• Premier League

Vermaelen loving Arsenal battle

ESPN staff
November 19, 2011
Thomas Vermaelen's work in training is paying off © Getty Images
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Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen feels he is reaping the benefits from his hard work while he was on the sidelines due to injury.

Vermaelen was one of the most accomplished defenders in the Premier League during his first campaign at Arsenal, but last season was a write off for the Belgian due to injury.

He also missed the first couple of months of this season with a tendon problem, but is now back in the side and he feels extremely sharp.

"I feel fit and I had this as well last year," he told Arsenal Player. "I was out for eight months and I played the last two games of the season but I still felt quite well.

"I work hard when I'm injured, I do my work, and when I come back I feel physically strong and good enough to be on the pitch."

With the arrival of Per Mertesacker in the summer, Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has a host of defensive options and Vermaelen feels the club are benefiting.

"The boss now has a lot of choices in defence whereas in the past he had only a few," Vermaelen said. "We have had injuries as well but now everybody is fit and there is a lot of competition.

"It can only be good for the team that the boss has a lot of options over which players are going to play."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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