Forced off just 50 minutes into his Premier League debut for Arsenal in August after injuring the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the £38.5million defender knew he faced a fight to play again this season.
But Timber has used the time wisely to settle into London life and study the way Arsenal play. He has not missed a home game all season, visits the dressing room before and after matches at Emirates Stadium and is a regular in team meetings at the training ground.
"The thing I was thinking about when I first got injured was just to take the positives out of it and to keep trying to be involved with the team," says Timber. "You have to learn while watching. The thing is it's a long injury, between seven and nine months, but it's also coming closer every week.
"At some point you need to dig into the way we play and be ready for when I am back. I am involved in meetings, but also a lot of it is about communication. I keep talking to the players, the coaches and I have lunch with them." Timber is yet to train outside and does not know when he will be back, but clearly the hard work is paying off.
The 22-year-old is gaining a greater understanding of how his team-mates play with every passing week.
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