---
title: "Mertesacker: I feel better than last season"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2015/07/15/mertesacker-i-feel-better-than-last-season/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Freddy Dennis"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2015-07-15T13:41:20Z"
modified: "2015-07-15T13:41:20Z"
---

# Mertesacker: I feel better than last season

Per Mertesacker believes that a good pre-season is vital for the challenges that lay ahead, as it ensures less injuries and a smoother transition in to competitive football.

Speaking to [*Arsenal Player*](https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150715/-i-feel-much-better-than-last-season-), the 30-year-old German said: *“I think that is very beneficial for myself, for my fitness, to get a few tests and a few games under my belt before the season starts. I feel much better than last season but first of all we need to prepare properly.*

*“We are just at the start of pre-season so let’s get some good tests and good training sessions as well.”*

Arsenal fought an injury bout last season owing to the tribulations of the World Cup and a hugely truncated pre-season, which affected their hand in the title race.

[![Stanley Chou/Getty Images](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/1111.jpg)](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/1111.jpg)

*“I think we had 10 days before we played our first game, away at Everton,”* Mertesacker recalled. *“The season had already started with the play-off games against Besiktas.”*

However, Mertesacker believes this time – on the backdrop of a couple of new arrivals in the backroom fitness staff – they can benefit from a largely well-rested squad.

*“This year it’s totally different. I had a five-week break so it takes a bit \[of time\], especially under those conditions, to get yourself going and into a certain rhythm,”* he said.

*“I think it’s good for me to get a couple of weeks where we can test ourselves in training and have a very good test here.”*