When Arsenal signed Jurrien Timber last summer, the plan was for him to play at right-back.
The club was wary about the workload on Ben White and the belief was Timber would provide competition and cover.
Timber also offered something different in that he could tuck into midfield, just like Oleksandr Zinchenko does from the other flank.
But fast forward a year and it is Zinchenko and not White who Timber has ousted from the team.
The 23-year-old Dutchman has started the past three games at left-back and on Sunday completed 90 minutes for the first time in an Arsenal shirt in their 1-0 win at Tottenham.
Timber was part of a brilliant defensive performance and, after a year out with a knee injury, his display underlined how big a miss he was last season.
He made a combined total of four tackles and interceptions during the derby, with Thomas Partey the only Arsenal player to beat that.
Timber is primed to start Sunday’s showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad and is showing why Arsenal paid Ajax £38.5million to sign him.
He was a long-term target and Arsenal registered their interest in him in January 2023, six months before he joined. Arsenal’s recruitment team identified Timber as a highly versatile player and, even if the plan was to predominantly use him as a right-back, there was a belief he could play anywhere across the defence and even as a holding midfielder.
Arsenal liked the fact Timber was a front-footed and tenacious defender, especially in one-on-one situations.
His athleticism, speed and strength made him stand out from other targets and he has show-cased those qualities in the first few games of the season.
Timber is different to Arsenal’s other left-back options.
His stocky frame is a change to someone like Zinchenko, whose best quality is his ability on the ball, or Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who bring height to the backline.
Arsenal signed Timber as they believed he could have a positive impact on their use of the ball in possession, both in their build-up play but also when they are looking to break down oppo-nents who sit deep.
Timber has used his power to make an impact and it is telling that he is fifth in the Arsenal squad when it comes to the statistic of dribbling the ball into the opponent’s penalty area this season.
His direct approach offers a different option to Zinchenko and, in Arteta’s relentless desire to be unpredictable, that is vital.
Left-back was a problem position for Arsenal last season and, so far, Timber is showing he could be the answer.
Riccardo Calafiori may have something to say about that, but the £42m summer signing will find it hard to displace him right now.
Timber most often played as a centre-back or right-back for Ajax and his shift to the left is something new.
Those who know him, though, are not surprised at how quickly he has got up to speed in his new role.
Timber credits the Ajax academy for helping him think about the game in a tactical way and he views that learning as a crucial part of his development.
He also used his time out injured last season to study how Arsenal play, watching matches live and specific clips so he could hit the ground running on his return.
Timber’s girlfriend and family helped him through what was a difficult time, as did his faith. The defender found a local church in London and would visit it most Sundays.
After a challenging 12 months, the hard work is beginning to pay off. And, having waited a year to secure his spot in the Arsenal team, Timber will not be giving it up without a fight.
