Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week:
🔴 Right-back, left-back, goalscorer?
🔥 Van Nistelrooy to unlock Vardy?
📊 Man Utd’s touches in the box
🔍 A player to watch this weekend
Timber making up for lost time
Jurrien Timber celebrated his first goal for Arsenal in their 2-0 win over Manchester United. It was a long time coming for a player who spent his opening year at the club nursing an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Not that you would know it to watch him now.
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Jurrien Timber scored the opening goal in Arsenal’s win over Man Utd
Sources at Arsenal were hugely impressed by his dedication during his rehabilitation and the hard work is paying off. Timber, a £38m signing from Ajax, has been excellent since his introduction in the summer. And that’s without even playing in his natural position.
A centre-back at Ajax, Timber has spent the campaign switching between left-back and right-back at Arsenal, required to adapt and then adapt again amid injuries and suspensions, shouldering a heavy workload without fuss and impressing in all facets of the game.
The speed at which he has established himself is down to his mentality as well as his adaptability. “He loves to be on show and a big presence in everything we do,” said Mikel Arteta in July. The Arsenal boss regards Timber as a leader, even at only 23.
Jurrien Timber has played mostly at left-back and right-back this season
He offers an unusual blend of qualities, being at once a snarling competitor who relishes the physical battle and an outstanding technician, all clever touches and body feints, able to evade markers silkily under pressure and drive forward with the ball.
There were plenty of examples of those ball-playing qualities in his latest showing at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, when Timber also assumed the role of Arsenal’s set-piece tormentor-in-chief in the absence of the injured Gabriel Magalhaes.
In general play, it was striking how his role differed from the one he took on in last weekend’s win over West Ham, even if he was ostensibly playing in the same position at right-back.
Timber attacked the West Ham box from the right but tucked inside against Man Utd
In the 5-2 win at the London Stadium, he was asked to push forward on the outside, with the majority of his touches coming near the right-hand touchline, from where he attacked the West Ham box.
Timber charges into the box in the first half of the game against West Ham
Another example of Timber attacking West Ham’s box from the right
Against Manchester United, there was more of an emphasis on occupying central zones, popping between Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard and sometimes even interchanging positions with William Saliba to add unpredictability to Arsenal’s build-up.
Timber could be seen tucking inside, in between midfielders Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard
At other times, Timber swapped positions with William Saliba
His ability to react and adapt in so many different ways, from game to game but also within games, reflects his tactical intelligence. Timber even switched to left-back late in Wednesday’s win after Oleksandr Zinchenko was replaced by Mikel Merino.
There have also been signs of a growing influence in the final third.
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Paul Merson says Arsenal can win the title if they keep their players fit
In the recent 5-1 win over Sporting in the Champions League, Timber set up Gabriel Martinelli’s opener from one of three chances created, the highest total by any Arsenal player.
Go back to the 4-2 win over Leicester in September and his output was even more impressive, with another goal laid on for Martinelli from one of seven open-play chances created, the second-most by a defender in any Premier League game all season.
Sunday 8th December 1:00pm
Kick off 2:00pm
Like the injured Ben White before him, Timber also deserves credit for providing a platform for Bukayo Saka, who has gone to an even higher level thanks in part to his support. Injury-free and determined to make up for lost time, Timber is only just getting started.
Van Nistelrooy playing to Vardy’s strengths
Ruud van Nistelrooy knows the nuances of centre-forward play better than most. The early evidence suggests Jamie Vardy will enjoy working under a kindred spirit at Leicester.
The 37-year-old scored within two minutes of his first game in charge against West Ham on Tuesday. The new head coach’s tactical adjustments look geared to get the best out of him.
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Jamie Vardy scored the opening goal in Leicester’s 3-1 win over West Ham
Van Nistelrooy deployed twin No 10s against the Hammers, with youngsters Facundo Buonanotte and Bilal El Khannouss starting together for only the second time this season. El Khannouss scored their second but it was his pass for Vardy’s opener that set the tone.
It was precisely the kind of service Vardy thrives on and, while Leicester spent much of the game defending, there were numerous other examples of them trying to get him in behind.
In fact, the Foxes’ total of five through-balls was their highest in any Premier League game all season. Vardy sought to take advantage, making 12 off-the-ball runs challenging the opposition’s backline, a higher total than in any of his previous six appearances.
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Ruud van Nistelrooy reveals Enzo Maresca’s advice on taking the Leicester job
There was an emphasis on breaking quickly and directly, with Leicester registering three shots from fast breaks in the game having only registered five in their previous 13 combined.
Van Nistelrooy will have to adjust slightly against Brighton on Sunday, with the on-loan Buonanotte unable to face his parent club, but Vardy can expect more opportunities.
Brighton have conceded the joint-most counter-attacking goals in the Premier League this term, with four. Who better than Vardy and Van Nistelrooy to exploit the vulnerability?
Amorim’s attacking conundrum
Manchester United put four goals past Everton in Ruben Amorim’s first Premier League home game in charge last weekend but the new head coach admitted the scoreline flattered them. Wednesday’s loss to Arsenal laid bare the margin for improvement.
They had an even share of the possession at the Emirates Stadium but struggled to get near the Arsenal goal, having only six touches in the opposition box, their lowest total in a league game since a goalless draw with Liverpool under Jose Mourinho in 2017, and their second-lowest since Opta began recording the data.
There were positives for Amorim defensively in the first half but he did not shy away from addressing their attacking shortcomings afterwards. “In the final third, you can see we need to improve, be more aggressive and have more ideas,” he said. The work continues at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Saturday 7th December 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
Player Radar: Who else to keep an eye on
Dean Huijsen marked only his fourth start of the season for Bournemouth with a headed winner against Tottenham. An injury to Roberto Senesi means he looks set for more minutes. It is rare to see a 19-year-old start at centre-back in the Premier League but the former Juventus youngster looks comfortable.
Live Radar: What’s on Sky this weekend?
Amorim’s Manchester United look to bounce back from defeat to Arsenal against Nottingham Forest on Saturday Night Football, with coverage starting Sky Sports Premier League at 5pm ahead of the 5.30pm kick-off.
Super Sunday sees Fulham and Arsenal go head to head in the early game, kicking off at 2pm, with Tottenham and Chelsea facing off in another London derby at 4.30pm. Coverage of that double-header begins on Sky Sports Premier League at 1pm.
On Monday Night Football, it’s crunch time for Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil as West Ham face Wolves, with both managers at risk of the sack. Jamie Carragher and David Jones will be live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7pm ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Read last week’s Radar column
Last week’s column included a look at the return of Ruben Dias for Manchester City. Malo Gusto’s impressive adaptation to a new role in the absence of Reece James at Chelsea was also covered, along with Dejan Kulusevski’s mentality.
