Thomas Vermaelen is still on the bench even if he looked determined to remain not just team captain but also a team regular once again. His downfall began last season when he fell out of form and never managed to return to optimal condition. It was rumored that the Belgium international would leave Emirates during the summer but he apparently refused and insisted he still has a lot to prove to Arsenal fans.

This season did not start in a positive note for the Gunner who was rarely part of the starting eleven. According to ESPN, Vermaelen is still certain that his future is with the North London side and that he is just in a slump. The 27 year old finally got a chance to be part of Wenger’s first team in a Premier League fixture a few days ago against Manchester United. Unfortunately Arsenal lost after a poorly defended corner kick that should have been treated with more care.

Vermaelen partnered-up with Koscielny in the middle of the Gunners’ defense but that happened only because Mertesacker had some health issues that started acting up just before the game. Otherwise, the Belgium international wouldn’t have been included in the starting line-up.

Even with such poor numbers when it comes to this season’s appearance statistics, the Belgium international is very confident he is still important for the team. He even stated that rumors of him leaving are just rumors and nothing is going to change in the near future. Vermaelen looked happy with just being witness to Arsenal’s excellent performances which have brought the Emirates team to top of the Premier League.

The 27 year old defender was asked if he considers his presence on the pitch negatively influenced the outcome of Arsenal’s game against United. He said that he is always focused and physically fit regardless of his situation. He will always be ready to do his job when Wenger asks for his services.  Vermaelen has been with the Gunners since 2009 and managed 99 appearances. He even scored 13 goals but that has got lost somewhere along the way as his performances became weaker over time.