Vermaelen must fight for Arsenal place

Manager Arsene Wenger wants Thomas Vermaelen
on the field, but stresses there can be no selection
guarantees for any player.
The Belgian international has made only two
appearances for the Gunners this season following
his return to full fitness after a back problem, with
Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny striking up a
good understanding at the heart of the defence.
Vermaelen, who joined Arsenal in July 2009 from
Ajax and succeeded Robin van Persie as skipper last
season, remains relaxed about the situation, but
accepts it is far from "ideal" not to be playing regular
football ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
While Wenger can see the contradiction in a captain
being kept sidelined, the Arsenal boss maintains the
collective good must continue to outweigh any
individual needs.
"It is not down to logic, but it is part of the decision
you play the best pair and I must say the pair worked
until now, so it is difficult to change," Wenger said.
"I named him captain but usually you name as
captain a player you rate and a player with good
behaviour as well.
"Vermaelen is a top guy with fantastic attitude.
"I don't worry for him because he is a very strong
guy.
"At the moment he doesn't play, although that can
change quickly.
"Sometimes players who don't play in September or
October, by March they are the main players. The
important thing in our job is never to give up. You
have to stay and fight."
Wenger, though, stressed: "We are in a job where
you have to be ready when you are needed, that is
the job of the players to continue to compete and you
have to accept the competition.
"The big players want to be with big players, but the
disadvantage of being with big players is that you
are not that sure to play.
"Unfortunately when you have 20 good players, nine
good players don't play.
"You cannot have everything."
When all of his squad are match fit, Wenger certainly
will have something of a selection dilemma - with the
likes of England forward Theo Walcott, France
Under-21 international Yaya Sanogo, German forward
Lukas Podolski and England midfielder Alex Oxlade-
Chamberlain all hopeful of featuring again over the
next two months.
The recovery of Abou Diaby, however, remains slow,
with the combative Frenchman needing further
minor surgery to aid rehabilitation following knee
ligament damage which has again hampered his
progress this season.
"He had a little key hole surgery again on the knee
because his knee blew up every time he did
something, so it is now six months after the
cruciate," Wenger said.
"He could not even jog yet. With new surgery it is a
setback for him, so competitive football cannot be
played before March."

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