the games we play, there’s a lot of chemistry, and we play together really well. The backing and the confidence that Neil [MacFarlane] and Sammy [Saunders] give us help a lot on the pitch."

Arthur has formed a vital centre-back partnership with Josh Stephenson this season, not just as a defensive unit, but also as friends.

He explains: “There’s a good friendship there which is important. We have a relationship off the pitch which correlates to how we play together on the pitch.

“We both know how we play and we want to look after each other - that helps the team out massively.

“We look back together through the games and do analysis with Steven Pressley [head of individual player development], which helps us to both sit down and understand how we think and what we’re both doing in each moment.

A huge part of Arthur’s success comes from his coolness on the ball at the heart of the Bees defence: "I’ve always had that composure in my game - I used to be a midfielder in the day, believe it or not, which has really helped.

“I like Virgil van Dijk - I get compared to him quite a bit - I try not to let it get to my head,” he laughs. “It’s a fantastic comparison. I watch his games and implement some of the things he does on the pitch into my game."

Arthur has also experienced two international call-ups for England Under-18s and Under-19s: "It’s a competitive field to be called up internationally.

"When you get a glimpse of it, you just want more and every day, you’re pushing to get back into that team, which keeps you motivated and driven.

“I had two camps for the U18s and U19s, one in March last season, which was my most recent one. It was another amazing experience to be around such high-quality players and represent my country."

Those experiences have given Arthur a hunger to be the best he can be, and he’s working every day to continue developing in red and white.

“I want to improve the aggressive side of my game. I play a lot of nice football, the composed side of being a modern centre-back," he says.

“If I can get that aggression and more of a defensive mindset, I can take my game to the next level."

Finally, Arthur reflects on a sliding doors moment at 16 years old, when Peterborough United were on the fence about giving the centre-defender a scholarship.

“It was quite a tough time to be fair, being unsure where you were going to be," he recalls.

"I always try to keep that in the back of my head, to keep humble, and just be grateful for where I am today and to keep fighting to earn the next contract and be a better player."