Jurrien Timber: Lumberjacked

[Dokaka]

It’s not looking good for Ben White…

And he’s like my favourite player fgs. Timber is something else man.

Read on some Athletic article that he has is considered “pHD-level” in the tactical positional stuff Arteta loves. Which isn’t massively surprising given hes come through the Ajax academy but it does mean that Arteta will fall in love with him hard.

Ben White is an elite squad option though at the very least. Not talking bench player but actual rotational option where it barely matters whether it's White or Timber/Califiori/whoever playing, similar to how City tend to rotate guys that would be starters almost anywhere else.

You kind of need those types of options if you want to challenge for the league consistently. It's why City are dominating; the stars had to align for Liverpool to really push them, meaning very few injuries, players in top form etc. Same was the case for you lot, think everyone would agree the main reason you really competed last season was the strength of your starting XI and their availability throughout the season.

With the amount of football (and more importantly, the intensity of it) there is to play in the modern game, I think we have to reexamine how we think about squad building. It's no longer binary starters/backups - except for a couple of clear cut superstar situations - but rather just option A/option B, with very little separating the two.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

As it stands if everyone is fit you'd want Timber at LB and White at RB. That's our best defensive unit. Calafiori still needs a bit more seasoning.

Sure you're missing a bit on Timber offensively on the left but he's still very solid there but the link up White has with Saka / Ødegaard on the right is almost telepathic, you don't want to lose that.

I think we've got the best defensive options in world football tbh. A great group.

 

[El Duderino]

“He’s played more minutes than we would have wanted”

If only there was something you could do about that

Like signing more hybrid full backs?

 

[El Duderino]

Ben White is an elite squad option though at the very least. Not talking bench player but actual rotational option where it barely matters whether it's White or Timber/Califiori/whoever playing, similar to how City tend to rotate guys that would be starters almost anywhere else.

Yeah, and White isn't on a massive salary where it can become an issue like with Jesus/Kai/Martinelli.

Similar to Trossard, where he should be played while in form and will be in and around the team a lot.

It certainly doesn't help that somehow our fullbacks are all a bit injured most of the time. White has had to play with knocks and it showed during some of his iffy form moments.

The main place where Mikel has been very proactive in protecting players has been LB, given how if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Pacific, Zinchenko/Tomi get injured.

Right back will be like that soon enough, and not just because Timber is coming back from a year off.

 

[Jasinho]

People mentioning Ben White should be worried, there's MORE than enough minutes available to rotate between our 3 excellent options and full back. Timber can play on either side so we should be utilising him to come in for either white or Calafiori, and if he's ahead of both then they should be utilised to give him a break.

 

[drippin]

Yeah, and White isn't on a massive salary where it can become an issue like with Jesus/Kai/Martinelli.

White earns 150k pounds per week it seems. Defenders usually earn less than attackers. This is a massive salary for a defender, but it doesn't matter for any player in a title challenging team if they perform.

Martinelli earning 200k per week, or Kai earning more is no worry at all. Jesus earning 265k per week is only a problem, because he is constantly injured and his level has dropped.

 

[drippin]

It’s not looking good for Ben White…

It's actually looking very good for White. Now he doesn't have to play all the minutes, even when carrying niggles.

This means he will perform better, so he will give a good fight for game-time. There's plenty of that coming for everyone.

 

[outlawz]

Like signing more hybrid full backs?

Can't wait to see who our marquee defensive signing will be next season.

 

[El Duderino]

Can't wait to see who our marquee defensive signing will be next season.

Probably that Ajax kid Hato or maybe Marc Guehi just to spite Newcastle.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Probably that Ajax kid Hato or maybe Marc Guehi just to spite Newcastle.

Hato is far from good enough, as I've said last year. He's a young talent been given a chance in a very **** Ajax team.

 

[redanddread]

As it stands if everyone is fit you'd want Timber at LB and White at RB. That's our best defensive unit. Calafiori still needs a bit more seasoning.

Sure you're missing a bit on Timber offensively on the left but he's still very solid there but the link up White has with Saka / Ødegaard on the right is almost telepathic, you don't want to lose that.

I think we've got the best defensive options in world football tbh. A great group.

Actually think it might be Timber at RB and Calfiori at LB

Timber at LB excellent against top inverted wingers is a great option but what I've seen of this guy tells me he's going to take that RB spot and Calafiori will step into the LB role.

 

[Trilly]

I still have a sneaky feeling he might be better than White if he had two full seasons in the system.

 

[El Duderino]

I still have a sneaky feeling he might be better than White if he had two full seasons in the system.

Different players, obviously, but he looks more dynamic than White, but once Partey is out of the line up for good, we might need Benny inverting to progress the ball.

His overlaps seem to be quicker and more incisive than White's at least, but I admit it could be just recency/shiny new toy bias.

 

[db10_therza]

Different players, obviously, but he looks more dynamic than White, but once Partey is out of the line up for good, we might need Benny inverting to progress the ball.

His overlaps seem to be quicker and more incisive than White's at least, but I admit it could be just recency/shiny new toy bias.

Ben (so far) has proven to be more effective than timber in the final 3rd. Idk if that changes - bear in mind we’ve started this season with a pretty defensive approach to a tough set of fixtures and problems with injuries. Even when White played he hardly went on the overlap so this could be why we haven’t seen much from Timber in an attacking sense.

We will go through phases of the season where Arteta releases things a bit. Certainly him playing Calafiori more would indicate that as my guy clearly wants to play as 10. But yeah, that’s when we should see more of what Timber can give us going forwards.

One thing is decided already though. Defensively, Timber is clear.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

“He’s played more minutes than we would have wanted”

If only there was something you could do about that

What on earth am I reading here? White, Tomi, Zinny all been injured so not a lot of room for rotation. Timber is taken off at earliest sign of something being wrong.

Arteta just cant win with you can he?

 

[A_G]

What on earth am I reading here? White, Tomi, Zinny all been injured so not a lot of room for rotation. Timber is taken off at earliest sign of something being wrong.

Arteta just cant win with you can he?

Could’ve played Cala against Sp**s or Atalanta instead of Timmy at LB.

 

[ash_rasul]

Ben (so far) has proven to be more effective than timber in the final 3rd. Idk if that changes - bear in mind we’ve started this season with a pretty defensive approach to a tough set of fixtures and problems with injuries. Even when White played he hardly went on the overlap so this could be why we haven’t seen much from Timber in an attacking sense.

We will go through phases of the season where Arteta releases things a bit. Certainly him playing Calafiori more would indicate that as my guy clearly wants to play as 10. But yeah, that’s when we should see more of what Timber can give us going forwards.

One thing is decided already though. Defensively, Timber is clear.

Not to downplay Ben's attacking ability (I agree, at times it is underrated), but Timber created 7 chances against Leicester at the weekend, which is not to be sniffed at. Considering where he is in his adaptation process, that (plus the eye test) bodes very positively in terms of his output potential.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I still have a sneaky feeling he might be better than White if he had two full seasons in the system.

It's a promising start, but there is surely more to come.

 

[drippin]

Could’ve played Cala against Sp**s or Atalanta instead of Timmy at LB.

Calafiori wasn't in the line-up against Tottenham because of calf problems. 4 days later he played 17 minutes against Atalanta. 3 days later he played 74 minutes against City. 3 days later 70 minutes against Bolton. 3 days later 90 minutes against Leicester. 3 days later 90 minutes against PSG.

Why would you want Calafiori to play injured against Tottenham, to rest White who was not? Or start against Atalanta straight after having a calf injury?

Really need defenders back after international break, to manage Calafiori's and Timber's minutes. Both have had bad injuries in their careers.

Riccardo Calafiori - Stats 24/25

Player stats of Riccardo Calafiori (FC Arsenal) ➤ Goals ➤ Assists ➤ Matches played ➤ All performance data

www.transfermarkt.com

 

[A_G]

Calafiori wasn't in the line-up against Tottenham because of calf problems. 4 days later he played 17 minutes against Atalanta. 3 days later he played 74 minutes against City. 3 days later 70 minutes against Bolton. 3 days later 90 minutes against Leicester. 3 days later 90 minutes against PSG.

Why would you want Calafiori to play injured against Tottenham, to rest White who was not? Or start against Atalanta straight after having a calf injury?

Really need defenders back after international break, to manage Calafiori's and Timber's minutes. Both have had bad injuries in their careers.

Riccardo Calafiori - Stats 24/25

Player stats of Riccardo Calafiori (FC Arsenal) ➤ Goals ➤ Assists ➤ Matches played ➤ All performance data

www.transfermarkt.com

Play Kiwior then.