Arsenal legend Ray Parlour admits he is concerned about the number of injured players at his former club. The Gunners lost a further two players on Sunday to increase their absentee list to five.
Arsenal lost summer signing Jurrien Timber early in the season with an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury. Thomas Partey was next to be struck down, suffering a groin problem in training which is likely to keep him out until after the next international break.
Gabriel Martinelli suffered a hamstring injury during the 1-0 win at Everton, while Leandro Trossard missed Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham with the same problem. Declan Rice then limped off at half-time with a back issue to add to Mikel Arteta’s fitness concerns.
Parlour spent the majority of his Arsenal career playing under Arsene Wenger. He cannot remember there being as many injuries at the same as the Gunners have got now.
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The pundit reckons a change in pitches as well as players being “more flimsy” is playing a part. Parlour said on talkSPORT: “You look at Arsenal you’ve got Martinelli, Trossard, Partey out, Rice. It’s a bit of a worry and I just don’t understand all these injuries, I really don’t.
“They’re really looked after now, players, aren’t they? And I’m going back to my career, I don’t remember six, seven players being injured at once. It’s really weird.
“Whether it’s the pitches, they’re a little bit firmer now, I don’t know. It takes its toll a little bit more, maybe training is more intense now, I don’t know
“I just never saw in my era as many injuries in a team at that one stage. And early in the season, I know pre-season is very important, you’ve got to have a good pre-season to get you ready for the whole season.
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“But I can’t remember our teams having seven, eight injuries at once. They’re so looked after now, obviously nutrition, they’ve got so many people looking at what they do in training.
“That’s what I don’t understand. Whether they’re a bit more flimsy players now, I don’t know, because we were a little bit more tougher if I’m being honest.”
Rice avoided injuries throughout most of his career at West Ham and Arteta is hoping the back problem is not serious. He said: “Hopefully not, but we have to assess him.
“It’s strange that a player like him asks to come off, because he wasn’t uncomfortable. Hopefully not, but we’ll see.”
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