On whether the better team won…
"I just think we have made a demonstration that you can play well and lose the game. The game should have been over before we started it – we had the first two chances in the first minute and I don’t know how we managed to miss the header from six yards. At that level you get punished. I think we were a bit unfortunate as well because the first goal was a foul on Song from Ramieres – 100 per cent foul. After that we made a mistake that should not happen at the near post and Drogba took advantage of it. After the second half it was one-way traffic and in the last 10 to 15 minutes Chelsea were counter-attacking. But we missed too many chances at that level and in the final third you need to be more clinical offensively and defensively. We had a great team performance and great energy. You could see that Chelsea finished with cramps because they had to run a lot, so I give credit to my team. But we have to be more clinical to win titles – we can’t lose a game like that."
On how clinical his side was…
"Their strikers were more clinical than ours and that made the difference because apart from that I believe Chelsea suffered a lot today. They were on the ropes for long periods in the game."
On dominating but not scoring…
"We had the chances today. When you have the chances we have today you need to score."
On whether he was angry at your team…
"No. I feel sorry for my team because they had an outstanding attitude and an outstanding display. You can only congratulate them for that attitude. I feel sorry for the fact that they have not been rewarded but we live in a realistic world and when you don’t score and don’t take your chances then you don’t win big games."
On the positives…
"There are many positives from the game because we dominated this game quite surprisingly in my opinion. We go home with zero points and if you look at the way we threw two points away at Sunderland last week and this week you see that despite our quality that is not enough."
On injuries to his side…
"Today we had [the players] to win the game. No matter who was here, we had enough quality to win this game."
On whether Jack Wilshere showed he is a big game player
"Yes. He finished a bit tired because he gave everything but he’s 18 years of age and we see what he did today and you can only say ‘Congratulations Jack’ and keep going."
On Abou Diaby’s injury..
"He has a bad ankle and looks to be a doubt for the French national team."
On his attacking strategy…
"I felt we are a team who wants to have the ball and doesn’t hide away from home. Any side who comes here and sits back gets punished. If you allow them to play in your half they have the quality [with their] strikers and take advantage of mistakes. I decided to play in their half and overall I think we did it very well and I can only give credit to my team. They have done marvellously well. You want to be rewarded when you produce a game of that quality and when you go home with no points we have to analyse why and be more clinical. The basis is there, the collective team quality is there but we have to transform that into points."
On Chelsea’s style…
"I don’t want to judge Chelsea’s style. I know when you win you are always right."
On the title race…
"Chelsea are one of the candidates to win the title but there is a long way to go. This game was not decisive game. They are in a strong position but they can drop points as well."
On a sense of déjà vu…
"That is what people will say but I don’t feel that. I feel the two teams are really close. We have to give Chelsea today they took advantage up front. They were much more clinical."
On a Drogba goal being inevitable…
"That is good for literature not sport. Nothing is inevitable in sport. Congratulations to him but that does not mean it will go on forever."
On Koscielny’s early miss…
"I think he was too much turned towards the corner. Instead of turning his body and facing the goal he did not adjust to the ball."
Source: Arsenal.com on 3 Oct 10
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