Arsenal legend Lee Dixon has hailed Jurrien Timber as ‘one of the best in the world’, with the Dutchman continuing to impress in his third season in North London.
Dixon, who made over 450 appearances for the Gunners, noted that Timber has firmly established himself as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice right-back - so much so that Ben White has found himself out of the picture despite being a mainstay not long ago.
Discussing the competition at right-back, Dixon said: “Well, it's not ideal having injury-prone players. He [Ben White] has just been unlucky with the injuries he's picked up and that's obviously culminated in him losing his position and not being able to challenge Timber at all or replace him that much.
“You know, not that long ago, he was first on the team sheet every week. Then obviously the injuries have played their part and he's now up against probably one of the best full-backs in the world. So even if he gets a hundred percent fit, you would think that Timber would still play before him. I would play him before him.”
Timber has already contributed two goals and two assists in 12 Premier League appearances this season, including a lovely assist for Eberechi Eze’s second goal in Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
White, meanwhile, has largely fell out of the fold, logging just 71 league minutes, with those coming in the opening day win against Manchester United. Dixon believes the 28-year-old may soon face a pivotal career decision.
“So he's then got to weigh up how he sees the rest of his contract panning out. Is he happy to sit in a title-winning side? They might win the league this year and he'll play his part in X amount of games. But he might look in the summer and go, I need to play,” he said.
“He's not at the stage of his career of someone like a Myles Lewis-Skelly who can have a year sitting on the bench playing the odd game. Ben White is slightly different.
“I don't know him, so I don't know what he's thinking. I would imagine, if I was him, I'd be chomping at the bit to either get in the side or I wouldn't be hanging around in the summer if I wasn't going to play.”
However, with one of the busiest periods of the season approaching, and Arsenal still competing on all fronts, rotation is inevitable. White, who is now back fit and raring to go, will almost certainly be handed opportunities to fight for his place.
Tactically, though, Arteta’s side has flourished with Timber inverting into midfield, offering more depth and support in midfield. White, who specialised in providing overlapping support for Bukayo Saka, may need to adapt to a different role if he wants to reclaim his spot.
Reflecting on the evolution of full-backs in Arsenal's setup, Dixon added: “It is a team effort. You defend from the front and the back line is kind of like the last resort. But this team, this back four loves that process. And I think that's very similar to how we were. I would suggest that individually, they're more athletic than we were based on the modern game. In the modern game, they are fitter, they play on better pitches and the game's quicker.
“But other than that, there is a lot of similarities and they've got a great goalkeeper behind them that helps. We had David Seaman and John Lukic and later on, obviously, Lehmann was there. But that does help and that relationship and that trust that you gain between goalkeeper and back line is pivotal in knowing your position and relying, not having to turn around and worry about what's behind you and you can then take a position a little bit higher up the pitch because you trust the goalkeeper, so I think they've got that in abundance.”
*Lee Dixon was speaking to VAVEL UK on behalf of OLBG. Please gamble responsibly. GamCare offer a free and confidential service for those who may require further support.*