The pace of the Premier League is not easy for any player new to the league to adapt to, and Arsenal’s new boy Jurrien Timber may have learned that the hard way. The Dutchman signed for Arsenal earlier this summer from Ajax, and while the early signs were promising, the London club may be forced to play without their summer signing for a few weeks.
Timber’s versatility remains his most vital point. He was a crucial part of the Ajax team that won the Dutch Eredivisie last season, making him a subject of interest from Premier League clubs, including Manchester United.
Injury update on Jurrien Timber
Jurrien Timber suffered an injury on his Premier League debut for Arsenal, coming off in the second half for Tomiyasu after suffering a potentially serious knee injury in the win over Nottingham Forest. The Dutchman was on the receiving end of a hard tackle from a Forest player in the last minutes of the game’s first half but left everyone surprised when he came back on for the second half.
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The club’s doctors apparently declared him okay, but they would be proved wrong after their €40 million recruit limped off very early in the second half. This caused a massive backlash on social media against the team’s medical staff for risking the Dutchman in the first place after the initial injury scare in the first half.
🚨 Arsenal are continuing to assess the knee injury suffered by defender Jurrien Timber.
There are fears he has sustained a significant injury that could sideline him for an extended period. pic.twitter.com/ZTWcVY7Eiz
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 14, 2023
“The officials, the doctors, they looked at him, and they were happy to continue, but straight away in the second half, the first action, he made a movement, and it was a bit funny, so we took him straight out, and we now have to assess him to see what he has,” Arteta said in a post-game interview via CBS Sports.
The truth is that the defender shouldn’t have been risked after such a heavy tackle in the first half. For a new player plying his trade in a new league, he should have been given enough time to adjust to the league’s physical demands.
Jurrien Timber’s performance on his Premier League debut
Despite going off injured and potentially facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Jurrien Timber had a rock-solid performance on his Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest. The Dutchman was deployed as a left-back, and he showed why Arsenal forked out that much for him, linking up well with Gabriel Martinelli before being forced off due to injury.
Eddi Nketiah and Bukayo Saka were on the scoresheet for Arsenal before Taiwo Awoniyi scored what would be a consolation goal for the visitors. Arsenal will now have to deal with injuries to first-team members, including Gabriel Jesus, who suffered an injury before the start of the new season.
Will Arsenal invest in new players before the window closes? Make sure to leave your opinions behind in the comments.
