Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen believes he needs a complete pre-season regime to regain match fitness

Thomas Vermaelen, Arsenal(Getty Images)

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Sidelined Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen insists that a full “pre-season”-like regime is essential to be able to return to first-team football after his seven-month long injury trauma.

The Belgian has been unable to play since last September after suffering an Achilles injury on international duty. It was thought the centre-back would have been able to make a January return but a seperate tendon problem forced him to undergo further surgery and he is now left with an uphill struggle to get back to full fitness.

Manager Arsene Wenger was forced to call an end to the 25-year-old’s season last week. However, Vermaelen understood the Frenchman’s decision to not risk him this season.

“The chances that I will play another game this season are small,” he told Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. “I can understand my manager when he says that my season is over: I have been out for seven months and I must fulfil a complete ‘pre-season’, so it’s logical that he won’t take risks.

“Time is ticking away and the season finishes in two months. I must first get fit again, then gain rhythm. So I’ve still a long way to go. I can kick a ball as hard as possible, but that’s not my problem. I need to run without pain.”

Vermaelen was initially slated to return to first-team action just days after sustaining the injury, with hopes raised again in January when he was tipped to be just six weeks away from action – an ordeal that has frustrated the defender.

“After surgery, you soon become impatient,” he admitted. “I’m a player they have to slow down – that’s my problem. I felt a little pain, but I had something in my head: I’ll cope with it.

“That’s wasn’t too smart: you can’t beat nature. After a few weeks I personally indicated that I had to slow down. It didn’t feel that comfortable, as it feels these days.

“I always thought I would be out for six weeks after the surgery. That was what I was told. So I never could anticipate this long absence. Maybe I would have preferred that I knew from the start.”

The centre-half admitted that he has kept himself involved with the squad during his rehabilitation and has been particularly grateful to the support of striker Robin van Persie.

“I wanted to stay in the dressing room during my rehabilitation to be with my team-mates,” he explained.

“I had so much support from my friend Robin Van Persie for example. Robin is a very helpful guy. He has experience with long injuries and often gave me good advice.”