The importance of rest: How Arsenal can claim vital title advantage

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The new Premier League season is almost upon us and Arsenal will be hoping to finally get over the line and lift the title after finishing second in each of the last three campaigns.

However, competition is going to be tougher than ever. 2024/25 champions Liverpool are undertaking an unprecedented spending spree and could spend in excess of £400m this summer if they are successful in signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.

Manchester City are expected to be in the title mix once again after a disappointing third-placed finish last season. Pep Guardiola has rebuilt his squad and the Citizens are ready to go again this coming campaign.

Chelsea have once again splashed the cash as they look to build on their fourth-placed from last year while Tottenham and Manchester United are expected to be competitive again after woeful Premier League performances in 2024/25.

With so much competition, Arsenal are going to need to find an edge if they want to beat the likes of Liverpool and City to the title. One area that Mikel Arteta could certainly improve upon is rotating his squad better to ensure his key men get enough rest.

Injury issues

While Arteta has no-doubt built a great starting eleven over the past few years, it’s clear he’s become too reliant on the same names. The likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes play practically every game when available and they are rarely rotated to give them the rest and recuperation time they desperately need.

Over a year ago, many Arsenal fans warned of player burn-out and could see the injuries coming. You can’t keep expecting a player like Saka to play virtually every game without running the risk his body will eventually break down. The winger played 47 games in the 2023/24 season – missing just four matches – and accumulated 3,865 minutes. The previous season, Saka played in every single one of Arsenal’s league, Champions League and FA Cup matches – a total of 48 appearances and 3,744 minutes played.

It came as no surprise then that the England international tore his hamstring against Crystal Palace in December 2024. He missed a total of 19 games for Arsenal after undergoing surgery and his absence was a key reason why our title challenge fell apart. It was a similar story for Gabriel Magalhaes – who also saw his season cut short due to a hamstring tear – while the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard – all important first team regulars – also suffered serious injuries last season.

Importance of rest

If Arteta can take one thing away from last season, it’s the importance of giving his key players rest! The manager has previously suggested that modern-day players have to get used to playing over 50 games a season but I hope last season’s injury issues opened his eyes and made the boss realise he has to protect his players more.

Rest is a vital part of elite sport, particularly in football where players regularly run 6 miles per game at high intensity. All players are monitored and the medical team use top-end technology to try to prevent too much ‘load’. However, no matter how good the clubs medical team is, it’s virtually impossible to prevent muscle injuries if players aren’t given enough time to recuperate and recharge their batteries.

During a recent refurb of the clubs training ground, Arsenal installed a number of ‘rest room’ where players could go to chill out and sleep. The room are equipped with double ottoman beds and luxury bedding to give the players the best possible surroundings. I think it’s time Arteta used these facilities to give the likes of Saka, Rice and Gabriel plenty of time to rest throughout the gruelling season.

If the club can protect these players it will help keep them fit and available for selection. Resting Saka at home to some of the lower league clubs is essential this year to make sure he’s in the best possible condition for the title deciders against the likes of Liverpool and City.

Squad depth

The boss can’t have any excuses this season as the club have backed him in the market to ensure he has proper squad depth. It was understandable last season that Saka barely got a rest as we didn’t have an able back-up. However, we’ve brought in Noni Madueke to offer support on the wings, while youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman have emerged as two of the hottest prospects in the league.

Arsenal have also added up front with the arrival of Viktor Gyokeres, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi have strengthened the midfield while Cristhian Mosquera has given us another versatile option in defence.

So Arteta now has real depth throughout his squad and this will allow him to rotate the team more, providing vital rest for key players. This could be the edge Arsenal need in what’s expected to be another thrilling title race this season.

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