Unveiling Jurrien Timber: Arsenal's Rising Star on Adapting to a New Era, Arteta's Influence, and Aspiring Premier League Triumph

When Arsenal's hopes of winning the Premier League title diminished at the conclusion of the previous season, one passionate supporter in the Netherlands experienced profound agony as he watched the matches unfold. Little did he know that he would eventually join the club as a £38m defensive acquisition during the following summer.

"It was an excruciating experience," confesses Jurrien Timber, the aforementioned fan who now proudly wears the Arsenal emblem on his chest. "The progression of Manchester City was undeniable, and they became increasingly formidable to overcome."

Timber's assertion of being a devoted Arsenal fan, potentially enduring many disappointments, holds some validity.

Asked about the video, Timber recalls his move to north London last month, when Ajax shared a video of a young Timber foreseeing his future as a player for the Gunners. He expresses that playing for Arsenal had always been a dream and a deep-seated feeling within him.

"Normally I don't talk about the teams I want to play for. But Arsenal was my favourite club so that's the reason I said it.

"When the choice came this summer, it wasn't a hard choice to make."

Now Timber has been brought in to assist Arsenal in taking the next crucial step. Positioned at Arsenal's training ground, the Dutch defender sports the No 12 jersey, which was previously worn by William Saliba during the previous season. The addition of the Frenchman to the team aided Arsenal in moving up from fifth to second place. Is Timber the missing piece that will propel them from second place to first?

Timber possesses a league title, not present in Saliba's achievements. In fact, Timber earned two league titles during his tenure at Ajax. Although the necessity of prior experience is debated in today's era, considering Arsenal's young team's decline last season, it is undeniable that Timber's experience would have been valuable.

"It's hard to say," Timber says when asked about the skills required to get over the line. "The Eredivisie is different from the Premier League.

winning against the smaller teams is considered crucial for becoming champions in the Dutch league. However, in the Premier League, there aren't really any teams that can be categorized as small. The margin for dropping points is significantly smaller. Becoming champions requires a combination of consistency, luck, and maintaining excellence in every aspect of the game.

According to Timber, good fortune played a role in Arsenal's victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield, which, at first glance, appears to be a significant boost for their pre-season aspirations. However, Timber emphasizes that Arsenal's ultimate objectives remain unaffected. They aim to showcase their abilities not just in the Premier League but also in other competitions.

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Arsenal's investment in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Timber exceeds £200m (left to right), signifying their commitment to strengthening the team. Winning at Wembley is a significant boost for morale within the dressing room, highlighting Arsenal's prowess as a formidable team with talented players and a strong squad.

"They competed for the championship, and I believe the anticipation is even greater this year due to their extensive player acquisitions. Among those players is Timber, whose unexpected debut as an inverted left-back caught many off guard."

Arsenal informed the media about his signing as a right-back, despite Timber's extensive experience as a central defender throughout his senior career. It had been almost five years since he last played as a left-back, much less in an inverted position similar to Oleksandr Zinchenko's role last season during his time at Ajax reserve team.

However, Arsenal fans were quick to recognize Timber's outstanding performance on the left flank and voted him as the player of the match after an impressive 76 minutes at Wembley.

The emerging defender shrugs off any inquiry about his preferred position. "I'd rather keep that a secret, you know," he laughs. "Honestly, as long as I get to play, it doesn't really matter where the coach decides to place me. I'm just focused on giving my absolute best and leaving everything on the field."

Sunday's performance solidifies Timber as the perfect Arteta player - a versatile young talent capable of playing multiple positions on the field. This is precisely why the Gunners manager prioritized signing him, initiating discussions with the defender in late May. Timber shares that Arteta emphasized the team's familial environment, which even includes the presence of a chocolate Labrador named 'Win' at the training ground.

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And the young defender has had to think quickly since joining Arteta's set-up - and judging by Sunday's outing at Wembley, it is already paying off.

"It's his thinking style and ability to elevate others," states Timber, reflecting on his newfound manager. "Even though I've only had him for a short while, I swiftly noticed a positive change within myself due to the immense amount of knowledge I had to acquire in a limited timeframe.

His perspective on the game is truly eye-opening, and I've been striving to adopt a similar outlook. He effortlessly perceives the broader aspects of the game, and that's precisely what I aim to achieve."

"Let's observe its impact over the course of several months and years."

Experience the Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest match during the opening weekend of the 2023/24 Premier League season by following our live blog. The kick-off is at 12.30pm.