relative clauses without verbs


I read a sentence in Naruto that challenged some of my ideas about how
Japanese works, and I'd like to try and clear this up. I can only assume that
アナタがピンチの時 means "when you're in a pinch". ![naruto
#52](https://i.stack.imgur.com/FqSN6.jpg)

First of all, it looks like a relative clause modifying 時, but why isn't there
a verb? Usually, when something is marked with が, that thing is the subject
(or something) of a particular verb. Here, there's a verbless subject. Is the
copula implied?

Secondly, could you say アナタがピンチな時 instead? How is な used in relative clauses?




The most straightforward way to analyze this is to regard の as a 連体形{れんたいけい}
form of copula, which only comes after nouns (and の-adjectives).

> あなたがピンチだ you're in a pinch  
>  あなたがピンチの時 when you're in a pinch
>
> 明日は雨だ tomorrow it will rain  
>  明日が雨の場合 if it rains tomorrow




The most straightforward way to analyze this is to regard の as a 連体形{れんたいけい}
form of copula, which only comes after nouns (and の-adjectives).

> あなたがピンチだ you're in a pinch  
>  あなたがピンチの時 when you're in a pinch
>
> 明日は雨だ tomorrow it will rain  
>  明日が雨の場合 if it rains tomorrow

