Arsenal continue to prove their post-November international break form was not due to sheer luck but to their quality and desire to salvage their league campaign.
Before the break, Arsenal hadn’t won in 4 straight league games (2 draws and 2 losses). But they proved their intentions of bouncing back with a 3-0 win over a resurgent Nottingham Forest. They then beat the most in-form European side, Sporting CP, 5-1.
The 5-2 win over West Ham Saturday was just a confirmation that they’re back; they’ve regained their ruthlessness and haven’t just been lucky.
That said, to improve Arsenal’s performance and achieve better results, some Gunners needed to step up, and Jurrien Timber has just done that.
Over the November break, news broke that Ben White had undergone surgery to solve a persistent injury, and he was going to be out for a while. Given White’s absence and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s continued absence, it was incumbent upon Timber to assume the right back position.
The Dutch defender has massively stepped up. His performances against Nottingham Forest, Sporting CP, and West Ham on Saturday have just oozed class. It’s really exciting to realize that he is only 23 years old, and he can still develop further. Despite this, he excels in almost every area and maintains a minimum standard for everything he does.
As Arsenal beat their City rivals West Ham 5-2, the ex-Ajax man won more duels (7) and won more fouls (3) than any other Gunner. He might just be a defender, but in that game nobody completed more take-ons (2) than him, and it is also worth noting that only Bukayo Saka with 9 had more touches in the opposition box for Arsenal than him with 5.
Because of his versatility and ability to impact the game at any time, Timber is a player Arsenal needs to build around. He has the ability to sprint, carry, dribble, pass, scrap, and perform any other action that provides the team with an advantage.
One would worry about the injuries we seem to have picked up, but if Timber, Martin Ødegaard, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, and Riccardo Calafiori can stay fit, there’s nothing stopping this Arsenal team.
And poor Ben White may return to fitness only to spend a long spell on the bench…
Darren N
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Maybe, maybe not. Calafiori is good but there is definitely room for improvement and it would not shock me if Timber moved back to LB.
@JBG5 I think I would agree with you. Calafiori has huge potential but still need more time to adapt to Epl speed of play. Imo if White is fit he could return as right full back because he has really done very well there. Timber can also play good on the left because he is very versatile. I observe Calafiori is often cutt out from a defensive position on the left. Pacey wingers also worries him a lot. I know he would be much used to Epl next season he is a very good skillful defender.
Let’s see if Admin Pat will allow this to be printed.
The Newcastle forward Isak ha been rumored to be Arsenal’s
top target in this January transfer window. (or if necessary the Summer)
The amount quoted is very high!!
In the last two years he has scored quite a few goals, but has also suffered several injuries too.
My question would be, what do we do with Havertz?
Surely we would not be stupid enough to move Havertz back into midfield (would we?)
So will we be paying over $100m to buy a back up for Havertz?
Would we not be better off with Mbeumo from Brentford.
He can score goals and he has pace too!!
I notice we have been linked with Leroy Sane too. He maybe good at Bayern, but that is German football, and he is getting on!
I think Mbeumo would be a better option than Sane up front,
Just my thoughts
It’s great that both White and Timber can play more than one position Both can fill in at CB being good cover for Saliba And the fact that Timber can also play at left back tells me that he’d probably fill in at LCB should we need it
One thing in Whites favor in this who’s best argument is that he was apart of a team that earned more clean sheets on average so basically a more solid defence than the one Timber has been apart of On paper Timber Saliba Gabriel Calafiori with Rice Partey ahead looks better than last seasons but that hasn’t been the case so far
Always I will take timber over white.timber is class player and talented while white is Everage player may be squad player good at the bench
White will provide cover as timber will also probably cover lb also, until myles becomes more experienced and a reliable deputy to calafiori .
Also I wouldn’t rule out white being used in midfield also. Last season he played the inverted rb role , so well. He played for Leeds in that role also.
White definitely has a future at the club, plus he is one of those players that manager’s wish to have. He doesn’t moan, doesn’t complain, he was brought into play central defence , yet has played most of his football at rb. He has been playing with an injury for a while and again no complaints, no mention to the media etc.
I think we’re better defensively with white RB and *timber* LB, though calafiori is easily the best of the three in the air. In attack/overall, we are probably a little better balanced with calafiori on the left, though I’d be interested to see how we look with timber at lb now that odegaard is back in the side.
Imo timber is better than both white and calafiori on either side, but all three are excellent players.
I can’t agree with you there Davi,
Yes Timber is good at left back, but at right back he’s been superb.
Yes White has done a good job there but to me, Timber just looks so well suited to the right back roll.
I’ll even go as far to suggest, that when White’s fit again, he’s going to have one heck of a job removing Timber from the right back position.
He provides good competition though, something that every club needs of course.
Given our ridiculous injury problems this season, they’ll be plenty of opportunities for both to play.
I always thought we were overstocked in defense, but Arsenal’s perennial issues with injuries strike again, and worse than ever!
Sorry but I don’t know how some of you look and analyse issues…from the time arrived in arsenal I knew White’s time in the starting 11 was done…timber was deployed as LCB at the start of last season because all the personnel in that department were injured and he performed well but this didn’t mean that he was going to play there forever, he was actually bought to play Ben White’s number and cover up for William saliba’s those are his two best positions…he can’t displace William saliba but white am sorry to say this but he is going to settle on bench for along time even after his return from injury….no disrespect to white but timber is better than him in every aspect…have never seen anybody go through timber, white is almost nervous when meeting tricky wingers, the mitoma’s, rashford’s the doku’s of this world…timber is comfortable with any of them…one second I thought white was better than timber going infront no…timber actually makes odegard and saka more better…actually right now the right part of arsenal’s attack is unplayable…in a nutshell a fully fit defense of timber saliba magallaes calafiori is the best in Europe and no attack can threaten it….I rest my case
Remmy Wizy,
The jury is still out for me, on Calafiori at left back.
Although he can do a job there, he’s better suited at Centre back.
I think he’s played at left back because Arteta is accommodating him, just like he did with Partey at right back last season.
And for me, its never a good idea to play a player in a position just to accommodate him.
I rate Ben White very highly and he worked brilliantly with Saka and Odegaard
At last, there are real signs of the squad developing into more than just a first 11 or 12 with a mixed bag in the bench. There are now options and this has given Arteta the ability to rotate and to give playing time to the younger developing players
I disagree. Ben will have great amount of minutes considering that Timber’s minutes must be managed. give him some credit.
I’m really happy with our RB quality we have.
If I had to be picky, I am slightly (only slightly) concerned with Calafiori, he is prone to the odd error in defense.
Yes indeed Kia.Calafiori is a left centre back who is being “accommodated” at LB where his lack of pace is shown up in one on one situations .His drive and physicality are admirable but he is not the complete package as a LB.As for Timber, he is probably the best buy we have made for some time, and his all round ability and versatility make him a key component in our team regardless of where he plays.A taxi driver in Amsterdam told be he is equally efficient as a defensive midfielder, and I have no doubt be could do a very good job in that position particularly in a man marking role where for example he could take care of the likes of Bruno Fernandez.
Grandad,
You use an interesting word concerning Calafiori, I agree with you that he’s being accommodated.
Which frustrates me, to me you run the risk of unbalancing a team when you accommodate certain players, rather than play a player who is best suited to said position.
In this case, I would rather see Tierney at left back, now people will go on about his injury record. But when fit he’s more than an adequate left back.
People say the same about Partey, but when he doe’s have his periods of fitness, he shows what a midfielder he is.
Given the opportunity, I believe that Tierney could do the same.
I agree with your assessment of Tierney Derek.It’s just a pity he can never stay fit as he is our best natural left back.
I don’t see it as anyone being displaced, but rather an issue of proper selection and rotation.
Hear me out on this one. Timber, White, and Calafiori can all play at fullback, so you play the 2 most in form while the other rests and regains his form.
Rotate based on performances and quality, the competition will bring out their best, and the rotation will hopefully keep them injury free.
Timber is a good player not to compare to any at the moment better even Alexander Arnold ,calafiori is good but sometimes is taken off by pace
At the moment, Califiori is a typical Italian defender – good at the dark arts, but nowhere near as good as Tierney when it comes to defending.
Let’s not forget that both men have injury problems as well.
Timber is a class act and so is Ben White of course, so MA might just play them as LB and RB.
Basically Ken, Calafiori is a centre back who is being used by Arteta as a LB much in the same way as Pep is using Gvardiol ,another fine CB who is being shown up in a position where he will never be comfortable.I know there is a dearth of talented left footed left backs throughout Europe, but do Managers have to resort six foot + centre backs to solve this problem?
Grandad:
Yes. The six foot plus central defenders with some pace are more somewhat suited to solve the problem.
When that does not work, one might try a left footed LCM, LDM, LM. Those are naturally more at home with the LB position.
It does not always work. But nothing else does.
The dearth of talented left footed left backs does not apply to Europe only: there is a shortage of left appendage humans on earth! I guess Arteta observes that and has decided to stock Arsenal full on the left foot department with reasonable quality:
Megalhaes, Calafiore, Saka, Ødegaard, Merino, Harvertz. Puts some superbness in the team just for having lots of left footers.
Thrill,
And yet how ironic that Arsenal’s major threats come down the right.
DEREK:
Split the field in half ( for attacking options ) from post to post and you find:
LEFT: RIGHT
Martinelli. Saka ( better )
Rice. Ødegaard ( better )
The right hand side is better stocked with attacking qualities generally, and those are left footed players running the show there.
What’s the irony?
Thrill,
All I said was concerning left footed player’s at the club.
And there is irony in the fact that were more threatening down the right side than the currently.
Were more threatening down the right side than the left side currently.
My Bad, apologies.🤦♂️
👍🏻
Remmy Wizy,
The jury is still out for me, on Calafiori at left back.
Although he can do a job there, he’s better suited at Centre back.
I think he’s played at left back because Arteta is accommodating him, just like he did with Partey at right back last season.
And for me, its never a good idea to play a player in a position just to accommodate him.
As good as Timber is at right back I think he’s lacking the almost telepathic link that White has with Saka on that side of the pitch as well as the overlaps that White does. Ido think though with White back in the right back berth, Timber will go back to left back. As much as I like Calafiori, he’s a left CB not a natural LB, not only that but also a red card waiting to happen with some of his challenges.
I disagree that Arteta is accommodating Calafiori I reckon Arteta always intended on playing him there and liked that he had played at both CB and FB Arteta likes versatile players as we know and I think it’s just that fans aren’t rating Cal highly
I did mention earlier on this thread that there was just a slight concern for me with Calafiori on his defensive side. Don’t get me wrong, I rate him highly, it’s just his one point where he is not the strongest is when it comes to defending counter attacks due to his lack of pace.
I really enjoy watching him driving the ball forward on attack though.
Before looking at who is the best, we should look at Odegaard’s replacement when he is absent or injured. Even without spending a lot of money there are excellent options that you would be willing to sit out waiting for a chance and compete for a chance at the same time and they would be available at a very cheap price considering the criterion of long playing age and experience. Isco could be had for no more than £10m and you wouldn’t see the gap without Odegaard in the number 10 position and he would provide serious competition to wingers Martinelli and Saka at the same time
Mwani:
Arsenal does not look like wanting a replacement or competition for Ødegaard.
Even when injured, they can play a goalkeeper in that role so as to keep his position safe until he returns.