Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber plan is fully justified, one stat is astonishing
Jurrien Timber is a big part of Arsenal’s future plans for good reason as he is ahead of the rest of his teammates in a metric that many would have not have expected him to be.
Arsenal‘s brilliant start to this season has been aided by the strong form of Jurrien Timber from right-back, and he now looks to have nailed down a starting spot in that position.
He joined the Gunners from Ajax as a centre-back in the summer of 2023, and became a regular throughout last season after his debut campaign was hampered by injury.
Timber shone in Arsenal’s first home game of the season against Leeds as he netted a brace in a 5-0 win, and he has continued as a constant at right-back with nine appearances in all competitions up to now.
Arsenal recently opened talks with Timber over a new contract to tie him down past 2028, and that is clearly the logical and right thing to do based off a surprising stat from the opening stages of this term.
Timber has created more open-play chances than any Arsenal player this season
According to statistical gurus Squawka, via X, Timber has created the most chances from open-play (8) of any Arsenal player up to now this season.
To add to his two goals against Leeds, the Netherlands international also notched an assist in that game and against West Ham last time out as he won the penalty that Bukayo Saka dispatched.
Timber has had the fourth most touches (408) of Premier League full-backs this season, and has had at least eight more touches in the opposition box (24) than any other full-back too [Squawka], so it is clear that he is a huge part of Arteta’s side and their aims to win the league in 2025-26.
He also leads the rest of the Premier League players in his position, with those eight chances created from open play being the most of all full-backs in the top-flight so far this season, while he is the only full-back to have won a penalty up to now.
Mikel Arteta has praised Timber and wants him to stay at Arsenal long-term
Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both insisted that Timber was “excellent” in the Gunners’ recent 3-2 win against Newcastle, and it seems likely that he signs a new deal with the club soon after a stellar start to the new campaign.
Arsenal boss Arteta hinted at his own desire to keep the Netherlands international for the foreseeable future recently, following reports around a new contract being offered, as he said: “The players want to be with us, we want to attach our futures with them.
“Jurrien is a really good example of someone under very difficult circumstances, with an injury early in his career, a difficult one, the way he’s come back and what he’s doing for the team, it’s phenomenal.
“Hopefully he’s another one who’s going to have a long future with us.”
Those quotes are a clear sign of the Spanish head-coach wanting Timber to stay, and no wonder, considering his impressive start to the new campaign which is backed up by these latest statistics.