Dutch media deliver brutal verdict on Jurrien Timber after what he did vs Greece
Arsenal duo Jurrien Timber and Christos Tzolis faced each other on the international stage, but both players had a game to forget.
Greece went 2-0 up in the first half, but the Netherlands levelled the game through two strikes of their own after the break in their Nations League group stage clash.
Tzolis suffered an injury and was replaced after just 18 minutes. It appears to be a hamstring injury, and a scan is planned on Friday to determine the extent of his issue.
Timber, on the other hand, produced a performance that his country’s press were not too happy with.
Dutch media slam Arsenal star Jurrien Timber’s performance vs Greece
Jurrien Timber started next to Virgil van Dijk as a central defender when the Netherlands faced Greece in the Nations League on Thursday night.
The Arsenal number 12 has represented his country as a centre-half on many occasions in the past, and he has proved that he can play there.
However, against the Greeks at the Toumba Stadium, Timber didn’t look great at all and should’ve done better in the build-up to the hosts’ two first-half goals.
Multiple media outlets in the Netherlands have pointed that out in their reviews of his performance.
Football Oranje rated him 4/10 and wrote: “Looked very much like a player who is not fully fit. Second to everything and gave away fouls in the first half. Was too slow to react for the second goal.”
Voetbal Primeur gave him a 4.5/10 rating and said: “In the run-up to the 1-0, Timber misjudged the situation, leaving it open behind him. At 2-0 his opponent was too fast for him. The Arsenal defender made a somewhat weak and awkward impression after his long absence.”
Mee Met Oranje also rated him 4.5/10 and said: “After a long spell sidelined by injury, Jurrien Timber returned to the starting lineup, but the defender endured a particularly unfortunate evening, especially before halftime.
“Fans singled him out as one of the weak links, and he looked poor during both goals conceded. A lack of match fitness clearly seemed to be taking its toll on the right-footed defender.”
Did Jurrien Timber get injured during Greece vs Netherlands?
Timber will not have been happy about his performance last night, but Arsenal fans won’t care about that. They know just how good he is and will only be interested in his fitness.
In the 78th minute of the game, Xavi took the Gunners’ defender off, and that led to some questions about whether he had suffered an injury.
However, Arsenal fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as Mee Met Oranje have confirmed that Timber was only suffering from a cramp when he came off. That is normal after such a long spell out due to injury.
The Netherlands take on Serbia next, and it remains to be seen if Timber will get another start. As Arsenal fans, we hope he doesn’t, as there is no point in risking him.