THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONACO -- The competition for places in Arsenal's starting team is so intense that young Gunners may be pushing their fragile bodies too hard and picking up injuries, according to former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.
Arsenal's season is reaching its pinnacle, with an FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea on Saturday, followed by a trip to Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Tuesday and a Champions League semifinal against Manchester United later this month.
"There is such a competition for places in each position -- which didn't exist 15 years ago -- that players are prepared to make all the sacrifices to play," Petit told The Associated Press in an interview. "Because you know that behind you there are three players ready to take your spot, so sometimes you play through injury and you push the machine a lot further than it should go because you want to play well."
The Gunners will also face United and Chelsea in back-to-back league games next month.
"It is difficult to handle because you have to know how far you can push things and when to put your foot on the brake," Petit said. "But when you are young you want to play all the games."
The likes of captain Cesc Fabregas, striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott only just came back after long absences. Those three were outstanding in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"When you have Fabregas, (Abou) Diaby, Walcott, (Tomas) Rosicky (all injured) ... those players are extremely fragile," Petit said. "Something I've noticed with a lot of young players at Arsenal is that they are too often injured, and in our era we were not injured like that. Football has become more and more intense, in terms of preparation and the build up to a match. The pressure is bigger and bigger."
Czech Republic midfielder Rosicky has yet to return from a groin injury, while Arsenal's defence has been ravaged by injury recently.
Defender William Gallas is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (ankle), and fullbacks Gael Clichy (back) and Bakary Sagna (virus) are still recovering.
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger has built such a talent base that players are desperate to play for a team known for some of the best attacking football in Europe.
"If you don't take risks during your career, you'll never know what your limits are. The English are very fond of players who give everything," Petit said. "That often leads to you getting injured, especially if you play in a top European club like Arsenal, you know you will play every three days. It's difficult to handle that over a whole season."
Petit formed the core of Arsenal's League and Cup double winning team in 1998, patrolling the centre of midfield along with Patrick Vieira. Both went on to win the World Cup with France that year.
"Of course it is ingrained in my memory," Petit said. "We marked the history of this club as our team did back then."
The 38-year-old Petit still recalls the passion at Arsenal's old Highbury stadium.
"Highbury was a mythical stadium filled with history which you could feel even outside the stadium," Petit said. "Once you were inside, it was a stadium in the purest English tradition, close to the pitch, the communion with the fans."
Petit, who played over 100 games for Arsenal, is confident the Gunners will end the season on a high following a slump that had the club reeling after five league defeats before Christmas.
The return of Fabregas, Adebayor and Walcott, coupled with the form of Robin Van Persie and Andrei Arshavin, will help as they bid to win two Cups and secure at least fourth place in the Premier League.
"They are now starting to lift their heads up, and their good form in the Champions League matches their league form," Petit said. "This has coincided with the return of players that they were missing enormously, and the fact that they signed Arshavin was a very good thing."
