Coventry City's talented Icelandic international midfielder Aron Gunnarsson has claimed he has reclaimed the form that saw him win the Covsupport News Service Young Player of the Year award 2009.
Gunnarsson had a good game last Saturday against Scunthorpe and had a couple of good chances to score. His improved form has seen him called up for international duty in the senior Iceland squad to face Cyprus in a mid week friendly.
Ironically, his international recognition might cost him his place in the starting eleven next Saturday at Peterborough as 'City boss Chris Coleman might opt to start with Gary Deegan. Gunnarsson will rejoin the Sky Blues on Thursday, but if he has played 90 minutes international football, he not be as fresh as Deegan.
This doesn't bother Gunnarsson too much, he said, “I will be ready for Saturday if the manager wants me in there. It is a friendly game but we always take it seriously with the national team and I expect to play 90 minutes.”
“ I could have gone to Germany with the Under-21s but the manager wanted me with the seniors because he sees me as a first team squad player now.“But I am coming back on Thursday when I will be doing some swimming and have a sauna to help my legs recover to be ready for Peterborough.”
Speaking about his performance against Scunthorpe, Gunnarsson said, “It was brilliant and I really enjoyed the game, I am back to my normal fitness and to be honest, as everyone knows I had a few things going on in my head but now I am enjoying it again.”
“The gaffer, the guys in the press and the lads have helped me get through a difficult time and I am back to my old self now and I will kick on from here. Gary’s arrival at the club has certainly boosted my performance because now we have more competition in the team. Maybe I was too comfortable with my place in the squad and thought I could relax more if I am always playing. At the end of the day it is a team game and I have been doing well and working hard in training as well and I need to push myself forward and I need to do that more now.”
Chris Coleman said of Gunnarsson after the 2-1 home win, “That was more like the Aron Gunnarsson we saw all last season and we haven’t seen enough of that this year. We saw down at Palace he was bursting forward and he just needs to show a little bit of composure in the final third because he has got the legs and is good with the ball. I thought he worked incredibly hard and in the last few games we have seen Aron Gunnarsson and I hope that continues.”
Gunnarsson has yet to score this season, but recently he has had the chances to open his account. Gunnarsson is confident he will find the net soon saying, “Don’t mention the chances, I had another one on one this week and a good shot that the keeper saved so it is frustrating. I could have taken another touch with the one I had at Palace when I was clean through but I didn’t know how much time I had because it happened so fast."
“You have to make the right decision and I didn’t, and I didn’t again against Scunthorpe but I have more confidence and I will get there again because I am due at least one goal this season and I think I will get it soon enough to help the team.”
Then Gunnarsson spoke about 'City's next game at bottom of the table Peterborough, he said, “It is always tricky going to bottom of the league, they have got nothing to lose and everything to win, so they are going to be right up for the game. We need to match them up, but I think we will do that.”