- Jurrien Timber scored a stunning strike just eight minutes into his Arsenal return
- The defender had missed 254 days in total after suffering ACL ligament damage
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After eight minutes, Jurrien Timber had already sunk the ball into the top right corner.
His Blackburn Under-21 opponents looked stunned. His young colleagues looked in awe.
It had been 254 days since the Dutch full back had last stepped on a pitch after suffering damage to the ACL ligament in his knee against Nottingham Forest on August 12.
No one imagined, as the 22-year-old trudged off the pitch of Arsenal’s first Premier League game of the season, that it would be another eight months before he would re-appear.
Further still, not many expected Timber to return to such aplomb on just his first appearance, playing for the Arsenal Under-21s.
He wore his usual number 12 shirt, despite the academy typically using numbers 1 to 11 for the line-up. Special players, special measures.
He received the ball on the edge of the box. A jink to his right opened the body to unleash a curling shot, brushing the bar and landing in the net.
It was a finish that would not have looked out of place in a first-team match in the title run-in, never mind the academy side.
This backdrop made Timber’s strike all the more impressive, and a reminder as to why the Gunners have so badly wanted their £38.5million man back.
Earlier in the half, on one minute and five seconds, Timber received his first touch. Applause broke out.
He started at left back and found himself in advanced positions from midfield, inverting centrally in the manner of Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Timber’s gliding forward was more advanced than expected. Under Mikel Arteta, that will likely be more tempered.
Timber made himself available around the box on a number of occasions, pressing into attacking positions. He had another crack at goal from outside the area parried out for a corner on 24 minutes.
After the half hour mark, Timber gradually slowed down, readjusting to the pace of a match. This was expected after such a long absence.
Caution is needed. An appearance after an eight-month injury layoff is a start, but not necessarily an indication Timber is fully fit to start in the first team just yet.
His reintroduction will need to be managed carefully, even though getting him back as soon as possible will be craved. He was substituted at half-time in a wise decision, as there’s no rush with the season reaching its close.
But you can see why the north London club is relishing his full return.
You only have to look at the left back slot. Oleksandr Zinchenko is impressive in advancing play forward but occasionally fallible in defensive scenarios; Jakub Kiwior has grown as the season has gone on but still has more development to go; Takehiro Tomiyasu is their best defensive choice at present but is injury prone.
A fully-fit Timber slots right into the starting XI.
So yes, a very exciting return, and one which showed glimpses of why the Gunners so relish his full return – but still more runouts are needed before Timber can be properly called upon.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
