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Cape Town - Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker says that he is staying positive and professional despite his lack of game time in recent weeks.
The 31-year-old has missed the last four matches since making his return from suspension, after picking up a red card earlier in March.
The former Werder Bremen star's absence from the team gave Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny regular starts in manager Arsene Wenger's squad, relegating the German international to the bench.
Martesacker admitted that watching from the sidelines can be frustrating sometimes, before adding that he will keep fighting and remain professional.
"I have to admit that this is something new to me. I have been around for quite a while and this has not happened to me before. I am fully match fit, but I am not playing as much as before," Mertesacker told Sport1.
"But I will not give up. I might get another chance. Things can change very fast in football. Every footballer has his ups and downs. You always have to remain professional. I have always done so. That's why I've survived in the business this long.
"I am listening to the manager and he knows he can count on me, regardless of what happens. I want to show on the training pitch that I am ready whenever the manager needs me.
"The team needs every player, so you cannot rule anything out. I have to remain positive. That's the best way to deal with the disappointment of warming the bench."
