Timber on being Champions league ready and title race contenders

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Arsenal centre-back Jurrien Timber on being Champions league ready and title race contenders  30/09/2024  Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK

Transcript

00:00We'll try and stick to one or two questions each, if that's all right, but we will kick off with Gail.

00:06Morning.

00:07Morning.

00:08Mikel Arteta has just been talking about the impact of playing this season.

00:13You talked about you being heavily involved last season, despite the frustration of your injury.

00:20Yeah.

00:21How well has that meant to have the impact that you've had,

00:26and being able to take up quite a senior league role you described earlier this season?

00:31I think it's just like, it helped a lot with being comfortable with the team,

00:36with my team-mates, getting to know them, obviously for them to get to know me.

00:41And I just wanted to stay involved, you know.

00:43I was looking at them from a distance, from the stands obviously,

00:47and it was amazing to see them.

00:50I just wanted to be a part of that, and that feeling I had already last year,

00:54and now I'm a part of it, so I'm really grateful to be a part of it.

00:58You've played a lot of Champions League football, not so much for Arsenal but for Ajax,

01:03and I wondered the skills you need on a big Champions League night against a side like PSG,

01:10that's only streetwise now.

01:12What messages have you given to some of the players in your squad

01:16that haven't had the opportunities you've had?

01:18I think a lot of players played a lot of big games.

01:20Of course the Champions League is a bit different, I think the games are a bit different,

01:23but it's not really different to the big games you have in the Premier League.

01:27So I don't need to tell a lot of players how they need to play tomorrow

01:31or how they need to prepare for these big games,

01:34but obviously we need to play with a lot of courage and just be who we are,

01:39and show that tomorrow.

01:42Hi, how are you?

01:43Good, you?

01:45This is not the PSG with all the big names, massive names in the last few years,

01:51they're still not some big names, but they're a massive name.

01:55How different do you have to take this challenge

01:58to maybe the challenge of playing against this kind of team a year or two ago?

02:03I haven't played against them, so it's hard for me to say.

02:06I mean, in that time when they had those big players that you mentioned.

02:10I still think they're a really good team, really well coached,

02:13and they have so many good players, world-class players still.

02:16So I don't think we will approach it differently,

02:19we just have to be prepared for tomorrow.

02:22And really just focus on ourselves as well.

02:26Well, focusing on yourself, last season you didn't play,

02:29you were very hands-on watching and being involved.

02:32This year is going to be very similar to last year,

02:36you're going to go very deep in terms of being a tightrope contender,

02:39and in this competition as well.

02:41How easy is it to be able to perfuse every two or three days

02:46the kind of performances you need if you're going to win silverware?

02:50I've done it with Ajax, of course, but this is on a whole different level.

02:54And I'm just realising that now, because I'm not just playing now.

02:58I've watched the team from a distance,

03:00and they were absolutely like machines if I look at them last year.

03:05And we have to be the same this year,

03:08because our competition, our opponents,

03:11they want the same thing, our machines as well.

03:14So we have to be on that level every single time.

03:17It's not easy, but I think we have a really good squad,

03:21good staff and good fans that will push us all the way through.

03:25Alex?

03:27Hi, Jürgen.

03:28Just following on from the Arsenal in the last couple of years

03:31and the title challenge,

03:33do you want to do the same in the Champions League?

03:36Is it more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge?

03:40I think both, physical stuff as well.

03:43It's just we played two days ago,

03:45we all know how many games we have to play,

03:48so physical stuff, but mentally it's also really tough.

03:52Me, I'm just enjoying it right now because I couldn't play last year,

03:55and now I'm playing games, so I'm just enjoying that.

03:59Yeah, that's it, honestly.

04:01Sam?

04:02Hi.

04:03We all saw how unhappy you were at the start of last season.

04:06I can be completely coincidental,

04:08Michail Mourinho has also got injured very early on since joining.

04:11I just wondered if you spoke to him at all

04:13or given him any of your experiences from last year

04:15of settling in while not being able to play?

04:17To be honest, I think he's doing that really well for himself.

04:20He's a great character in the group.

04:22He's like I was last year, trying to be with the group a lot.

04:26He's doing the same thing.

04:28So I don't really need to help him with that

04:30because he's doing it himself already in a perfect way.

04:34And we can't wait until we have him in the squad to play for us.

04:38I wanted to ask you as well about your twin brother.

04:40It's quite unusual, two twins that both play football.

04:44How close are you two?

04:45I think you used to live together in the same room.

04:47Yeah, I think now it's two years ago that we still slept in the same room.

04:53Yeah, we played each other,

04:55and in the evening we saw each other in the room.

04:58It was quite funny.

05:00But I think it's just a lot of fun seeing him.

05:05I play tomorrow and he's playing, I think, on Wednesday.

05:08So my family, my mum and brothers are coming tomorrow to London

05:13and then he plays Girona away, I think,

05:15and the next morning they will fly to Spain.

05:18So it's just a lot of fun, I think,

05:20watching him and me play on this level.

05:23First of all, do you prefer Jürgen or Jürgen?

05:29Let's say Jürgen. Everyone in England says Jürgen.

05:33I just wanted to ask, when you first came last season,

05:37a lot of us were maybe expecting you to play right-back and centre-back,

05:40and then we saw you playing left-back.

05:42I was wondering, was that a surprise for even you, as it was for us at the time?

05:47Yeah, a bit, to be honest.

05:51It happened in pre-season.

05:53Before, I think, Barcelona, when I played in the training,

05:58I played left-back, all of a sudden I was like,

06:00OK, there's a chance I'm going to play left-back tomorrow.

06:03I was like, yeah, that's OK, just do my thing and enjoy it.

06:07Me, I'm just happy when I play, you know?

06:09I think it's a good thing, being versatile

06:11and being able to play on multiple positions.

06:14Obviously, being able to play both, you've done that this season as well,

06:17was that something, being in all those team meetings,

06:19helped you understand those roles a bit more?

06:22Was there anything that stuck out to you in those meetings?

06:25Yeah, I'm just trying to pay attention in those meetings,

06:28because you play a lot of games, so that's what he said as well.

06:32Mentally, it's a lot as well.

06:34I'm just paying attention for every position I'm being able to play, you know?

06:40Hi, Jürgen.

06:41On social media, I've noticed you often post five or six interruptions on that.

06:47Of course, Bukayo Saka, he's a practising Christian.

06:50Through Christianity, what kind of influence does that have on you playing football?

06:55Are you too close because of that aspect?

06:58Not just because of that, I'm really good with Bukayo,

07:01but also with more players in the team.

07:04For me, my faith is everything, you know?

07:07I wake up with it, I go to sleep with it,

07:09and this is where I get my confidence from.

07:11So I like to share it with the football world,

07:14but also just with other people, if that's possible, you know?

07:17In terms of the finance, you've obviously recently been with Caligiuri as the full-back.

07:23What elements does that bring to Arsenal that's been different to last season?

07:27What kind of different things can you guys bring to the party?

07:29I think everyone has his own qualities, not just me and Ricardo,

07:34but obviously I think everyone can see how good he is,

07:37a fantastic player and a good character.

07:39You guys are enjoying watching him, but we are also enjoying playing with him.

07:44Jordan?

07:45Hi, Jürgen.

07:46It's been an intense few weeks, a lot of big games, another big game tomorrow.

07:52How has the squad reacted to it?

07:55Does it show how tough mentally this squad is to take on Buchanan?

08:00I think that's it, what you're saying.

08:02We've been through a lot the last couple of weeks.

08:05Things happened in matches that we didn't expect or could prepare for,

08:10but I think the team showed again and again

08:12that we're ready for everything that's coming,

08:14and we have to be if we want to achieve amazing things this season.

08:17And when you look around the squad,

08:19you've been in Champions League campaigns,

08:22is this a squad that can go a long way and balance out the title race as well?

08:28Definitely, definitely.

08:29I think we have a really good, deep squad

08:31that can achieve amazing things if we keep going like we're doing,

08:36and like the team was already doing for the last two years, I think.

08:39Kaya?

08:40Just following up on that theme of toughness,

08:42we saw a bit from you in the knock-down at Derby with Lucario,

08:45and you sort of standing your ground there.

08:47Obviously it's a bit different from your activity in terms of Premier League

08:50and the more physical approach,

08:51but how are you enjoying those kind of battles?

08:54Yeah, obviously it was my first, so I felt the tension

08:58and the importance of winning that game.

09:01It was lovely playing it and winning it, obviously.

09:04That was the most important thing.

09:07Yeah, it got a bit hectic that moment,

09:09but at the end it was a really nice day.

09:11And following on again from what Arjen said about versatility,

09:15I'm not mistaken you played a little bit in midfield

09:17as well as anywhere across the back line, is that correct?

09:20I've played midfield at Ajax a couple of times, in the youth as well,

09:24but mainly as a centre-back or a full-back.

09:28Would you be open to the idea that if Mikel came to you and said,

09:31I need you to play midfield tomorrow...

09:34Of course, of course.

09:36Everywhere he wants to play me, I will give my best always.

09:41Jürgen, before the last round of Champions League games,

09:45Rodrigo at Manchester City and Alisson at Liverpool

09:49both made comments about the extra games and the group phase this season,

09:55whether we're approaching a stage where players are being asked to play too many games.

10:00As someone who missed nearly all of last season,

10:03are you keen to go on strike or are you keen to play...

10:07No, to be honest, I totally agree with them.

10:10I think it's also a big topic at the moment in dressing rooms,

10:14not only at City and Liverpool, also in our dressing room.

10:17But for me, what you said, I didn't play last season,

10:20so I'm just enjoying playing now.

10:23You won't hear me complain, but I totally understand what they're saying.

10:26Do you think players are more at risk of serious injury?

10:29You spent nine months out last year,

10:32are players at more risk of injury if they're being asked to play more and more?

10:37Definitely, I think it's honestly a dangerous thing, even last week.

10:42I think we played City and City played two days, later they played again.

10:45I think that's too much, and I understand why these players are complaining.

10:51Simon?

10:52We heard from Mikel the other week on that topic,

10:55and he sort of stressed the point that players need to be heard in these conversations.

10:59Is that an important thing, or whatever happens with the calendar schedule,

11:02that the players are the ones that are listened to and the voices are heard?

11:05Yeah, and I think it's a really good thing that the players are speaking out now

11:08and letting the voices hear,

11:11because it doesn't look like it's getting any less at the moment.

11:17We're trying to be there every game and give our best,

11:21but it gets hard if the games are coming and coming,

11:26especially in England without having a winter break.

11:29I think it's really hard.

11:31In that sense, in this new format where you're in the top eight,

11:34you save yourself two games.

11:36Yeah, I think that makes a difference.

11:40Of course you want to be in the top eight because you want to end the highest possible,

11:45but in this case it also makes a difference for a team like resting in that bit.

11:50Cool, I think we'll end it there then.

11:52Thank you, guys.

11:54Thank you, guys.

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