The genesis to Arsenal's
2009-10 season has been notable not only for their attacking
fluency, but for also the manner in which Thomas Vermaelen has
eased his way into Premier League life following his switch from
Eredivisie powerhouse Ajax, and the confident 23-year-old is now
looking forward to tussles with Chelsea's Didier Drogba and
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney.
"The best strikers in the league are at Manchester United and
Chelsea, so it's a big challenge for me against Rooney and Drogba,"
Vermaelen opined in The People.
"The Premier League is a higher level than the Dutch league.
"Every team is a good team, they are very physical and every
game is a hard game. In the Dutch league, sometimes you have easy
games, but in England there are none.
"Arsenal try to play good football along the ground and that's
what we wanted to do at Ajax."
The Gunners come up against Rooney and United in their next
domestic game, which follows their midweek hosting of Glasgow
giants Celtic in the play-off stage of the Champions League - a
second leg affair that Arsenal approach holding a 2-0
advantage.