Monday, August 16, 2010

Wenger's reaction to the Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal match

On if 1-1 was a fair result...
"Yes [it was]. It was a game where we had a lot of possession. In the first half we controlled the game and our keeper didn't have a lot to do. In fairness they defended well, we had the ball in their half a lot but didn't find any openings. I thought in the second half we could do that better but they had a strong start and it was very difficult at 1-0 down against 10 men who played very deep. They intelligently took the fluency out of the game. We just kept going and throwing more and more people forward and in the end we got a deserved equaliser. I couldn't see us losing a game like that without being deeply hurt because we had a lot of possession. I agree that we lacked a bit of spark in the final third but overall they have shown the right attitude."

On if he saw Joe Cole's tackle on Laurent Koscielny...
"No, it was completely in the corner and from the bench you couldn't see. Joe Cole is usually a fair player, he is not one I would like to record as a guy who tries to hurt people, it is not his style. Maybe he was a bit rash in his tackle but he kicked Koscielny, accidently, well. He had a big knock on his shin and fortunately his shin pad protected him well. We were scared that it was broken. When they moved him off the pitch the physio told me it could be broken."

On what he learned from his players in the match...
"We were quite solid as a team, our passing is still decent and we need a bit more penetration in the final third to take advantage of our possession. That is a bit normal because many players are just coming back from the World Cup and some from injuries. It is a positive that the spirit is there and the attitude was good."

On if he is still targeting a goalkeeper in the transfer market...
"At the moment it is better for me not to talk about that because it doesn't help the keepers who play for us, so it is better that we focus on the goalkeepers we have. I believe Almunia had a good game today."

On Liverpool...
"I believe that Liverpool will be a contender for the top places, that is what we have learned today. They defended very well and they are an intelligent team, so it will be interesting."

On why he signed a new contract with Arsenal...
"Because I love the Club and I don't see myself going anywhere else. I believe it is the only way to show my commitment to this Club. I signed a contract I had been offered, so I can only show one way how much I want to do well for the Club, the day it will not be good enough, don't worry I will go. I will go one day, don't worry!"

On if this will be his last job...
"I don't know. If I can finish these years well, I am already happy. I am at an age where I do not plan in decades anymore, I plan month by month!"

On if this team can win something...
"We finished third last year and our ambition is to progress, to improve. I feel the two players who we bought have done well - I believe Chamakh and Koscielny had an impress performance today. We are still a bit short defensively."

On Chamakh's introduction to the Premier League...
"That is exactly what the League is all about and that is what we love here. He showed with the goal that he is not frightened to put his head and body in."

On why Cesc Fabregas wasn't involved...
"He was sick and anyway he wasn't ready to compete."

On his view of Andrey Arshavin's performance...
"I felt he worked hard but he was a bit tired from the [international] game in midweek. He travelled to Russia and came back on Thursday. He tried to push himself today. Glen Johnson played well against him and he is the kind of player who can always create something special. But it was a difficult game for him."

On his decision process when choosing who should play in goal...
"The decision process is that both [Almunia and Fabianski] had a good pre-season and in the end I went for a bit more experience coming here with a massive pressure on for the first game. I decided to play Almunia because he knows what it is about."

Source: Arsenal.com on 15 Aug 10

No comments:

Post a Comment