Football
Mattias Karen, Arsenal correspondent 7y

Arsenal much better at preventing muscle injuries - Arsene Wenger

LONDON -- Arsene Wenger says Arsenal have improved "tremendously" when it comes to preventing muscle injuries after adopting more scientific measures to monitoring players.

Arsenal have long been plagued by injuries, with players like Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere becoming known for spending more time on the sidelines than on the pitch.

However, while the club have seen a number of serious knee injuries over the last year, the only first-team regular currently sidelined with a muscle problem is Aaron Ramsey, who is still recovering from a hamstring problem he suffered on the opening day of the campaign.

Wenger said "it's a bit early to say" that Arsenal have moved on from their regular injury problems but feels the club's preventive measures are working.

"I believe we have improved on the muscular injury front tremendously in the last two or three years," Wenger said on Friday. "Last year we were a bit unlucky with the knocks we got and the joint injuries we got, because they were down to blocks in the game, but overall on the muscular front I think we have done much better, and hopefully we can continue that."

Arsenal had to go several months without key midfielders Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin after they suffered knee injuries last season, while Alexis Sanchez also had a lengthy layoff with a hamstring problem and Jack Wilshere missed nearly the entire season with a broken ankle.

Danny Welbeck, meanwhile, suffered a second serious knee injury in May after only returning from a nine-month layoff in February.

Asked to explain what Arsenal are doing differently to prevent muscle injuries, Wenger said: "It's not one measure. It's to analyse the level of fatigue, of recovery, the preparation as well, the prevention.

"Everything is a bit more scientific. Maybe that makes you a little bit more able to predict what could happen. We know the players very well now because we have data for a few years. And we can analyse, when did he get injured? The repetition of some signs, some warnings, that we know much better now."

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