Arsenal boss has no plans to rest Vieira

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he has no plans to rest Patrick Vieira, despite his captain's plea for a break from football.

"Patrick played in Cyprus (for France) on Saturday night, and after the game against Manchester City on Tuesday night he was very tired," Wenger told Arsenal's official website.

"I looked at the statistics for Tuesday's game and, physically, Patrick was outstanding. He pushed himself very hard and that explains why he was so tired.

"But I have no plans to rest him. I believe that he is in a different physical shape now and he will be ready for Saturday's game (at Charlton Athletic)," added Wenger.

Earlier this week, midfielder Vieira said he was planning to ask Wenger to rest him, five matches into the premier league season.

"I'm not tired, I'm burned out," the player told sports daily l'Equipe after the London club's 2-1 victory over Manchester City.

"I can hardly stand. My back aches, my legs hurt, it hurts all over. This time I really need a breather, I need it," said Vieira.

TIRING GAMES

"I'm going to see Arsene. He must give me time off to relax. I don't know how or when but it must come quickly because the Champions League is coming and there are soon two tiring games in succession for France."

European champions France play Slovenia and Malta on October 12 and 16. The group stage of the Champions League starts next week.

Vieira played 66 official games last season and brought the record of successive caps for France to 42 against Cyprus.

After Arsenal won the league title and FA Cup in May, Vieira travelled to France to prepare for the World Cup.

Following the first-round exit of the world champions from the finals, Vieira complained the whole team had been exhausted.

Arsenal started playing pre-season friendlies at the end of July.

On Friday, Vieira followed up his plea for a rest by saying he had no wish to leave the English Double winners.

"I don't have any desire to go anywhere else or test myself anywhere else," he told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper.

"I realise now I have found everything I was looking for in this club. I am playing with great players.

"I know that I can improve with this club and I know the club wants to be one of the big clubs in Europe. So our ambitions are the same."