Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori have been brilliant for Arsenal this season.
The Dutchman made the right-back position his own in the 2024/25 campaign after Ben White’s injury troubles, and he has become undroppable now.
Calafiori, on the other hand, was behind Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order last term, but he has been playing out of his skin this season.
Both players are integral to the way Arsenal play, and Alan Shearer has been blown away after watching them closely.
Alan Shearer praises Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori at Arsenal
Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are among the best full-backs in the Premier League.
The former Ajax man has barely put a foot wrong since the start of the season. He is extremely solid defensively and has gone up a level in attack as well.
Calafiori isn’t known for his defending, but Mikel Arteta gives him the freedom to move into any position on the pitch, and that unsettles the opposition.
Pundits have been raving about multiple Arsenal players this season, but Shearer has admitted that not a lot has been said about the two full-backs.
He said on BBC Match of the Day: “We’ve analysed Declan Rice this season, who was outstanding again today (vs Burnley). We’ve looked at Gyokeres. Obviously, defensively, we’ve looked at them and they’re rock solid, but perhaps what we might not have seen so much is how such an important role is played by the two fullbacks.
“Timber and Calafiori. I mean, their stats really are off the charts, and it would be easy to say, ‘well, okay, because they dominated for large periods today, particularly in the first half’. This is not today. This is all season.
“Look at the stats for total shots. Calafiori’s second. Expected goals, touches in the opposition box, they’re so high up there, particularly compared to their forward players. And today was another great example of what a great strength it is to have them both.”
Shearer then went on to explain how Timber and Calafiori are finding themselves in a centre-forward position often in the game, causing defenders all sorts of problems.
“It’s something we’ve maybe not picked out before, but it’s something very different. And those two players give great options for Arsenal in those forward positions and have done all season.”
Timber and Calafiori’s attacking stats are ‘off the charts’
It’s about time that Timber and especially Calafiori are earning praise for their performances.
A full-back in Arteta’s system has a number of responsibilities. It is one of the most difficult positions to play at Arsenal.
Being strong defensively is key, but what Timber and Calafiori do at the other end of the pitch is extremely important as well.
Calafiori has had 20 shots at goal this season, the second-most among Arsenal players. Timber ranks fifth with 11 shots.
The two full-backs have similar xG numbers too – Timber ranks second with 2.01 and Calafiori third with 1.97. Only Viktor Gyokeres has a higher return.
Furthermore, the two full-backs rank fourth and sixth for most touches inside the opposition box. Timber has had 34, while Calafiori has 28, which are outrageous figures for defenders.
This is why Arsenal are such a dangerous side to beat and why they are on track to win the Premier League title this season.
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