You don’t think like that after a game like this. It is terribly painful but you do not compare your pain. You have pain and that is it. I feel it was under very special circumstances. We have played three games in the Premier League and two Champions League games. It is not a time to make a balance of the whole season.
Of course it hurts, it’s humiliating, but you could see that we had not recovered physically in the second half from Wednesday night. We were short in some areas, that is for sure. They have class and they punished us. It was 3-1 at half-time and I think that was harsh against us. We missed a penalty, we had a chance to get back to 3-2. We tried desperately to get back but we opened ourselves up and were punished. Their finishing was great today.
on planning for reinforcements…
I am very open if we can find the right players. We have the money to sign players. If we find players who can strengthen our team then we will do it. But I am not the only one to work on the case, we have 20 people who are working on that. If we do not do it, it is because we don’t find them. We have plenty of players out today, too many players missing. We do not have the squad to compete when we have this many players out. At the moment, we have not found the solutions to our problems outside. When you look at today, you cannot predict how many players we have out. We did not expect to have Wilshere out, Diaby out, Gervinho out, Vermaelen out and Gibbs out.
on the wage structure at the Club…
It is difficult to find excuses after a game like that. Wages-wise, of course we are behind the other teams.
on whether he is close to bringing anyone in…
We are close to signing a striker at the moment but we are still looking for a midfielder and a defender.
on whether there is truth in links with a move with Mikel Arteta…
No.
on whether experience is needed…
Yes but it is difficult when you lose 8-2. It is better when you don’t talk as much but it hurts and it looks like you are looking for excuses. We have to sort out our problems that we have in the squad.
on criticism directed at him…
I am in a public job and I have to accept that. I try to make the right decisions for the Club and I will continue to do that. The players we have sold are players I brought to the Club. If you look at the 15 years I have been at the Club, I have brought in some good players. We have played three games in the Premier League, give me more time before saying that I have got it completely wrong. There were patches in the game where we had quality. I feel we collapsed physically more than anything else today.
Source: Arsenal.com on 28 Aug 11
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