Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber admits he is still getting used to the demands of Premier League football after returning to full fitness.
Much was expected of the former Ajax star when he joined the Gunners from Ajax last summer.
Timber’s Arsenal career got off to a promising start with the Netherlands international putting in a number of impressive performances in pre-season.
Disaster struck on his competitive debut, however, when he sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury that ruled him out of action for nine months.
Gradually the 23-year-old has worked his way back to full fitness and now looks set to feature prominently having made three appearances already this term at left-back.
Despite forcing his way back into Mikel Arteta’s first XI, the versatile defender confesses the pace and frenetic nature of English football is still taking some adjusting to.
Speaking to De Telegraaf (via Arseblog) while on international duty, he said: ‘The [injured] knee is stronger than the other one. Sometimes it still feels a bit stiff after a match or training, but in my head it is no longer an issue at all.
‘When I trained outside for the first time, I immediately threw myself into tackles again without any fear. You can’t just participate half-heartedly, because then things go wrong.’
He added: ‘My body has to get used to the intensity of top-level football and the Premier League again. It is much higher and tactically a lot is demanded of you. Your brain also has to work hard, especially during training and meetings, so that things are automatic in matches.’
Timber played most of his football in Holland in central defence, but with the formidable partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba unlikely to be broken any time soon, barring injury, the Dutchman is happy to play anywhere his manager tells him to.
He said: ‘The centre of defence at Arsenal sits with Saliba and Gabriel. Where I play doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m playing.
‘I can do well there [as a left-back] and the national coach can also put me there. It is a really nice position and I also play a lot in midfield.
‘I have to play a lot of minutes now and it helps that I am multifunctional.’
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