Takehiro Tomiyasu believes that by believing in himself more, he can be a greater version of himself on the pitch for Arsenal. The Japanese international dazzled in his first season (the 2021–22 season) at Arsenal after joining from Bologna in 2021.
He impressed playing at Arsenal’s right back when he arrived and was happy to fight for his place. He would have continued his strong run there last season, but injuries and Ben White’s performance made him take a step back.
Fortunately, the 24-year-old has been in great shape this season and is available for selection. Though he hasn’t played right back, he has played left back, where his versatility has been shown.
He is not guaranteed a starting spot, but he believes that if he keeps believing in himself, he will be able to secure a spot in Arteta’s starting X1. He said after a Man Of The Match performance for Japan in the win over Turkey: `I had to convince myself, or rather, I needed to give myself confidence. In that sense, I think it was an opportunity for me to regain my confidence. But with Arsenal… the football is different too, so if you ask me if I can do that at Arsenal, that’s a different story. At Arsenal, too, we need to do our best to make sure we have enough players.”
He has not been able to find a regular position at Arsenal but given this performance, why shouldn’t he get a chance soon in cup games at least He added: “My days at Arsenal are really demanding, so if you ask me if I’m going to fully regain my confidence yet, I can’t say 100% yes.
“In that sense, I really feel like I’m doing well at Arsenal. I just need to be confident that I am there.”
He played an active role that erased the frustration he had with his being left out of the Japan national team. But not yet at his club, due to his repeated injuries, he said, “Of course there were times when I lost confidence,”
It is comforting to hear how determined the Japanese international is to get into the team. But do you think there’s a chance for Tomiyasu to get a chance in this Arsenal team soon. Maybe he just needs to believe in himself?
Darren N
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