How Jurrien Timber responded to his injury was ‘completely the opposite’ of what Arsenal feared

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Jurrien Timber has fought back from a devastating start to his Arsenal career.

Jurrien Timber has made an impressive start to the new season. 

The Dutch defender joined Arsenal in the summer of 2023. However, his first season at the Emirates Stadium was decimated by injury. 

After impressing in pre-season, Timber sustained an ACL injury in his first Premier League appearance.

As such, he has begun the new campaign as something like a new signing for the Gunners, and finally now has the opportunity to establish himself in Mikel Arteta’s side.

• READ MORE: Everything to know on Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber from his height to his brothers

Mikel Arteta explains Jurrien Timber’s response to injury

Arteta has now praised Timber for how he responded to his unfortunate injury last season.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with PSG, the Spanish coach said: “He comes from Ajax. He was a captain there. Big move, different country. He comes here with the expectations, he starts really well, and he gets injured in the first game.

“And then what? You have to look ahead 8, 9, 10, 12 months, maybe, difficult periods, and if you are disconnected to the team you can feel very lonely and far from the expectation that you had. 

“This can be very disappointing and very difficult to handle personally and emotionally. He did completely the opposite.

“He started to build unbelievable relationships… He started to gather all the information about how we were playing, he went to every meeting, and that really helped him, I think, to develop himself as a person but as well to understand what we wanted in a much better way and be prepared when he was back.”

Timber studied Arsenal’s tactics whilst he was sidelined, using his time in recovery to give himself the best chance of hitting the ground running upon his return. The 23-year-old’s form so far this season shows that his extra effort has paid off.

What Timber will give Arsenal this season

Timber is likely to deputise for the injured Ben White at right-back against PSG. The Netherlands international’s versatility allows him to play anywhere across the back line.

Arteta will lean upon this quality this season. He will use Timber to plug gaps in his defensive line as the need arises. 

However, Timber himself will be determined to nail down a starting berth of his own. If he continues to perform to the level he has produced so far this season then he will soon be a fixture in the starting XI.