Mikel Arteta joins chorus slamming current scheduling

The relentless fixture congestion in the Premier League has come under renewed criticism, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta joining Manchester City's Pep Guardiola in voicing frustrations. Both managers have bemoaned the scheduling that sees their teams play multiple matches in a short timeframe, often with little recovery time between games. This compressed schedule puts a significant strain on player fitness and increases the risk of injuries.

Arteta's comments come after Arsenal's recent run of demanding fixtures. The Gunners have played four matches in the last two weeks, including a crucial Premier League clash against a top-four rival and a grueling Champions League tie. This hectic schedule has left Arteta concerned about his players' well-being.

"They are human beings"

“It’s not about us, Pep or myself, it’s about the well-being of the players. Especially when you are competing in European competition, everything has to be competed in the same way. You cannot have a team that hasn’t played for seven days or three days before and has more recovery time and you have to play in the Premier League or the FA Cup. The players are putting in a tremendous effort, but they are human beings. They need time to recover, both physically and mentally. When you play so many games in such a short space of time, it becomes very difficult to maintain that level of intensity," he said.

The managers' concerns are valid. The congested fixture schedule is a major issue in the Premier League, and it is one that has been steadily worsening in recent years. The demands of playing in multiple competitions, coupled with the increasing popularity of the league internationally, have led to an ever-growing number of matches being crammed into the season.

This scheduling has a number of negative consequences. As Arteta and Guardiola have pointed out, it increases the risk of injuries. Players who are constantly fatigued are more susceptible to muscle strains, ligament tears, and other physical ailments. This can have a significant impact on a team's performance, as key players are forced to miss matches.