Ahead of Arsenal's home match against Paris Saint-Germain in the second round of the Champions League stage, which is due to take place on October 2 at 3am BST, Arsenal player Tim Bell attended the team's press conference and spoke about his adjustment in the team this season, his thoughts on Merino, the challenges of an intensive fixture schedule, and the clash in the North London derby.
Timberlake began by reflecting on his season: "I've made seven appearances for the team in all competitions, playing in six Premier League and one Champions League game, which makes up for the time I missed last season due to injury. I'm getting on well with the team and that's helping me. I'm getting to know my teammates and they're getting to know me. It was great to play with them and I'm really grateful now to be part of this team."
Regarding his new teammate Merino, Timberlake said, "Merino has had similar injury problems to what I had before, but his injuries don't last that long. He's doing really well and is a great character. He's trying to fit in with the team, so I really don't need to help him because he's doing a perfect job on his own. We can't wait to have him on the team and playing with us."
Speaking about his experience in the Champions League, Timberlake said, "I played in 15 Champions League matches during my time at Ajax, so I know the atmosphere and the demands of the Champions League. Of course, the game is a bit different here, but I don't need to tell other players how to play or how to prepare for big games. We need to play with a lot of courage and be ourselves. I haven't played against Paris Saint-Germain yet, but they are a very good team and we just need to prepare and focus on ourselves."
In response to Rodri's complaints about the intensive fixtures, Timberlake said he fully understands: "I totally agree with him. It's a big topic in the dressing room, not only at City and Liverpool, but in our dressing room as well. I didn't play last season so I'm enjoying the game now but I totally understand why they are complaining. The players are speaking up now and making their voices heard. It doesn't look like things are diminishing at the moment, we're just trying to do our best in every game, but as the games keep going on things are getting harder and harder, especially in England where there's no winter break, it's really hard."
Finally, Timberlake spoke about the clash in the North London Derby: "It was my first North London Derby, so I felt the tension and the importance of winning. It was a great feeling to play and win, which is the most important thing. It was a bit of a messy moment when we argued with Vicario, but in the end we won the game and it was a good day."
