EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal boss Arteta set to copy Guardiola with formation as Timber gets injury boost
Steve Kay
- Updated: 15 Oct 2023 09:36 BST
- 3 min read
Exclusive
Jurrien Timber should be back in contention for Arsenal in March, meaning that the defender could feature in his club’s final ten games of the season, FootballTransfers has been told.
The Dutchman suffered an ACL injury during the Gunners’ opening Premier League game against Nottingham Forest - when it was believed that his season was over.
However, sources have informed us that Timber is ahead of schedule and already in Phase 3 of his rehabilitation.
It’s our understanding that Timber will be back at the start of spring, and reports that a return could take place in January are wide of the mark.
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Timber signed for Arsenal from Ajax over the summer window for €40million, with Mikel Arteta placing the 22-year-old in the left-back position.
Arteta to copy Guardiola
FootballTransfers is also informed that Arteta will look to emulate Pep Guardiola’s system at Manchester City by using four starting centre-backs.
Timber, a natural central defender, was brought in to replace Oleksandr Zinchenko in that position, while the likes of Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Jakub Kiwior have played there, too.
Furthermore, Arteta is looking to bring in young centre-back Ayden Heaven for training purposes, because of the 17-year-old’s ability to play down the middle and also as a left-back.
So far, Arteta was been making the full-backs inverted and Declan Rice drops back into the three defenders.
Indeed, Guardiola has started to use the system of four centre-backs as of last season - a campaign in which Man City won the treble.
Arteta, formerly assistant to Guardiola at the Etihad, is now looking to replicate his former boss’ blueprint in his Arsenal side, who are sitting comfortably in second place in the Premier League table, level on points with Tottenham, who are in first spot.
