Mertesacker finding feet in England
442 Staff - Wednesday 14 December 2011, 17:49
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker admits he is beginning to adapt to the pace of the English game, but has warned fans they won’t see the best of his abilities until he has a full season under his belt.
The colossal centre-back moved to Emirates Stadium on the final day of the summer transfer window, joining from Werder Bremen for £8 million.
He has gone on to make 11 starts for the North London side as he settles in to his new surroundings, but has advised Gunners supporters that they may have to wait until he shows his true value.
"I am feeling good and I think that is the best thing. It was quite a short time for me to settle in and make the transfer happen - it was very close to the deadline so it was a tough month for me," the German told Arsenal's official website.
"I think in England the best players in the world are here. They have a lot of strength, a lot of speed, it doesn't compare to the Bundesliga. The technical [ability] is similar, but the speed and the physical power is different.
"If you have no pre-season with the team then that makes it more difficult. People think it's easy to connect with your club, your team-mates, but it takes time.
"It's getting better and better and hopefully I can keep improving now. Let me play a season and you can get [the full picture] of my personality and my ability as a footballer."
By Ben McAleer