Arsenal's Health Hazard: Does Arsene Wenger Need To Sack His Medical Staff?

Arsenal's notorious five year trophy absence has nothing to do with the Gunners lack of quality. For many seasons now, Arsenal have boasted one of the strongest squads in world football as well as some of the greatest players.

However, constant injuries have ensured that every season the North London giants will start brightly and are then condemned to a calamitous list of injuries that ensures Arsenal will be without silverware by season's end.

It has been a constant problem, the injury factor, granted that many teams approach Arsenal's game with an aggressive, physical mentality that consists of many robust challenges and mistimed tackles.

However, Arsene Wenger's men seem to suffer injuries all too often. It's come to a point where surely the finger must be pointed at the medical staff of the Gunners.

Take two of Arsenal's deadliest attackers and leaders in their current squad, captain Cesc Fabregas and vice captain Robin van Persie. Dutchman van Persie's is a tale that can be told by all: Easily one of the strongest strikers in Europe, but due to constant injuries the 27-year-old rarely can see out a season despite being an impenetrable force for the time he is fit.

Since van Persie's arrival in North London back in May 2004, the Dutch maestro's Arsenal career has been tainted by injury. The former Feyenoord sharpshooter has enjoyed a successful time at Arsenal, boasting 203 appearances and 76 goals, but injuries have ensured that his six-year stint has not been as superb as it should be.

Since 2004, van Persie has suffered a torn hamstring, a broken toe, a broken metatarsal, snapped ankle ligaments, knee ligament damage, a back injury and numerous other fitness issues.

Although some of those injuries have been sustained on international duties whilst others have been impact injuries, it appears that the Dutchman never fully recovered from his injuries.

Van Persie's best season to date was the 2008-2009 season, when no real injuries materialized, enabling the forward to top Arsenal's scoring sheet with 20 goals and become Arsenal's Player of The Year.

But in every other season, van Pesie's injuries have either come short periods after the Dutchman has finally recovered or have been season-ending.

Arsenal's captain Cesc Fabregas's recent hamstring injury has also raised concerns after the Spaniard limped off in Arsenal's shock 2-0 loss to Sporting Braga in the Champions League last week.

Arsene Wenger has admitted Fabregas was never fully fit after sustaining the injury back in September. Granted, Fabregas is an irreplaceable prospect in Arsenal's squad, but for the Spanish maestro to be rushed back into first team contention despite still boasting a tender hamstring points poorly towards Wenger's medical staff.

Arsenal's head physio is Colin Lewin, whilst David Wales and Simon Harland are assistants. Gary O'Driscoll is the current club doctor, and Tony Colbert is the fitness coach. All have overseen Arsenal's colossal injury list yet injuries keep occurring on a consistent basis to what appears to be a similar list of players.

Two other players who have also had their Arsenal careers tainted by injury are Theo Walcott and Abou Diaby. English starlet Walcott has yet to enjoy a season fully fit with ankle, shoulder, back and hip injuries, condemning the 20 year old to a stop start time at Arsenal.

Although Walcott is still young, the Englishman appears unable to withstand much force from defenders without being forced out.

Imposing Frenchman Abou Diaby also has a long list of injuries. The French internationals most recent came in August, when the 24 year old suffered an ankle injury from a malicious, criminal tackles from the notoriously dirty Paul Robinson.

Diaby was able to return in September, but once again injured the ankle in October due to being expose to football too soon after sustaining the injury. The former Auxerre midfielder has yet to feature since October.

The medical staff may have been unaware of just how severe Diaby's injury was, as well as Walcott's various knocks, but it seems strange that neither have gained any strength or power from their rehabilitations and are usually never fully recovered from their injuries.

Whether or not the Arsenal medical team is incapable of curing the injuries due to the lack of flexibility of the Arsenal players or because the force teams deploy against the Gunners has take a mass toll on the players, it remains to be unseen.

However, it raises the question: Does Wenger require a new medical staff?