Aliadiere: I'm Glad I Left Arsenal Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere says he finally feels like a real Premiership player now he's left Arsenal

There aren't many players who would prefer being playing for Middlesbrough rather than Arsenal, but French striker Jeremie Aliadiere is certainly one of them.

Because as good as the Gunners have become this season, the former Emirates man says he'd much rather be playing first team football than almost permanently stuck in the reserves.

"You don't even feel like you're a proper footballer," Aliadiere told the Northern Echo of his time at Arsenal, in which he made seven Premiership starts in eight years.

"It hurts when all you're doing is training all week and playing for the reserve team. When you are not playing regularly, you are effectively training for nothing.

Arsenal 'Not My Team'

To be honest, I didn't even think I was an Arsenal player for a lot of my time at the club. I was training for the team, but I didn't really feel it was my team.

"Now, I want to be involved in everything," he stressed of his move to the Riverside. "I want to be at every training session and every game, and I'm concerned about everything that's going on at this club. I feel like a real Middlesbrough player, and I feel like this is my club."

Boro Experience Is Best

And even though Middlesbrough are struggling at the wrong end of the table, the Frenchman says it's far more enjoyable than watching success from the sidelines. "I can feel the difference whenever I get home, or even when I'm travelling back from a game in the car," he said.

"I am much better person now I'm playing every week. Even if we've lost or I haven't played that well, at least I know I've contributed. In the past, I've felt as though I haven't been a part of anything that's going on."

Goals Required

The former Gunners man has impressed fans in the north east with his link-up play and technique, but admits he needs to start scoring more goals if Boro are to get themselves out of their current tricky predicament. His only goal thus far was a consolation in a 4-1 defeat at Manchester United.

And since Mido has been sidelined by injury, the Frenchman has often been deployed as a lone target man, something he admits he found difficult to adapt to. "It's not the type of role I've been used to playing throughout my career," he said. "Being the target man has not generally been my job, but I've had to adjust and do my best.

"Maybe the role has been one of the reasons why I haven't scored as many goals as I hoped I would. I don't feel that I've had a lot of chances, but I've been trying to play people in as well. It's easier for me to play when I'm playing alongside a target man, because it allows me to make my runs off someone's shoulder. For the last few weeks, I've been the one trying to play other people into the game. I'm not sure I've done it very well, but I've done my best and that's all people can really expect."

Mido's Return

Nevertheless, Aliadiere is eagerly awaiting the return of Mido to the side. The Egyptian won't be in action against Blackburn today, but could be ready in time for Boro's FA Cup fourth round tie at Mansfield next weekend. "It will be like making a new signing because we've missed him for most of the season," said the Frenchman.

"We need someone like Mido to hold the ball up, because it allows us to play around him. He's the ideal target player for the system we play. You only have to see his physique to see why he's so good at holding the ball up and pushing people around. That's what we've been missing."