Thomas Vermaelen tells Arsenal team-mates to forget last season’s disappointment & focus on winning

Thomas Vermaelen is confident Arsenal can bounce back from the disappointment of last season and end a trophy drought that dates back to 2005.

The Belgian defender missed most of last season due to injury and watched his team fail to win silverware after competing on four fronts for most of the campaign.

Vermaelen believes it is important that the team put the frustration behind them and focus fully on the new season.

“Everybody starts from zero and everybody has to start again,” he told the club’s official website.

“You get a new chance and that’s always a good feeling when people give you another chance to win something. The past is behind us and it’s good to look into the future.

“That’s what we do now – we start all over again with a new chance and we will go for it this year.”

The Gunners play Boca Juniors on Saturday, July 30 before facing Thierry Henry and his New York Red Bulls the following day.

Vermaelen is eagerly anticipating the clashes and is looking forward to stepping out at the Emirates once again.

“These are the first games we play at the Emirates in the season so it always feels like a new start,” he said.

“It feels like that so I am looking forward to playing there.

“They are two very different kinds of teams and two very different kinds of challenges.”