After eight minutes, Jurrien Timber had already sunk the ball into the top right corner.<br /><br />His Blackburn Under-21 opponents looked stunned. His young colleagues looked in awe.<br /><br />It had been 254 days since the Dutch full-back had last stepped on a pitch after suffering damage to the ACL ligament in his knee against Nottingham Forest on August 12.<br /><br />No one imagined as the 22-year-old trudged off the pitch of Arsenal's first Premier League game of the season, that it would be another eight months before he would re-appear.<br /><br />Further still, not many expected Timber to return to such aplomb on just his first appearance, playing for the Arsenal Under-21s.<br /><br />He wore his usual number 12 shirt, despite the academy typically using numbers 1 to 11 for the line-up. Special players, special measures.<br /><br />He received the ball on the edge of the box. A jink to his right opened the body to unleash a curling shot, brushing the bar and landing in the net.<br /><br />It was a finish that would not have looked out of place in a first-team match in the title run-in, never mind the academy side.<br /><br />This backdrop made Timber's strike all the more impressive, and a reminder as to why the Gunners have so badly wanted their £38.5million man back.<br /><br />Earlier in the half, on one minute and five seconds, Timber received his first touch. Applause broke out.<br /><br />He started at left-back and found himself in advanced positions from midfield, inverting centrally in the manner of Oleksandr Zinchenko.<br /><br />Timber's gliding forward was more advanced than expected. Under Mikel Arteta, that will likely be more tempered.<br /><br />Timber made himself available around the box on several occasions, pressing into attacking positions. He had another crack at goal from outside the area and parried out for a corner on 24 minutes.<br /><br />After the half-hour mark, Timber gradually slowed down, readjusting to the pace of a match. This was expected after such a long absence.<br /><br />Caution is needed. An appearance after an eight-month injury layoff is a start, but not necessarily an indication Timber is fully fit to start in the first team just yet.<br /><br />His reintroduction will need to be managed carefully, even though getting him back as soon as possible will be craved. He was substituted at half-time in a wise decision, as there's no rush with the season reaching its close.<br /><br />But you can see why the north London club is relishing his full return.<br /><br />You only have to look at the left-back slot. Oleksandr Zinchenko is impressive in advancing play forward but occasionally fallible in defensive scenarios; Jakub Kiwior has grown as the season has gone on but still has more development to go; Takehiro Tomiyasu is their best defensive choice at present but is injury-prone.<br /><br />A fully-fit Timber slots right into the starting XI.<br /><br />So yes, a very exciting return, and one which showed glimpses of why the Gunners so relish his full return - but still more runouts are needed before Timber can be properly called upon.
