Arsenal defender Stephan Lichtsteiner: I'm not used to being on the bench, but I'll always be ready

There was not much of a fanfare to greet Stephan Lichtsteiner’s arrival at Arsenal. Perhaps it was a combination of his advanced years and the absence of a transfer fee, but the 34-year-old nevertheless immediately forged a place in the club’s history as new head coach Unai Emery’s maiden signing.

It seemed logical to suggest Lichtsteiner was acquired as much for his impact off the field than to genuinely rival Hector Bellerin for the right-back spot, yet he spoke on the eve of tonight’s Uefa Europa League Group E opener against Vorskla Poltava as a man simply biding his time before breaking into the first team.

“I’m not frustrated but I’m not used to being on the bench more than three times in a row,” he said. “It’s a new situation for me and I’m curious how I’ll manage it. I’m here to work, to get better personally, to get better with the team and I think we’re in a very good way.

“I’m trying to start more — and for that I have to work, that’s the only thing I can do, to show the coach that I’m ready to play."

That mentality has helped shape a glittering career in which he won seven successive Serie A titles at Juventus and 104 international caps for Switzerland, the latest of which came against England in Leicester last week.

Lichtsteiner made his only other appearance of the season on the opening weekend, when introduced as a 35th-minute substitute for the injured Ainsley Maitland-Niles as a left-back against Manchester City. Played out of position, he was thrown in at the deep end but helped stabilise the team after a slow start.

Lichtsteiner’s signing appeared to help address a problem regularly levelled at Arsenal during the latter days of Arsene Wenger’s reign: a lack of leadership on the field. But the right-back claimed there is no shortage of strong characters. “I’ve already seen good personalities in this team,” he said. “I don’t see what [the media] wrote or what they said. Of course, having experienced players in the team is good for young players, who can use you as an example of how to work.

“I don’t feel that there’s not a big personality in this team. I see a very good team, with a lot of quality, a lot of good players and characters. I don’t see a problem.

“[My debut] was no problem. I can play on the left, but if you come in after some minutes it is not easy and for that I have to try to be ready. It is not easy, but I am paid for that! I have to be ready, left, right, striker or goalkeeper. I will do everything possible for the team. It is not Hector or Stefan [competing], it is Hector and Stefan for Arsenal. We have to work together to improve each other and to make Arsenal win as a team.”

Lichtsteiner is set to make his full debut, with Emery heavily rotating his line-up. He has confirmed Bernd Leno (left) will make his debut in goal, while teenagers Emile Smith-Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have made the matchday squad, at the very least.

Founded in 1955, Vorskla finished third in the Ukrainian League last term, matching the highest position in their history, achieved when securing European football for the first time in 1997. This is their seventh European campaign and second in the Europa League group stage; Emirates Stadium is likely to be way short of capacity as another campaign in Europe’s second-tier competition begins with a low-key affair, but Lichtsteiner added: “In football, you have to respect all the trophies.

“Of course, the Champions League is a more glamorous title, but the Europa League is a really good chance for the team, for the club and all the players to win this nice trophy. I think for that we have to respect all teams in all competitions to give all games 100 per cent.”