We will play all competitions seriously this season: Wenger

Arsenal chief coach Arsene Wenger on Monday questioned the efficiency of modern sports science saying "that nobody knows if it's really efficient or not" and admitted that his team will not sacrifice any competitions this football season.

"They have warm-downs, they have what everybody does nowadays -- treatment with the physios, massage, cryotherapy and all the stuff that nobody knows if it's really efficient or not," Wenger was quoted as saying by espnfc, when asked how his players will be able to recover from Thursday night to Sunday morning.

Arsenal take on West Bromwich Albion on Monday night in the English Premier League before a Europa League game against Belarusian team Bate Borisov on Thursday.

The Gunners again play an early kickoff against Brighton and Hove on Sunday.

"Because you have a lot of science. If you read the science, some have proved that it works, and some prove that it doesn't work. Those who prove that it works usually are sponsored by the guys who sell (the treatment)," he said.

"Because at the end of the day, since I am in the job, we have improved a lot the medical treatment. A lot, a lot. But still, if you have a muscular problem it takes 21 days. It took 21 days 30 years ago. So we have to respect nature, and nobody could make miracles."

Meanwhile, unlike rival coaches Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, Wenger did not want to entertain the idea of ignoring the Europa League in order to lighten the load.

Arsenal are playing the competition for the first time after failing to finish in the top four in the league last time.

"With the pressure that every club is under now, you cannot sacrifice any competition," the Arsenal boss said.

"You know that you could pay the price sometimes for it because if you go further in the League Cup, at some stage you play semi-finals where you are home and away in January, and you have the FA Cup, the Premiership. Sometimes you lose players in these competitions."

--IANS

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