Wenger extols heavy schedule for helping Arsenal rhythm

The packed fixture list in England over the Christmas and New Year period has come under fire from several Premier League managers, including Liverpool's Juergen Klopp and Sunderland's Sam Allardyce, but Wenger holds a different view.

Wenger extols heavy schedule for helping Arsenal rhythm

(Reuters)





After winning seven of their last eight games in all competitions, the Frenchman said the hectic schedule had given the league leaders a perfect platform to build on in the second half of the campaign.

"You have a rhythm (when you have a lot of games). You try to check who needs a breather and who needs a rest and you do it," Wenger told the club's website (www.arsenal.com).

"It is easier to keep the squad focussed and motivated when you have many games. It has both a positive and negative impact."

Wenger also suggested he could rotate his squad for the midweek Premier League trip to Liverpool and again for Stoke City on Sunday.

"When you are on a roll and have no injuries, everyone is in the same direction and it is easier to keep everyone on board. Everyone in the next competition thinks they have to play, and that is a positive," Wenger said.

"There is fatigue and injuries at the end of the season but you can't say we are not a big club and that we can't go for the big competitions, that is important."

The Gunners top the standings on 42 points from 20 games, two points ahead of Leicester City.





(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world