Tomiyasu told he still has to improve in two areas after positive Arsenal start

Takehiro Tomiyasu has been told he could further his game by improving his defending and positional play.

Arsenal's summer signing arrived in north London from Bologna as something of an unknown quantity, but has quickly established himself on the right of the back four.

The Gunners' charge up the table has seen Tomiyasu come in for plenty of praise.

The north Londoners have a long history of impressive right-backs and former Premier League winner Lee Dixon has offered his take on the Japanese international.

"I think he [Tomiyasu] has certainly taken the eye, there is no doubt about that," Dixon told MailOnline.

Have Your Say! Where will Arsenal finish in the league this season? Tell us in the comments here.

"He has done brilliantly. He has certainly not got the stature of a typical full back. Having said that, [Marcos] Alonso [at Chelsea ] is tall and a similar stature to him.

"He has been very good at coming out with the ball. His link-up play with the midfield and forwards has been great.

"He is an athlete who gets up and down brilliantly well, and he is great in the air.

"He has still got some work to do as far as defending and his positional play, but that is like most of the full-backs I look at now. That will come with time, and will come in building a relationship with Ben White.

"I'm not at the training ground with Tomiyasu and I don't see him every day, but what I have seen so far on match day has been hugely impressive."

Tomiyasu was one of several summer arrivals, many of whom were criticised early on when the Gunners failed to win any of their opening three games.

Things have very much changed since then and Arsenal are now a side on the rise, challenging for a top four.

Mikel Arteta has previously praised Tomiyasu for how quickly he's taken to the English top flight.

He said last month: "For me [the Premier League] is the hardest to adapt to, and the hardest to stay at the top. That is the challenge.

"Now he has shown he has the right qualities, the right mentality and personality to play for this club and in this country, and now he needs to maintain that and keep improving."

Tomiyasu has said previously on the Gunners boss: "To be able to express Arteta's style of football, in training I use my mind to process it while ingraining it within myself.

"Then in the match, I play confidently with a clear mind. With that cycle, I hope to be able to naturally display his style of football on the pitch."