Mikel Arteta admits losing Jurrien Timber a month after the Holland international signed from Ajax is a “huge disappointment” and says it’s a reminder that all his players have to be ready to step up.
Signed to provide competition on the right side of the defence, the £38.5 million summer signing made such a big impression in pre-season playing at left-back that he was trusted with the position for the opening game of the season.
Unfortunately, he lasted only 50 minutes before damaging his ACL and is now expected to be sidelined for anywhere between six to nine months.
“To have the injury that he’s had, it’s a huge disappointment for him obviously, for the team,” said Arteta in his weekly press conference.
“It’s a big blow because we recruited with clear intentions and what he was bringing to the team was evident, and he’s not gonna be able to do the season for us.
“We have to adapt these things happen, unfortunately, and we have to move on.”
On how the player has reacted to the news, Arteta continued: “He’s been very good to be honest, he’s a special character. He knows, I think, he starts to realise, the extent of the injury and the amount of time he’s going to be out, but he’s in a good place.
“They [the players] are all willing to help him obviously and we are very close to him, but it’s going to be a long journey.”
With the transfer window open for another couple of weeks, Arsenal could, in theory, look for a replacement. It’s not an easy decision, especially given the squad is already quite bloated.
“We didn’t plan for this injury so we have to assess now what the options are and the best way to get the best out of the players,” he said.
“I cannot control anything that is not here. We are always open and we have to always be open to react if something happens, not only with an injury but with the market as well and that’s what we are doing.
“I’m more thinking about the resources that we have within the team to keep doing what we want to do.
“It’s true that he [Timber] was giving us very different things in terms of what we could do on both sides [of defence]. But again, it’s things that happened and we have to be prepared for that.”
Pressed on whether Timber’s injury specifically offers an opportunity to Kieran Tierney, a player linked with a move away from the club, Arteta said: “It’s an opportunity for everybody. We’re going to need everybody and everybody is going to be important.
“The numbers that we have in the squad, especially in those positions, are more limited now. Everybody has to be ready.”
So far this summer, the Gunners have a net spend in the region of £160 million. Nobody can say the manager has not been backed financially by the owners as he looks to create a squad capable of winning the title. Whether they continue to spend, certainly won’t be Arteta’s decision alone.
“It’s never my own decision, it’s a decision that we make as a club with a lot of people involved in that because there are a lot of elements to that.
“But again my focus is on getting the best out of the squad that we have right now.
“We are in the middle of the competition, we are open obviously in the transfer window both ways because we still have things to do both ways, maybe. But that’s my aim.”
Joao Cancelo
Why the downvotes? .
He is a good player in my own opinion.
Bad apple
Winner.
City won’t sell to us: they are yet to recover from the rattling they got from giving us Zinchenko and Jesus.
They didn’t serve anything to us as charity. We paid good amount for both players. They may not want to sell due to competition but they certainly didn’t give us anything.
What rattling? They won the treble. Both players are never fit long enough to make a lasting impact. Exactly why pep moved them on to a rival…
Yeah, they were both so crap, we narrowly missed out on the title.
Like a lot of things, the small fact that they helped us challenge for the fucking title in the first place, has whizzed right over your head, hasn’t it Minty? 😂
After winning the treble? I want the curse they endured after Zinchenko and Jesus transfers for Arsenal.
Money talks
I would like Cancelo as he can play both full back positions, but as someone else pointed out, City would be reluctant to do business with us now.
There are a couple of other high profile right-backs available on the market – Pavard – seems rather unlikely – but Fresneda could work.
Tierney, Kiwior and Tomi are all great options to have, plus Zinny to return, though Timber was looking great.
Tomi being forced to play left back looks as comfortable as holding was against Kane. Tierney can’t even make the ball boy squad these days . Kiwior has never played LB at this level and Zinny, when he’s fit (which is basically never), has the defensive qualities of your gran.
Tierney should just put a transfer request in and leave. Arteta doesn’t want him anymore. If Arteta is asked about Tierney, he responds “everybody”.
It will be Arsenal and Arteta’s loss when he does go.
I get what Zinny brings over KT at LB…and Timber looked like he could bring the same qualities there too before his injury…..but I just don’t get how people KT can be behind the likes of Tomi & Kiwior too. Watching Tomi on Saturday when he came on, any criticism of KT (‘he can’t do what Zinny does’) applies equally to Tomi imo. Even more so in some respects as he’s on the wrong wing !
IMO, Tomi seems a bit more comfortable with the ball when surrounded by opponents compared to KT.
I might be be in a minority but i just don’t see it. I think the wording in this Tim Stillman column says it better than i could :
https://arseblog.com/2023/03/tactics-column-ben-whites-trademark-pass/
‘He is technically sound but a little clunky or wooden, sort of like Kieran Tierney on the other side.’
Exactly how I see it too.
I actually think our formation against Forest suits Tierney, with Partey inverting from right back and the left back tucking in as an extra CB. Tierney has played left CB in a back 3 before and would be more suited in that style than Zinchenko, though maybe not as much as Tomi or Kiwior. Regardless, I do still think there’s a spot for him in the team and I think Arteta’s most recent comments on him show that he hasn’t totally given up on him yet.
To be fair, I think people have been saying that about Arteta’s comments on KT for about a year now……his actions don’t back it up though….
I’m don’t think we played a back three, in any meaningful sense, against Forest. A lot of the time, it looked like a back one, with White and/or Timber occasionally (but only occasionally) dropping back to reassure Saliba they were still friends. William got so lonely he decided he was an attacking midfielder himself and served up an assist.
I completely agree. It’s very odd to see someone go from first choice to 3rd or 4th in one season especially as the others are not specialists in the position. Something else has happened but we probably won’t find out till well after he is gone.
Big blow. Not to harp on this but I would hope there’s some accountability/lesson for the (medical/coach) decision to have Timber come out after the half time break. Most likely his injury would have been less severe if the coaching staff erred on side of caution. Two seasons ago Partey was rushed to play too soon and broke down with consequences for our season. Now similar mistake is made.
Why wasn’t he subbed at half time 😭
Big blow. Not to harp on this but I would hope there’s some accountability/lesson for the (medical/coach) decision to have Timber come out after the half time break. Most likely his injury would have been less severe if the coaching staff erred on side of caution. Two seasons ago Partey was rushed to play too soon and broke down with consequences for our season. Now similar mistake is made.
We don’t know when it happened. ACLs are such strange injuries that they just seem to happen in the most unlikely circumstances. When I did mine I was just running across the field and turned to go up field. Not an aggressive turn at all just a normal turn. I was not even sprinting, just a normal canter that we all do thousands of times in every match. Sometimes they just happen. I have seen them happen when a player is backing up and then changes direction.as well. Maybe it really was fine at halftime and this is just unlucky.… Read more »
The number one diagnostic tool, if you will, any medical professional has is the feedback from the patient. “So, Jurrien, how are you feeling? “Good, a little sore, but I am ready to play!” “Ok, take it easy and we’ll see how it goes.”
A massive shame. He had just enough time to hint at what he could offer the team before what could be a season ending injury. I just hope he recovers fully (and quickly).
If Monaco are interested in Balogun, maybe we could do a swap deal for Vanderson, really good right back, who can play as winger as well (can cover for Timber, plus he’s versatile in other positions), or Fofana, plays in central or defensive midfield (French international). But they’ll have to add maybe 10-20 mil on top.
Its because youre still a baby in management Mikel and you play your new gem from Ajax while already injured…like you played Saliba when it wasnt necessary…like you insisted with Jesus when the team functioned better with Trossard… mistakes to learn from quickly please because the pleb that hounded me is excited and overhyped after the one hit wonder of last season…..youve upped the ante by accident and you must deliver or else they will chew you and spit you out like bubblegum. You can talk about the big blow now and how the development of where we want to… Read more »
Please if you can, use commas or full stops or both. It’s quite hard to read for me.
Look eh…..we are doing what we want to do in the manner we can do for doing the best of what we can do for where we want to be…its very important; hope ive covered you 😉 merci
When did he play Saliba when “it wasn’t necessary”? You start your best 11 when they are available. Every game Saliba is out, our defense is worse, and we risk losing points. Are you this critical about everything in life? You must be fun at parties.
Oh Ross…Sporting Lisbon at home? ..can do some card tricks too..
Wow…I think your autocorrect is very aggressive and seriously out of control!