Owen Questions Gyokeres Impact as Debate Rages Over Timber's CL Final Readiness

Arsenal have secured their Champions League final berth with a deserved 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in Tuesday's second leg, completing a 2-1 aggregate triumph—but the discussion now centres on who should line up when it matters most.

The Gunners managed the feat without Jurrien Timber, their star right-back currently sidelined by a muscle injury that will keep him out until later this month. Ben White stepped up admirably against the Spanish outfit, yet a fundamental question now divides the pundit class: should Timber walk straight back into the XI for the biggest match of the season?

Nigel Reo-Coker thinks not. The former Premier League midfielder argued that throwing Timber into a Champions League final without match fitness would be reckless, regardless of his quality.

"That's a big call. He's been out for so long—are you going to put him straight in a Champions League final?" Reo-Coker posed on CBC Sports. "Right about now, for players who are fit and playing with rhythm, I don't think you can put Timber in, not with how long he's been absent. When you reach a Champions League final, momentum and sharpness matter. You can't overlook that."

He acknowledged Timber's standing—"He's the best right-back in the Premier League, I'm not disputing his quality"—but maintained the practical case against rushing him back.

Troy Deeney, however, dismissed this as overthinking matters. The former striker branded the suggestion "wild" and made a straightforward point: Timber is Arsenal's best player, so he plays.

"Yes, he should start because he is their best player," Deeney shot back. "You want your best players on the pitch in the biggest games. That's it. Remember Ben White got hammered against Sporting, got dropped, and they brought in Cristhian Mosquera. Mosquera then got hammered and got dropped too."

The case for experience and form carries weight, but so does Deeney's argument for quality when stakes are highest.

Meanwhile, Michael Owen has struck a different note entirely, raising doubts about Arsenal's forward line rather than their defence. Gyokeres drew widespread plaudits for his display against Atletico, yet Owen remains unconvinced about his overall impact.

"He's certainly not been a disappointment but he hasn't exactly set the place on fire," Owen said on talkSPORT. "He's got around 14 Premier League goals and into the 20s across all competitions—solid enough, but that's the level."

Owen's broader point cuts deeper: Arsenal are working with what they've got rather than what they truly need. The club possesses Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus as forward options, yet none possess the ruthless efficiency of an elite number nine.

"The problem is there aren't many truly great centre forwards around," Owen explained. "Arsenal have been searching endlessly. Havertz is excellent and I rate him highly. But none of them are a Haaland, Mbappé, or Kane—the players everyone's actually chasing. Finding that calibre is extraordinarily difficult. They're doing brilliantly well with a player who doesn't bang in 30-odd goals every season."

It's a reality check wrapped in compliment: Arsenal are punching above their weight in attack, but they're not punching quite hard enough to be considered true contenders at the very highest level.