Jurrien Timber missed a closed door friendly match against QPR.
While most of Arsenal’s key players have been away on international duty, some Gunners have stayed back in north London.
Notably, Thomas Partey, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and the recovering Jurrien Timber opted to remain with the team.
Timber, nearing a comeback from a long-term injury, was absent from a recent behind-closed-doors friendly against QPR, as reported by Chris Wheatley on ShotsTV.
His exclusion from the match raises questions about his readiness for a return to action for Arsenal.
As the Gunners navigate through the international break, the focus remains on the condition and availability of their sidelined and recovering players.
Wheatley shared what he knows about Timber and this recent game.
“He’s very close. He’s hoping to be involved in one of the upcoming games. He could be named in the squad for Man City of course, it’s always a possibility.
He wasn’t involved in the behind closed doors friendly against QPR over the international break, that only included Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu, but there was no Jurrien Timber,”
While the return of Jurrien Timber to action is eagerly anticipated, caution should be exercised to avoid rushing him back prematurely, especially in low-stakes fixtures like the recent behind-closed-doors friendly against QPR.
Arsenal, keen to safeguard Timber’s recovery, opted to prioritize his long-term fitness over short-term gains, acknowledging the risk of exacerbating his injury in non-essential matches.
Chris Wheatley suggests Timber may feature in the squad against Manchester City this weekend, underscoring his imminent return.
However, given the complexity of his injury and the lengthy spell on the sidelines, patience remains paramount in managing his comeback.
Despite missing the QPR game, the £40 million acquisition is expected to resume playing soon, with Arsenal taking a cautious approach to ensure his sustained fitness and performance in the long run.
