A-League: Spaniard Mario Arques designed for Jets' up-tempo game

After working his way back to full fitness following 14 days in quarantine, Arques feels ready to "have some minutes" in the hit out against Macarthur on Friday night.

"It will be a good test for us," Arques said. "We are training really, really hard. Now the league and the FFA Cup is very close. It will be interesting having a test against an A-League team.

"I came from quarantine and found it a little difficult. With two weeks in quarantine, the muscles need to adapt. The club and everyone has been smart with that.

"Today and yesterday were the best training sessions I have had. I start to move and feel more freedom. Maybe I have some minutes but it will depend on the medical department, the coach and everyone. Every day I am feeling better. That is good. I am so excited. I cannot wait to put on the shirt and start to play with my teammates."

Arques has been on the ground for just over two weeks and has been impressed by what he has seen.

"It is better than I expected to be honest," he said. "Every player is giving 100 per cent and is at a very good level. Even the young guys, they show every day that they can play in the line-up. That is amazing for our team. When I arrived I saw at every single session, the intensity and pace is so high. This is the way for us to reach something important this year."

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Arques shapes as a key figure at the base of midfield in Arthur Papas's up-tempo, possession game.

A product of the Villarreal youth system, the now 29-year-old played in the La Liga with Elche but has spent the past three years in India and Malaysia.

"One of the reasons I can here was because when the boss spoke to me about the way he wants to play and the way he understands football, for me it was very exciting," Arques said. "It was how a grew up in Spain."

"Football is the same everywhere, but the way you play is different. In Malaysia and India there are a lot of open spaces. Sometimes the teams are not organised and you can find more space and time to think.

"Here you have to play fast. In my position, one or two touches. For me, I love it. That is the way you have play that position. Play fast, play through balls and try to put my teammates in better positions."

The importance of touch and control were drilled into Arques from a young age.

"I started at the Villarreal academy when I was 14 years," he said. "All day they teach you how to check, how to control the football. That is the most important thing in football. It gives you time. If you check before, you have time enough to look where your teammates are. At the academies they are always very focused in that sense - control, pass, control, pass ... take the ball every time and play as fast as possible. I am feeling really good with this kind of football."

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