In a recent Champions League victory, Arsenal defender, Jurrien Timber, was replaced by Jakub Kiwior at half-time. This decision was confirmed by the team's manager, Mikel Arteta, who revealed that Timber was taken off as a precautionary measure. The 23-year-old had started at right-back in the match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) held at the Emirates Stadium.
Timber had to step up due to Ben White being unavailable because of his own injury concerns. Despite this unexpected change in lineup, Timber managed to impress during the first half before being withdrawn.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, said:
“He was unbelievable,”
“He felt something muscular and we didn’t want to take any risks. He has been out a year and played a lot of minutes. We have to manage him.”
Despite missing almost all of last season due to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, Timber has already made seven starts this season and proved equally reliable both at left-back and right-back positions. In the first half against PSG specifically, he successfully kept winger Bradley Barcola quiet while also showing signs of developing a promising relationship with Bukayo Saka.
However, when he was brought off after halftime as a precautionary measure due to his previous ACL injury history; Riccardo Calafiori moved into his position for the second half. This meant that Arsenal ended up having three left-footed players in their back four.
Big victory over PSG
Despite these changes in player positions mid-game and potential injury concerns for key players like White and now possibly Timber too; it turned out to be quite a comfortable night for Arsenal. They took a two-goal lead into halftime after Kai Havertz headed home the opener followed by Saka scoring directly from a free-kick out wide.
This win puts Arsenal on four points from their opening two Champions League matches as they aim for top-eight finish which will see them directly through to last-16.
Arsenal's upcoming matches
Arteta’s side is now preparing to host Shakhtar Donetsk at home, before embarking on away trips to face Inter Milan and Sporting. These upcoming matches will be crucial for Arsenal as they continue their quest for a top-eight finish in the Champions League.
While Timber's injury update might have caused some concern among fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike; Arteta's strategic decisions during the game against PSG have proven effective. The team’s performance despite key player injuries shows promise for the upcoming matches. However, it remains to be seen how these potential injury concerns will impact Arsenal's lineup and strategy in their future games.
