Arsenal: Returning stars allow Jurrien Timber tweak that could transform attack in major boost for Bukayo Saka | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has no shortage of full-back options again and it could bring the best out of attacking stars

A bit like London buses, Mikel Arteta has been waiting for his left-backs to be fit and suddenly they have all come along at once.

The Spaniard has six players to choose from when it comes to picking a left-back, with Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber, Kieran Tierney and Myles Lewis-Skelly all options alongside Calafiori and Zinchenko.

The absence of Ben White at right-back due to a knee injury, however, has now made Timber the answer there.

Arteta has rotated between using Thomas Partey or Timber with White out, but now injuries have eased across the backline that should stop.

Jurrien Timber is set for a run at right-back

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That should be music to the ears of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, who look better when he is at right-back.

Partey has his strengths, but getting forward on the overlap is not one of them and Arsenal’s right flank lacks dynamism when he is at full-back.

Timber is the opposite of that, marauding forward and taking up such advanced positions that it feels like he is almost playing as a No10 at times when Arsenal have the ball.

“He’s doing that because first of all it’s in his nature,” explained Mikel Arteta. “He’s capable of doing it.

“He feels very comfortable doing it and we try to coach him to play to his strengths and mould the qualities around him with other players as well. I’m very pleased because I think he’s been performing really well.”

When Arsenal signed Timber from Ajax in the summer of 2023, the plan was for him to predominantly play at right-back.

It was felt he could provide genuine cover and competition for White, who has played a lot of minutes under Arteta.

Timber has shown he is capable of that and Arsenal’s recent struggles in attack have coincided with him moving to left-back.

Odegaard and Saka are key to Arsenal’s attack, but who plays behind them is just as important

They scored 10 goals against Sporting and West Ham at the end of November, when Calafiori was left-back and Timber was on the other flank.

Calafiori’s injury forced Timber to swap sides and it was noticeable how his influence was diminished in recent draws with Everton and Fulham.

Even on Wednesday, when Arsenal took on today’s opponents Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, Timber looked much better in the second-half when he moved from the heart of defence to right-back.

The substitutions of Odegaard and Saka meant Arsenal’s right flank was restored to what it was at the back end of last month.

The Gunners scored three second-half goals and all of them were supplied by the right flank, with Odegaard getting two assists and Saka one.

It has long been known that Odegaard and Saka are key to Arsenal’s attack, but who plays behind them is just as important.

And, on the evidence of this season, Timber is the man to do and get the best out of Odegaard and Saka.