Arsenal registered a 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night.
The Gunners lacked the cutting edge in the final third in the opening half, but they stepped up with a brilliant display after the break.
Declan Rice made the headlines with two world-class free-kick goals. Mikel Merino added gloss to the performance with the Gunners’ third.
Arsenal could have easily won by a significant margin, but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was brilliant in goal for the European champions.
There were other stand-out performers. In our opinion, Jurrien Timber was an unsung hero with a superb defensive showing from right-back.
The Dutchman won the most duels in the game (eight) alongside three tackles and five recoveries.
He essentially nullified Vinicius Junior’s attacking threat.
Former Ajax and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has now praised him as a soldier. He believes there is more to come from the 23-year-old defender.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quote Ten Hag as saying: “This season I have been able to watch a lot of Arsenal games, so Jurrien’s leading role does not surprise me.
“You can send Timber, both Timbers by the way, on an errand (and trust them). Jurrien is a soldier. Ruthless and he knows that in top football it is ‘eat or be eaten’.
“That’s how he sees it. He is proactive, he doesn’t wait.
“I am happy with how Jurriën is manifesting himself at Arsenal. He has become a permanent force. And I am sure that he will slowly take on a leading role.”
Timber had a difficult debut season with the Gunners. The versatile defender picked up a serious knee injury in the Premier League curtain-raiser.
He made just three appearances for the campaign but has redeemed himself this term with 43 appearances in all competitions thus far.
Timber started the season as a left-back, but has become a regular at right-back over recent months.
The Dutchman was not known for his attacking traits at Ajax, where he was a central defender.
However, he has adapted brilliantly to manager Mikel Arteta’s tactical system and appears to have become the first-choice right-back ahead of Ben White.
Timber needs to continue his splendid form when Arsenal visit the Bernabeu next week for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Madrid.
Stats from Fotmob.com
