Jurrien Timber has now opened up about what helped him get through the injury that decimated his first season at Arsenal.
Jurrien Timber joined Arsenal from Ajax last summer.
The Dutch defender impressed in pre-season, and quickly looked to settle into Mikel Arteta’s tactical setup.
However, on the opening day of the Premier League campaign, the 23-year-old suffered an ACL injury that saw him ruled out for almost the entire season. Timber did not make his first team return to action until the final Premier League match of the term.
Of course, this was something of a disaster for the player, and will have been a far cry from how he imagined his first season in North London panning out.
However, efforts were made to keep the 15-cap Netherlands international feeling integrated and involved. Arteta ensured that Timber was often present in the dressing room and attended team meetings.
Being kept at close quarters with his teammates was clearly beneficial for Timber, who has now discussed his mindset now that he is fully fit and heading into a new season and a fresh start.
Jurrien Timber discusses motivation ahead of new Arsenal season
Timber is clearly determined to make up for lost time this season. As quoted by BBC Sport, reflecting upon his injury, he said: “It was a big blow, and at the start it was huge. It’s never fun to be injured but I tried to look at it in a positive way.”
The form of the Gunners on the pitch was clearly an inspiration to him, as Arteta’s side maintained a title challenge all the way until the end of the season. Timber stated: “It’s not that hard [to stay positive] when you see how they were performing last year. It gets you motivated to join them and to help them.”
Timber will be aiming to usurp Ben White in Arsenal starting XI
Having already lost a season to injury, Timber will not want to spend the upcoming campaign on the bench offering a rotation option.
Timber’s versatility allows him to slot in in any position across the back line. However, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are established as the Gunners’ starting centre-back duo. Meanwhile, Riccardo Calafiori is on the verge of signing for Arsenal, and the plan is for him to feature at left-back.
Ben White is a fan favourite and impressed at right-back for Arsenal last season. However, Timber will still be aiming to get regular game time in that role. White will have to maintain his high standards in order to stave off the Dutchman’s challenge.
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