25 July 2023 , 21:15
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Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has vowed to return to form this season after emotionally admitting he lost his confidence last term.
Following a stellar debut season during 2021/22, Tomiyasu saw his 2022/23 campaign littered with injuries and therefore struggled to find the consistency required to feature regularly as part of Mikel Arteta's team. The Japan international actually ended the season with just six league starts under his belt, a far cry from the campaign prior.
Ben White, who initially arrived as a centre-back, surprised many fans and pundits alike by adjusting to life as a right-back seamlessly, keeping Tomiyasu out of the side in the process. The former Bologna ace was also guilty of arguably the most high-profile blunder of Arsenal's season when his underhit backpass was pounced on by Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne.
"It was a difficult period for me," Tomiyasu told football.london. " Ben White was doing very well and to be honest I lost confidence. But the injured period was four months and I thought about a lot of things at this time.
“You need to learn from the injuries, also the mistakes from the Manchester City game as well. You have good and bad moments but you need to learn a lot of things from the bad moments. Now I am feeling good, not only for the body, but my head and also my career. It’s all positive."
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Things have arguably only got tougher for Tomiyasu now that another right-back has arrived in ex-Ajax man Jurrien Timber for a fee just shy of £40million. However, Tomiyasu has made clear he is ready to fight for his place in a side gunning for a first league title since 2004.
Takehiro Tomiyasu was ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up another injury in March (GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)Mirror Football is now on Threads! You can follow us here.
"I am so excited to play,” the 24-year-old added. "But the only thing I can do, I just want to be on the pitch to help the team. So the first thing I need to do is prove my value in the training."
Tomiyasu's finest hour last season undoubtedly came in the 3-2 home victory over Liverpool in October. In that game, Arteta caused quite the stir by deploying the Japan talent at left-back, the opposite flank to the one he is used to.
It worked a treat, with Tomiyasu's aerial prowess in particular coming to the fore to cut off Liverpool's supply to danger-man Mohamed Salah and help inspire the hosts to a vital victory that gave them the momentum to form an unexpected and ultimately unsuccessful title charge.
Tomiyasu is out in the United States with the rest of his Gunners colleagues and has featured in both clashes played so far against the MLS All-Stars and Manchester United respectively.