Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 6-1 Southampton match

on the performance...
Especially in the first 45 minutes we had a high level. We had a good combination of pace, speed in our passing, quick combinations, and the movement was excellent. We were a bit lucky as well because they conceded two own goals, but overall I think it was a level of continuity with what we have shown at Liverpool and today. The game was very interesting to watch. In the second half we lost a bit of urgency, that is human, but we controlled the game and remained serious.

on a big month ahead…
We have a big week coming up because we go on Tuesday now to Montpellier. On Sunday we play at Man City and we have two interesting weeks coming up because we play Chelsea as well. We will know more about our team then but there is a positive energy in this team, a desire to play well together, and real team play. It is very exciting.

on Gervinho playing through the middle…
You know we transform all wingers into central strikers and all the strikers into wingers! I decided that during our tour of Asia when I tried to play Gervinho there against Man City in that position. I liked what he did and it was in the back of my mind. It is interesting because he is such a great mover and he is so quick so when he is central, once he gets ahead of the central defender it is difficult to catch him back.

on Santi Cazorla…
Cazorla is a player who is just a pleasure to watch. You want him to have the ball. He typifies what Spain's midfielders are today - he is technically perfect, he has great vision and a great team attitude. We did fight with Malaga at the time [to get him last summer] and they were in Spain, they were quick to do the deal. But we remained on the ball, we were quite advanced with him last season.

on Lukas Podolski…
First of all Lukas has 101 caps for Germany. In our job, once you get the ball every time at the right moment, when you want it, with the right quality of the pass, it is easier to adapt. So when a team plays as well as it did today, the adaptation is easy. When you have to fight, and then you are exposed to the real English game, it is much more difficult. He is physically strong and he is a fantastic finisher. I had a little hesitation today to play him at centre forward because I had played him only once there. He gives us a balance on the left and I didn't want to destroy that because he did well at Liverpool.

on Francis Coquelin…
I didn't go on the [transfer] market because of him, because of Frimpong, because of Wilshere coming back - he is not far away now. Frimpong is joining in now on Monday in full training. Diaby as well, he plays in this position. We have no real defensive midfielder because we all go forward when we have the ball.

on leaving Giroud on the bench…
I felt that he is under much pressure at the moment and sometimes to get a little breather is good. What I will do on Tuesday I honestly don't know. I just felt that the time has come for him to not be under too much pressure.

on Walcott through the centre…
Walcott can play up front as well. We work on it with him. He was sick the whole week, he only had one training session.

on Diaby's fitness…
Diaby should be fit for Montpellier. He could even have played today, he had a good training session but we didn't want to take a risk.

on Szczesny's error for Southampton's goal…
I think he was disappointed. That's the negative of the day, that we conceded a goal, but we can swallow that. You have to concede at some stage but it happened like it happened.

Source: Arsenal.com on 15 Sep 12

Arsène Wenger hails Arsenal's unbroken run in the Champions League

Maybe Arsène Wenger does know after all. An unbalanced, transitional, sometimes lightweight Arsenal team produced one of the most see-sawingly unlikely third‑place finishes in recent Premier League history with a victory at The Hawthorns that, but for Kieron Gibbs's late tackle, might have been a calamitous 3-3 draw. In the process they ensured the fiscal grail of Champions League qualification continued: shaken, stirred but as yet uninterrupted. At the end Wenger appeared both calm and commendably magnanimous after a season that had also brought occasional animosity from a vocal minority of the club's support.

"I'm very proud of this season," Wenger said. "We were tested not just on the pitch but off, for our unity and solidity in the club. We didn't show weakness and we stayed united. It's a good lesson for everyone.

"If you look at the season as a whole we only lost two in the last 16 games, we had a fantastic run and finished with a respectable 70 points and qualified for the 15th year in a row for the Champions League and we are proud of that. Only three clubs in the whole of Europe have done that. It shows it's not as easy as it looks."

Wenger conceded it had been a close run thing during a match that seemed to pulse along at its own frenzied tempo. "I felt when we were 1-0 up we looked nervous and shaky. At 2-1 down we got back to our game and we defended crosses with resilience. I'm still thinking of suing the referee for the five minutes of added time, because my heart suffered too much."

Gibbs received particular praise after a late appearance at left-back from the bench that steadied an initially harum-scarum back four. "He came on very well," Wenger said. "We suffered on that flank in the first half. He won headers and tackles and he deserves huge credit for that tackle."

Of Robin van Persie's decision after the other players had left the pitch to walk across, defying the attentions of stewards, and enjoy a protracted communion with the travelling support, Wenger remained wryly noncommittal. "You can make of that what you want. If he didn't celebrate, you would say he's already gone. If he does, you can say he's saying goodbye. I would see it as a positive." Talks are planned before Van Persie leaves to join the Dutch camp for Euro 2012. His fate is perhaps undecided right now but it was a moment no doubt designed to save the Dutchman from feeling he never got the chance to say goodbye.

As for Roy Hodgson, in some ways this was an ideal final Premier League workout for England's new manager. Charged with deploying his team of energetic middleweights to stifle apparently superior cosmopolitan opponents, Hodgson drew another well-drilled and even expansive performance from his players, sending his final West Bromwich Albion team out in an adventurous 4‑4‑1‑1 formation.

Hodgson also maintained his commendably low-key persona so far by dodging the post-match press conference, sending instead his No2 Keith Downing, who paid generous tribute to his departing boss. "Roy has given the club a stability, a structure, improving the standard every day. He's making players, even when they're 30 years of age better in their game," Downing said.

"There are a lot of players in the dressing room disappointed to see him go. People talk about senior players [with England] but senior players can learn. Roy will give honesty and integrity, a shape and a system that players will understand. He's got all the attributes to do a decent job at national level."

Source: Barney Ronay, The Guardian on 13 May 12

Wenger's reaction to the WBA 2-3 Arsenal match

on sealing third place…
I think if you look at the season as a whole, we lost only two of the last 16 games and created a fantastic run. In the end we finished with 70 points, which is respectable, and we qualify for the Champions League for the 15th consecutive year. Of course we are very proud of that, especially this season having started where we started. We had problems getting over the line and you could see that again today.

on another comeback…
When we were 1-0 up we were nervous. When we were 2-1 down we got back to our game again and in the end we just hung on. We defended crosses with resilience but as long as we did not manage a fourth goal [I was nervous]. I am still thinking of suing the referee for the five minutes of added time because my heart suffered immensely!

on the Tottenham game…
Yes [I was aware of what was going on]. They were 2-0 up and basically I did not want to finish fourth. If Chelsea win the Champions League then you are not in it and you are also not [definitely] in it because you play a qualifier.

on thoughts of a third-placed finish in September…
In September certainly not. We were 17th in the league then and in the first seven games we had lost four. When you have played seven games and lost four you think there are 31 games to go and it is very difficult to imagine that you will finish third. But we had an exceptional run after our exit in the Champions League.

on the defence...
Szczesny has played injured in the last five weeks with a shoulder problem. He gets injected on the day of a game and plays, you cannot maintain your level like that forever. We just decided to do it because there was not long to go. If it was in the middle of the season we would have rested him.

on Gibbs' late saving challenge…
I feel he came on very well. He suffered on that flank in the second half but when he came on he won headers and won tackles to get us out of difficult situations. He deserves huge credit for that tackle.

on overhauling Tottenham...
I don't know [if it is one of my best seasons], I leave that to you. I am very proud of this season because we were not only tested on the football front - which as a Club we are used to - but on our mental solidity, unity and solidarity within. We were deeply tested, we did not show any weakness, kept united and in the end came back. It is a good lesson for everybody. At some stages everybody was wondering what we were doing.

on qualifying for Champions League…
I would not say it is a failure. We have qualifying for the 15th season in a row now. There are only three clubs that have done that so it is not as easy as it looks.

on keeping hold of Van Persie…
It is easier to attract players and to keep them.

on signing Podolski…
I was asked many times the question whether or not we relied too much on the goalscoring of Van Persie. He has scored 30 goals and we have tried to add somebody else who can score as well. Yes [we plan to speak with him before the Euros].

on Van Persie's post-match celebrations…
You can make of that what you want. If a player does not come out and celebrate you say he is a already gone and if he goes and celebrates with the fans that means he is saying goodbye. I believe it is positive.

on a fitting send-off for Pat Rice…
First of all we are from the same generation you would call the 'Old Guard'. I am very happy to give him that present today. I would have been sad for him to leave the Club today and not be in the Champions League. It is very emotional for him and for me as well because I arrived here and he was always my assistant. Pat has many qualities of the 'Old Guard'; that means he is a fighter, he doesn't talk too much - but when he talks, he talks! He is mentally strong.

on the dramatic title race…
It is unbelievable. Maybe QPR knew they were safe, I don't know. Maybe they relaxed a little bit and thought they were over the line. But it is Manchester City and they can score goals. That can happen.

Source: Arsenal.com on 13 May 12

Arsène Wenger's worries abate after Arsenal escape Norwich draw

There were a few stragglers left inside the Emirates Stadium when Mikel Arteta and his two‑year‑old son enjoyed a kickabout on the pitch. Young Gabriel evidently has a stylish left foot already. His father, unfortunately for Arsenal, was not able to do anything more than roll the ball gently for his boy to chase.

Arteta's injury – he damaged ankle ligaments against Wigan Athletic, and as he fell the opposition broke from the exact area the Spaniard was patrolling and scored – has coincided with Arsenal's end‑of‑season decline. The moment he went down turned out to be a quadruple whammy. Arsenal lost a goal, the game, the player who glues the side together for the remainder of the season, and their momentum. They have not won a single Premier League match this season in which Arteta has been absent.

At the end of a deflating draw against a lively and opportunistic Norwich, it seemed that all Arsenal's frailties were coming back to haunt them at the worst possible time. Arsène Wenger made no bones afterwards about how badly his team fared both defensively and offensively. He sounded fed up that the goalscoring burden rests with Robin van Persie, although he has to take some responsibility for the fact the two support strikers he signed, Marouane Chamakh and Park Ju‑young, have not been trusted enough to play much part.

"Again we are punished because Robin had to score, and many times we do not get enough goals from elsewhere," Wenger said. "We had so many obvious chances that you want somebody else to score one. That doesn't happen enough. Of course we need to address that." The arrival of the German international Lukas Podolski from Cologne is a start, but you sense Arsenal will need more shooting prowess from other areas to push on next season.

Planning is in a kind of limbo as Arsenal wait to see what the fates bring in terms of Champions League qualification. Wenger was in no mood for optimism at the end of a match that was engrossing for the neutral yet enraging for him. He declared himself "gutted". But his spirits were boosted 24 hours later when both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur faltered, effectively handing Arsenal a get-out-of-jail-free card. Third place had slipped out of their hands on Saturday, only to be gifted back on Sunday. Arsenal will have to lift their levels of concentration to get a result in their final game at West Bromwich, and prevent what has become a recurring seasonal breakdown at this time in the football calendar.

Three and a half weeks ago, going into that home game with Wigan, Arsenal were five points clear of both Tottenham and Newcastle, and on a convincing run of eight wins out of nine. If third place was not quite a formality, it was certainly expected.

Two points from three home games since left Wenger shocked. Not for the first time this season, the Frenchman intimated there might have been some complacency in his team. That is a damning indictment at this stage of the season. The fact that Wenger did, in the early part of his Arsenal career, produce teams with the personality and endurance to finish a campaign strongly makes the trend even more puzzling. The manager knows what is needed when the pressure is do or die.

The changes in the team this season, with more experienced heads around the place, seemed to be making a difference. But it is a concern that whatever the personnel or circumstances, Arsenal choke up at this time of year. The League Cup final defeat to Birmingham City last season, and the subsequent collapse (they won two of their last 13 games and slipped from second to fourth in the table) was a case in point. The previous season they lost four out of the last six games. Before that they lost four from seven. Go back another year to the 2007‑08 season, and Arsenal were title contenders but a period of two wins from 13 games saw them fall away.

It is a terrible habit they have one last chance to break next Sunday.

When it comes to battling qualities, Arsenal could have learned a thing or two from Norwich. Not that Paul Lambert took a question about his team's grafting as a compliment. "You trying to say that was just a battling performance?" he growled, looking as if he had been gravely insulted. The Scot was proud enough of what he had witnessed to value Norwich's performance as superior to their victory at White Hart Lane. "Top-class," he said. "And you've got to remember where we came from. Two years ago we were bottom of League One."

As Arsenal now realise, their rise has been sensational.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 6 May 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 3-3 Norwich City match

on dropping two points...
It is more than frustrating because we were very poor in the first half, not switched on. The quality of our first half was absolutely not at the level we wanted in a decisive game like that. in the second half we did very well. We created at least 10 chances but again not only did we not take our chances, but on top of that we gave them a third goal in a situation that was absolutely unbelievable. In the end we got punished for our mistakes.

on conceding the third goal…
It was five or six mistakes in the same goal.

on the first half…
We have to analyse the reasons why we were not sharp enough in the first half. There is no obvious reason because we prepared normally as we always do, but maybe subconsciously [we thought] we would win it. Norwich played well, you have to give them credit.

on Arsenal's Champions League hopes…
It leaves us with one thing - it is not in our hands anymore. We have to wait for the results to see where it leaves us tomorrow night. We knew that if we didn't win today, that is what would happen.

on whether Arsenal deserve to qualify…
It depends on what you mean by 'deserve'. We have 67 points, and every year you qualify with 67 points.

on the defensive performance…
We were [too frail], of course. We lost too many challenges and it is surprising because recently we were quite good, but today I feel that defensively the whole team was very poor.

on Van Persie's penalty shout…
I don't know, we have to accept the decisions of the referee, that is the only thing I can say. Here, the whole season we have got zero penalties. It is absolutely amazing because you see other clubs who have 10 or 11.

on Aaron Ramsey…
He was unlucky with the first booking, it was a good tackle. It is part of learning your job, you have to deal with all kinds of situations and he will do that. He is very strong mentally and is going through a difficult period at the moment. But he will come off that stronger.

Source: Arsenal.com on 5 May 12

Wenger's reaction to the Stoke City 1-1 Arsenal match

on the performance...
I believe that it was a game where we have shown great character, great battling qualities. It was a game of two different approaches - one very direct in the air and one who tries to play on the ground. Both teams are good at what they do and that's why I think it was still an interesting game. We had good chances, especially in the first half. In the second half I felt our fluency dropped a bit in midfield - we still had chances though, especially a penalty that was not given. Overall we deserved at least a point and I can only give credit to my players for their battling qualities and the way they responded to what Stoke offered us - full commitment, well-organised, direct. We did not always cope with it but today I felt we did.

on the penalty claim…
It will go on the tape of all the penalties we have not got this season.

on Stoke spending time on set-pieces…
You are used to it. I was frustrated at times but that happens in every game because I am completely in the game. I was sometimes frustrated but not surprised.

on jeers for Aaron Ramsey…
I don't think you can be especially proud to boo Aaron Ramsey because I don't see what he has done wrong in his behaviour. That's an old story where the fans of Stoke stand behind their player. But it shouldn't go as far as booing Aaron Ramsey.

on Newcastle's defeat...
The good result we got was that Newcastle dropped points today but for us it is important to win our next two games. Anything less will not do it [guarantee third place].

on sharpness in the final third...
In the first half we had the chances but we lacked something. It is more about belief because recently we didn't score so many goals - we didn't score against Chelsea last week. Maybe it is linked with belief.

on Chamakh's future…
He did well. Nothing is definite at the moment. At the end of the season I think you will have big surprises because there will not be a lot of movement in football.

on his relationship with the Stoke fans…
They have a relationship with me but I don't have one with them! They do [enjoy my visits] but I personally have enough experience to cope with that [criticism]. It doesn't bother me too much. I don't listen too much to what people chant and I just think one day people in football will have to tackle that as well. It is easy to sit in the stand and insult people - it is the easiest sport in the world.

on insulting chants...
I focus on what I love in my job and the way my players behave on the pitch. I am not responsible for the way people behave in the stands. If you want to stop that it is easy to stop but I cannot influence it. I have had so much [criticism] in England, I have been here for 15 years, and basically I don't hear it because I am focused on the game.

on how it could be stopped…
You can isolate every single face. The only thing I think sometimes when I leave the pitch at the end of the game and people insult you or are angry or hateful, I'd just like a little picture and send it home to you. Show that to your son or your daughter, and then come back next week and see if you would do it again, if they are proud of you. That's all that you can do.
 
Source: Arsenal.com on 28 Apr 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea match

on whether it was a fair result…
It was a very unfair result but it is a result. I think [we should have had a penalty], I think also we had chances. At the end of the game we had the chances and they had zero. I cannot remember them having one chance. Having said that it was a little bit of a strange game because before the game I thought it would be an open one - we had to win, they had to win. They decided to lock up the game and catch us on the break only, with two wide players who are quick, and Torres.

on his team's performance...
On our side I felt we had a very solid defensive performance. Going forward we didn't find our quick passing game and the regret we have today is that we played offensively with a handbrake and not as clean technically as we can do. That is why we didn't open them up enough. It was a bit similar to what we saw against Wigan and that's a regret I have today. They had three defensive midfielders with Romeu, Malouda and Essien in the middle of the park so it was very difficult to play through there. It was very physical as well. They adopted a little bit the system they played against Barcelona - certainly they wanted to practice for Tuesday night.

on whether tiredness is creeping in…
No, I feel that we were a bit nervous today because we lost against Wigan and you could see it played a part in the fact that we played with the handbrake in the first half. To have an open game the two [teams] must go for it, but Chelsea never came really out.

on Theo Walcott's injury…
It looks like a serious hamstring. First we assessed the hamstring, he wanted to go on and stay on the pitch, and I think he should have gone off straight away because the second time it was a real hamstring [injury]. I think now for him it will be tough to come back before the end of the season. It is usually 21 days [minimum]. He should be OK to play for England - he just will have a good rest. You suddenly become favourite to win the European Championship! But I don't think he will be ready to play for us.

on whether his players were trying too hard…
No, I just felt we were a bit nervous today because we knew we could not afford to lose the game. We didn't pass the ball quickly enough. Chelsea are experienced enough to force you to play the ball where they want you to play it. We couldn't open them up enough and our change of pace in the game wasn't good enough.

on Robin van Persie…
He played his 50th game [of the season] today and he gave absolutely everything again today. He was unlucky in the first half, he had a free kick he deflected and it was a clear-cut chance. Then when he was through I think he rushed his decision making a bit, when he took it with his right foot, because he had Diaby coming in completely on his own. It was not easy for him because he was completely on his own at some stages with not enough support. And he was caught offside one time and I am not sure he was.

on the race for Champions League places…
What it means is that we have to win the rest of our games and we have to look at the results over the weekend as well.

Source: Arsenal.com on 21 Apr 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 1-2 Wigan Athletic match

on the performance…
We made it difficult for ourselves because we had quite a good start but we defended horrendously for the first and second goals. Everybody involved was included for the first and the second goals. On top of that we conceded a second goal with 10 men on the pitch.

It took us too much time to change and it was absolutely unbelievable. We conceded the first when Arteta was out and we could not put the player on because he is not ready. That penalised us for the second goal and after that we had a mountain to climb.

I felt in the first half we had enough chances to come back to 2-2, but the second half we dropped our level, lost our team play, our cohesion and tried too much individually. There was not enough petrol left in the tank anymore. We didn't see anyone who could make a difference. They defended well. We had a tremendous amount of possession but didn't create a lot in the second half.

on the Arteta substitution…
It is the fact that when a player is injured, if he stays on the pitch you have time to bring [a replacement] on. It was a misunderstanding because he walked off and Ramsey was not ready. The players think they will not come on in the first half, so they are not ready. Basically we played with 10 men, which should not be the case when a player is injured. Arteta had to come off but if he sits down on the pitch he can come off as well.

on Arteta's injury…
It is an ankle problem. It looks quite a serious one. We have to scan it tomorrow, it is too early to say tonight. But it doesn't look a little ankle sprain. It is a serious one.

on the second-half display…
We have given a lot over the past two or three months and we were not sharp. Is it mental or physical? It is hard to know why. I felt in the first half we had quite a good response to being 2-0 down, but in the second half there was not a lot to come. We finished with Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky, Gervinho and Van Persie offensively and we didn't create a lot.

on the strength of the Premier League...
Everyone is in the same situation. You could see with Tottenham against Norwich, Manchester United at Wigan, us against Wigan. You have to realise that every game is a decisive moment for everybody. You have to be prepared not to be 1-0 down, to be 2-0 down, not like that. When you see the goals we conceded recently, we did not concede these kinds of mistakes.

on the Chelsea game...
It is a massive and vital game for us. We need to recover from the massive disappointment of tonight first, then prepare mentally for the next one.
 
Source: Arsenal.com on 16 Apr 12

Wenger's reaction to the Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-3 Arsenal match

on the result…
We started well and then had a situation where we could control the game. Did we push on or not? After that we played a bit with the handbrake on, they played deeper and defended like mad with a great spirit until the end of the game. If they keep that spirit then they still have a chance of staying in the league. On our part we controlled the game, although they actually had a spell in the second half where they created chances. Szczesny made a good save but after that it was a comfortable win.

on top-three situation…
I am very happy that we are in this position but I am also very cautious because some teams have been in that position before. We want to win our next game because where we have come from this season we must be focused. We have come from very deep and to stay in this position we have to focus on our next game.

on the penalty…
It looked to me [like a penalty] but I have not seen it again. You could argue that he is the last man as well. The referee had no choice but I think the punishment is harsh because you give away a penalty and you lose a man as well.

on spoiling the game…
It spoils the game for the supporters because they know they have little chance to come back after. I never forget that we lost Robin van Persie in Barcelona last season when he got a second yellow card for kicking the ball away. It was just strict application of the rules. Today I think the referee had no choice because it is the rule.

on Van Persie's finish…
It was a surprise to me because I have never seen him doing that. It was just what came into his mind at the last second he said.

on ending his four-game goal drought…
It is not easy for a striker like Van Persie who is not used to not scoring. I think he equalled the record of Ian Wright by scoring against 17 different teams in the Premier League out of 20. That is absolutely remarkable in the modern game so I would like to congratulate him because that has never been done before. When your striker scores against 17 different teams, that is sensational.

on possibility to improve on record…
He could have beaten it if he had scored against Manchester City. The last two chances he had were Man City and tonight. He hit the post twice and Vermaelen saved one on the line against City.

on the Wigan game…
Wigan did not deserve to lose at Chelsea and they got a great result tonight. It is a good warning for us to prepare well in that game.

on FA decision not to extend Balotelli ban…
I still don't understand. If you look at the case of Balotelli you get an explanation and you have to accept it. Then you look at the case of Derry, you get an explanation and you can accept it. But if you put the two together it looks absolutely unbelievable. When the referee has seen something nobody can get over the rule.

We need an exceptional committee of ethics who can get over that. The global situation does not make common sense. For people who love football you cannot accept that one is punished and the other is not. But I am not keen to get Balotelli suspended because I have no interest at all in that.

Source: Arsenal.com on 11 Apr 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City match

on Arteta's winner and the performance...
It was a very well-taken goal. I think it gave us three points that we deserved because we had a consistent domination in the game. I think we had over 60 per cent possession. They had one or two good periods, Man City, but overall after 10 minutes in the second half it was all us.

I always felt the goal would come but it was very tight and in the end you feel it is important not to lose. But we kept going and at home recently we have produced some outstanding performances against any team. I am very happy that we got the win and the team continues to grow in quality.

on a fast start to the game...
We started strongly and stayed strong for nearly 80 minutes. I feel we had a little weaker period at the start of the second half where Man City came out a bit. But overall we had a consistent domination, we won the duels, and overall I believe the result is logical.

on Balotelli's challenge on Song...
If the referee had television [replays] he would have given him a red card. I thought it was a bad tackle, I said to my physio 'what happened to Song?' because he said he was touched at the knee. I thought maybe it was a red card but I didn't know until I saw it.

He [Balotelli] was on the fringe, in many situations, he flirted with orange a few times. In the end he got the second yellow card. I don't know what [I would do with him], I don't know him and it's not my job to do that. I don't want to interfere with Mancini's job. Everybody has his cases in his own camp and I have enough work.

on strengthening their position ahead of Wolves trip...
Exactly. It will be a different game to today. This was a game with a lot of hype and focus, they [Man City] are involved in the championship, we are involved for the Champions League places. You have to deal now with a team that will fight not to go down so it will demand the same commitment. Wolves will fight for their survival and are dangerous as well.

on whether the title race is over...
Not completely. But there are six games to go and Man City are eight points behind so it makes their home game against Manchester United... they cannot afford to drop any points now. Once a team smells the stable they are difficult to catch in the final sprint.

on how different the season could have been...
We have taken 24 points out of 27 and the points we got, many of them were deserved. So we have improved as a team, that is 100 per cent for sure. We started from too deep and we got a blip in January that cost us severely because today we are nine points behind City. You could see that even starting where we started, if we had not lost our games in January we could be there [challenging].

on the prospect of catching Man City...
No, I don't think so, unless they give up, but I don't think they will.

on Samir Nasri's performance...
He had a good first half, then in the second half it was much more difficult for their offensive players because we had so much possession. They had no real opportunities to attack.

Source: Arsenal.com on 8 Apr 12

Regenerated Arsenal feel new hope as they prepare for Manchester City

Arsène Wenger's men are enduring another trophy-less season, but recent form means the Champions League is in sight again

Arsène Wenger comes over all wistful when talk of mind games at the Premier League's summit crops up. It is as if the Frenchman is pining for the days when Sir Alex Ferguson's every public utterance at this stage of a season would, in some way, be aimed at undermining his efforts over a title run-in. More recently, Arsenal's manager has felt peripheral, almost forgotten, with Roberto Mancini hogging the barbs from Old Trafford. "Now I observe from the outside, but I would prefer to be in there," he says. "What you want is to be involved in the title race and we are not involved in it. That is basically sad."

It is strange, then, that another trophyless campaign in which Arsenal have not been in contention for the championship at any point actually feels as if it can culminate on a high. Theirs has been a season of extremes, ranging from desperate humiliations endured at Manchester United and Milan, which cast doubt upon the management's philosophy, to the impressive recoveries mounted in the autumn and spring, which have ensured Wenger can still hope to achieve his "basic target" of Champions League qualification. On Sunday Manchester City will confront a side eager to recover momentum after last week's surprising defeat at Loftus Road. Registering a first league win in this corner of north London for 37 years will not be straightforward.

Local optimism owes much to a recent charge, a revival summoned from the anxiety of a two-goal deficit against Tottenham Hotspur at the end of February. Wenger has conceded the five-goal rally that followed helped "to heal some bruises with the fans" and there had been seven successive league wins before the loss at QPR. Although Arsenal have four points fewer than at this stage last season, they rather limped into the summer a year ago. This time, they feel like a team on the charge, meaning – should a position in the top quartet be maintained despite the threat posed by Newcastle and Chelsea – the manager should be building from a position of strength.

A title challenge never materialised, but signs of progress have emerged nonetheless. Robin van Persie is the top flight's most prolific forward and the club hierarchy is convinced he will not depart as he enters the final 12 months of his contract even if, like Samir Nasri before him, he is coveted from afar. The determination to keep the 28-year-old is such that, where the club buckled over Nasri, they would be prepared to hold the Dutchman to his contract, meaning Wenger's close-season preparations should not be disrupted so critically this time around.

This team boast an experienced and impressive spine again with Van Persie, Thomas Vermaelen – last weekend's toils at QPR notwithstanding – Mikel Arteta and Alex Song. In Wojciech Szczesny, at 21, they benefit from a goalkeeper who has excelled consistently to the extent that he now feels a potential fixture for the next decade and around that core others have caught the eye. Laurent Koscielny's development has accelerated, the Frenchman exuding class at the heart of the defence, where he had initially appeared so tentative after his arrival from Lorient. Aaron Ramsey has featured in all but four of the club's league games, proving his fitness and quality, Jack Wilshere should be back for the next campaign, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, flung on for the last 28 minutes of the 8-2 loss at United on his debut, but nurtured thereafter, has shown flashes of dynamism to thrill.

There is encouragement, too, to be drawn from the shift in Wenger's outlook. The early-season struggles and messy divorces with Nasri and Cesc Fábregas forced a change of policy in the transfer market. There had been rushed recruitment at the start of last term, but, this time around, it appears money will be spent on seasoned talent in a more considered way. Arsenal should be in a position in the next few days to confirm Lukas Podolski's £10.9m signing from Köln, the Germany forward due to complete the move formally on July 1, while the highly regarded France international, Yann M'Vila, a player the London club have tracked for some time, will leave Rennes in the summer and has expressed a desire to work with Wenger.

There will be competition for the midfielder's signature, as there will be for Montpellier's prolific Olivier Giroud, whom Arsenal will continue to scout over the season's final weeks. The 25-year-old's goals have helped propel René Girard's side to the top of the French league, but there is a release clause in his contract, set initially at €10m but rising with caps and Champions League qualification, that could be exploited. The prospect of adding further firepower to the ranks, while retaining Van Persie, is an exciting one.

Arsenal's policy, of course, will only be firmed up once they know if Champions or Europa League football awaits next season. "It depends where we finish and how we finish because that will determine what we do during the break," Wenger says. "But what we have delivered in the last two months is positive."

The Frenchman had intimated earlier this term that he would consider his future if it became clear the club had stalled under his stewardship. For periods that scenario had not felt outlandish, yet, at the last, this team has served up genuine reasons for optimism.

Source: Dominic Fifield, The Guardian on 7 Apr 12

Arsène Wenger hails turning point that spurred Arsenal's season

Arsène Wenger has highlighted the 5-2 derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur as the turning point in Arsenal's season and the moment when his team were able to repair a damaged relationship with the supporters. Arsenal had entered the game at Emirates Stadium on 26 February trailing Tottenham by 10 points and when their local rivals took a 2-0 lead, they appeared to be in position to finish Arsenal's season.

The frustration of the Arsenal fans had been building and some of them took it out on the winger Theo Walcott, who endured a nightmarish start to the match. But the team fought back, with Walcott setting the seal on the win with the fourth and fifth goals.

"I believe we turned a corner that day," Wenger said. "I believe that game also helped to heal some bruises with the fans. The relationship between the team and the fans is always created by results and the results in the derby even more so, because it is linked with pride. Fans want to see the players fight and on the day, that is what they did."

Arsenal play Manchester City at home on Sunday, in a game with massive implications for both the title and the race for Champions League qualification, having seen their run of seven straight league victories ended by the loss at Queens Park Rangers last weekend. Tottenham, who play at Sunderland on Saturday, sit fourth in the table, level on points with Arsenal and trailing them only on goal difference. Wenger, though, believes that momentum is key at this stage of the season and, despite the disappointment at QPR, he feels it is with his team.

"The dynamic is linked with many ingredients – with the leaders in the group, with the potential people feel they have – but momentum is its own element and that can influence the opposition as well because they feel it on the pitch, too, when they face a team that just refuses to give up," Wenger told the club magazine. "We have felt like that ourselves when we played against a team on a roll. Scoring a goal quickly after going behind, which we have done many times, also helps your belief.

"You will not always come back from 2-0 down but the feeling that you never give up can, of course, be sustained. I never question the attitude of this team, which I may have done in some previous years. But this season, never. I must say Robin Van Persie has done an outstanding job of leading the team, as have many senior players – people like Vermaelen, Arteta, Song, Sagna. They have played a big part in setting the tone in the squad."

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 5 Apr 12

Wenger's reaction to the QPR 2-1 Arsenal match

on the performance…
It is very frustrating because they left us the ball and waited for our mistakes. We took the ball, did not do a lot with it and made the mistakes. At the end of the day that made the result.

Our performance was not good enough to win this kind of game, especially in the duels. They had a little bit of extra special commitment that took advantage of us in some specific positions defensively. Overall we can only congratulate QPR for their attitude and be unhappy with our own performance.

on the surprise nature of the defeat…
Any bad performance you can see coming. Each football game is a new start. It is not what you have made before that decides the game, it is what you produce on the day. And what we produced on the day was not good enough.

on the pitch…
The pitch is not smaller than any other pitch. The pitch was bad but it does not explain our performance. We did not create enough to win a football game.

on errors at the back…
I do not want to single anyone out but of course we made defensive mistakes. It is a good shock to come back to what has made our strength recently. Subconsciously something was missing today. In the Premier League, if you miss something on the commitment front you are beaten. That is what happened today.

on possible complacency…
It is difficult to single out one reason but why not? We played against a team who play for survival. We prepared properly but we missed something today and you could see that. Their keeper made a good save.

on the conceded goals…
We lost a game when our keeper had nothing to do. It is the first time this season, we were too open when we had the ball.

on the response…
We know how to respond, we have been exposed to this situation this season. We have a good opportunity on Sunday but it will be needed after giving away the points today.

Source: Arsenal.com on 31 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 3-0 Aston Villa match

on the performance…
I felt it was a very dynamic, fluent performance in the first half with top technical quality. It was a controlled performance in the second half, we controlled the game and managed not to concede a goal. Our fatigue came in a bit because we gave a lot at Everton on Wednesday night to win the game. Overall I am very happy, very pleased because we managed to score goals and not concede any. We have consistency at the moment, so let's go home and wait for the next game.

on rising from 17th to third…
At the time [we were 17th] I agree it was a dream to be in third but what you do is come in and do your job as well as you can, stay positive and work hard. I was optimistic because the attitude of the players was positive every day. We have gone through difficult times, we have learned that nothing is guaranteed and we must keep humility and focus to finish the season in a strong, convincing way.

on the team's resurgence…
I didn't expect we would be in third today because it didn't only depend on us. We needed our results and results in our favour from opponents. In the past month it has turned our way so we have to make sure we keep the momentum. We look to be a team on the up so that is positive. We look at the next game and try to win it - that's all we can do. We have eight games to go, four at home, four away. Next is QPR and that is certainly another battle for us so let's go there and try to be positive.

on the winning run justifying his faith in the team…
It is always very difficult in our game, because you multiply the positive vibes by 25 and also the negative vibes by 25. That makes our job look easy sometimes, and other times so difficult. When you are in a bad period it is very hard to get out of it, when you are in a good period you need to keep your urgency. The fact we are close to the end of the season means every game is a cup final.

on Laurent Koscielny…
Koscielny had tendinitis in his knee when he woke up this morning. I don't know what position he slept in but he could not walk properly. He tried in the warm-up but could not play. We decided in the morning when he woke up. He came to see me and said he was not sure that he could play with that pain. So we called somebody up and pushed him in the warm-up. Straight away after the first run he said he could not even move. How bad it is we have to assess.

on Robin van Persie's future…
We have had no indications yet and Champions League football is not guaranteed. We can manage it if we keep our performances at this level. Considering Van Persie, we have spoken many times about it and there is not much more to add.

on goals from all over the team…
I believe what people forget when you play at home, when we have the ambition that we have, is that you need full backs who go forward. We played for a long time with centre backs as full backs and that kills your offensive drive a little bit. Then we went a lot through the middle and relied on Van Persie. Now we have a bit more variation in our build-up play and therefore we are more dangerous as well.

on Theo Walcott's display…
Theo had a very good performance and scored a great goal. You have to give him credit for that. But I would like to give credit to the pass from Song, because it is not the first time he has done that. You do not see many defensive midfielders [do that]. If you look at the assists that he has made this season, you will see that his numbers are top in Europe.

on what has made the difference recently…
When we did not win games [earlier in the season], I did not feel we played as badly as people said. I feel we have gained a lot of confidence in our play out from the back and that makes a massive difference. The defenders who play out from the back give us a security now and that allows the team to be much more confident.

on Mikel Arteta's free-kick…
I prefer it when he takes free-kicks with his laces because he has short feet. Usually the guys who have good insight have bigger, longer feet, and when a guy has short feet like that they are very talented at hitting the ball with their laces. The ball floats a little bit when they take it and I think he is more built to hit the free-kicks like that.

Source: Arsenal.com on 24 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Everton 0-1 Arsenal match

on the performance…
I felt if we scored a second goal maybe we could give a psychological blow to Everton. We had a brilliant start and slowly Everton got back into the game after 30 minutes. In the second half, for the most we did hang on until the last 15 minutes when we started to create chances again. But it was all Everton [until then]. We were resilient, focused and with a great desire to defend. Our defence played very well tonight. I felt it was a bit psychological - we refused to play because we just wanted to keep the score. Credit to Everton they played very well in the second half.

on the team's resilience…
We showed a side of us that usually people don't know. It was the only way to get a result tonight. It was good to know that we can do that as well. We didn't panic, we did well on crosses which is usually not our strong point. We didn't panic and that is good for us.

on moving into third place…
We have learned in the last [few] months. For example we have taken six points in Liverpool in two weeks and it was 180 minutes of intense fighting. We want to keep going. We must keep our humility and focus and fight for each other. That is what we had to do here.

on how far the team has come…
I was always optimistic, because if you look at our results from October onwards we only had one bad spell when we lost three times on the trot because we had no full backs. The attitude of the team was always good, so I felt we could bounce back. We needed to be strong because we were under a lot of pressure and we will need that until the end of the season. Where we come from, we know what suffering means because in some press conferences I had to answer 'are you playing not to go down'. We know we have a difficult battle in front of us.

Source: Arsenal.com on 21 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 2-1 Newcastle United match

on setting a new Premier League record…
That is the best response to something that has been questioned sometimes this season. I believe that shows we have quality, we have spirit, which I have never questioned. It was a relentless effort again tonight from the first to the last minute. The tempo was absolutely top level tonight. We kept going until the last second and just managed to win the game.

Certainly the fact we have done it before helped us. Even when we were 1-0 down we just kept going and we feel now at the moment in the team we just have that complete and total commitment to do as well as we can and give absolutely everything. That gets the crowd behind the team and you saw a very entertaining game tonight against a very good Newcastle side.

on Van Persie's altercation with Krul…
I don't know, is it history from Holland? Is it just today's story? I don't know, they both looked a bit nervous. I have not spoken to Robin yet. I will find out but I am happy it stayed yellow and did not become red. He is absolutely committed and he gave everything again tonight. He got us a quick equaliser. But the whole team played very well and Walcott also had an exceptional performance tonight.

on the potential to overtake Tottenham…
We played recently against Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sunderland who are all very difficult to beat and we won all of these games. We know every time it was very tight and we won in the last minute in three of them. There is definitely complete commitment in every single game. Where we finish is down to how we keep going and if we put that same amount of effort into every single game.

on whether Tottenham will be concerned…
I don't know, I don't focus on Tottenham. I feel what is at stake for us is our commitment and that's all we want to do.

on cutting the gap to one point…
I don't compare us to any other team, I just think we have rebuilt confidence and belief and that will be vital in the race until the end. It can change very quickly because as soon as you lose a little bit of urgency you are in trouble in this league. So let's focus on keeping that and after we will see when we finish.

on the importance of third place…
At the moment I maintain that because we have gone through some difficult periods and it's very important that we keep our feet on the ground, keep our complete focus and give absolutely everything until the end. We have done that recently because we produced a great game tonight, we produced a great game against Milan and we produced a great game against Tottenham. That has to be our real target.

on frustrations at missing out on the title…
If you look at our run from the Chelsea win until January you will see that our run was quite positive. But we had four full backs out in January and it is something that can work one game but it cannot work for five or six games. For that I believe we were punished but the quality was always there. Today we have 52 points with ten games to go and we have gone through a difficult period in January but recently we have won the games in the last minute whereas we lost the games in the last minute against Fulham and Manchester United.

on the atmosphere in the dressing room…
The atmosphere is great within the squad, and tonight it was exceptional in the dressing room because the pleasure is even more intense when you win in the final minute of the game where you have given everything. And the disappointment is intense when you have lost in the last minute of a game.

on the team refusing to lose…
That is fantastic. It shows that as much as two defeats are quicksand, the positive recent history of a team has a very positive influence and the positive vibes make everyone stronger.

on players coming back from injury…
Diaby is not far [away], Santos I think will play on Wednesday night in the Reserves against West Brom. He will need 90 minutes. Diaby should be back for Everton, he has a little chance. Jack [Wilshere] is less imminent.

on Theo Walcott's form…
I think that he is so long in the spotlight that people forget that he is 22 years old and getting now to an age where you perform. It is as simple as that. He develops well because he is intelligent. Tactically, technically tonight he had a complete game.

Source: Arsenal.com on 12 Mar 12

Arsène Wenger praises 'faultless' Arsenal's brave effort against Milan

Arsène Wenger felt a mixture of pride and regret after his Arsenal team came within a fingertip of a historic Champions League comeback on Tuesday night. Having lost the first leg 4-0 in Milan, Arsenal's chances were written off. No side had ever overturned a four-goal deficit in Europe's elite competition. But three first-half goals put the home team on the brink of greatness, only for Milan to hold on for an aggregate win.

"We are disappointed because we touched qualification," Wenger said. "We had the chances. We didn't do it but we were very close. The players put in a faultless performance, with fantastic spirit, and you can only congratulate the whole team. It is a night when the players can be proud to play for this club. They put absolutely every effort in."

Having soared into a 3-0 lead, the search for the crucial fourth goal proved fruitless and Milan were indebted to their goalkeeper, Christian Abbiati, whose fingertip save from Robin van Persie in the second half proved decisive.

"What can I say?" Wenger mused. "The one you would want the chance to go to is Van Persie. But he wanted to chip the goalkeeper. You have to give credit to Abbiati; he came up very quickly."

Fatigue caught up with Arsenal, as well as a lack of options on the bench. Part of that is self-inflicted considering the attacking substitutes – Marouane Chamakh and Park Chu-young – are not seemingly made for the grandstand finish, though Wenger's frustration was that he could not bolster his midfield.

"I felt we suffered a bit in the second half physically because we had given a lot at Liverpool," he said. "Overall I felt we did not have many opportunities on the bench in midfield. In the second half we had more problems to keep the ball than the first half. The regret I have is there. We missed a player like [Mikel] Arteta, who had concussion."

The midfield impetus fell to Tomas Rosicky and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, both of whom drew praise from Arsenal's manager. He described Rosicky's contribution as "outstanding" and praised the Czech's influential contribution to the recent recovery that has seen Arsenal beat Tottenham, Liverpool and Milan in quick succession, scoring 10 goals in the process.

A generally positive night had a sour ending as Wenger became embroiled in an altercation with the referee, the Slovenian Damir Skomina, in the tunnel. Wenger was upset with a performance in which he believed the official gave too many fouls in Milan's favour. Arsenal conceded 21 fouls to Milan's eight. "I was not happy with the referee because he gave them many free-kicks in the centre of the park.

"Every single free-kick every time they went down it was for them. They sensed that very quickly on the pitch the players and they used it very well," he said. Skomina may include details of their exchange of views in his referee's report, which could land Wenger in some familiar hot water with Uefa.

It had echoes of the row with officialdom as Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League last season at Barcelona. On that occasion Wenger was furious that Van Persie had been sent off by the Swiss referee Massimo Busacca, who gave the Arsenal striker a second booking for shooting when play had stopped even though Van Persie claimed he had not heard the whistle. Wenger received a touchline ban for that episode.

His bad feeling about the tie extended to another complaint about the pitch at San Siro, so if Uefa feels inclined to reprimand Wenger he would be inclined to say the feeling is mutual: "It's maybe an easy excuse but I feel Uefa has a lot to answer for because when you arrive at 7.46 you get fined but you can play on a bad pitch and they don't say a word. I just feel it is part of the respect for people who pay their money and go to a football game to at least put the game in conditions where people can play football. That's what we try to do here. It's unacceptable from Uefa that they accept pitches like we had in Milan."

At the end of it all, Arsenal's players looked shattered - physically and emotionally - and Wenger conceded it will be a tough job to pick them back up. "It will be difficult because it is a big disappointment for the players. The team has grown together and hopefully we can finish the season in a strong way because there is no room for disappointment in the league. For us every point is a battle; that is what is in front of us."

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 7 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 3-0 AC Milan match

on the performance…
We gave a good performance tonight and we are disappointed because we touched qualification. We had the chances and we didn't do it, but we were very close. I felt that we suffered a bit in the second half physically because we gave a lot at Liverpool. Overall I feel we didn't have many options on the bench in midfield and in the second half we had more problems keeping the ball than in the first half. When we tired in midfield we had no options on the bench and the regret I have is there. The players put in a faultless performance, with fantastic spirit and you can only congratulate the whole team.

on the first leg…
We have played so many games away in the Champions League and we have never lost 4-0 anywhere. We have played at Real Madrid, at Barcelona and we have played against better teams than Milan so it was very disappointing because our performance was poor.

on feeling proud...
I don't know if it is one of my proudest nights but it is a night when players can be proud to play for this Club because they put every effort in. If you win 3-0 at home you can only say well done to the players. You know that if you play 180 minutes and you miss 90, it is difficult at this level. We were very close.

on whether the players need to be lifted…
We are on a good run in the league and we know it will be difficult [to lift the players] because it is a big disappointment, but the team have grown together. Hopefully from here we can finish the season in a strong way because we know there is no room for disappointment in the league. For us every point is a battle and until the end of the season that is what is in front of us.

on the referee…
I was not happy with the referee tonight because I felt he gave many free kicks in the middle of the park. Every time [Milan's players] went down a free kick was given to them, and they sensed that very quickly and used it very well.

on Van Persie's second-half chance…
What can I say? The one you would want the chance to go to was Van Persie. He tried to chip the goalkeeper, and you have to give credit to Abbiati. It is a fraction where the players have to make a decision, but credit to the keeper.

on Oxlade-Chamberlain...
For a guy who has never played at the top level in central midfield, he started in a Champions League game and he did well. He tired a bit in the second half after his injury, and he got less of the ball than he did in the first half. When he got the ball, you always think something could happen. He can play all of the places across the pitch, in midfield to wide. You could see he has suffered physically, but also that he has the class to be in there.

on the team's recent good performances...
I have to give credit to Tomas Rosicky for that. He was again outstanding here. In all of these games, he was one of the most influential players, and he does not always get the credit he deserves, so I would like to take this opportunity to give him credit.

on the defensive display...
I felt defensively we were not at the [right] level in Milan. Tonight our defenders were outstanding and the back four did very well. We had a very offensive team and to keep Milan from scoring, we needed an outstanding performance at the back and we did that very well.

Source: Arsenal.com on 6 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal match

on what the victory means…
It was vital for us to win the game. Liverpool had a very good first half and we were not in the game - what was flattering for us was to be 1-1 at half time. The second half was much more level. We had some good chances as well, they had maybe one from Martin Kelly. But they had no clear-cut chances in the second half. They had to win the game, and we know that we have Van Persie who can deliver something special. Overall it was not one of our best games, but we refused to give in and we played as well as we could. Our goalkeeper and centre forward made the difference.

on playing better in the second half…
I don't know why. It is down to the quality of Liverpool [in the first half] and everybody was away the whole week [on international duty]. Song came back on Friday morning, Gervinho and Benayoun as well. Liverpool played with a rhythm and pace above us in the first half and our fluency was not there at all, we gave them too much room. But as long as you are not killed off in the Premier League, you always have a chance as every team has quality strikers to score goals.

on Wojciech Szczesny's performance…
It is good that he had a performance like that, because he had a little bit of a difficult period in January. He has shown his potential and I like that he was brave as well. He had a lot of kicking to do and a lot of coming out to do, and he didn't make a mistake. At 21 years old he is a great talent, he is learning his job but because he is a great talent, he learns quickly.

on Robin van Persie's value…
I must say we will do anything to keep him. I cannot say much more because I have said that many times. I am very proud that he has grown after having seen him arriving here timid, and today being the player and leader he has become. He is playing under big pressure in every game because he knows he has to score. He has shown exceptional development, not only as a player but as a human being. He is up there with the best players in the world.

on Mikel Arteta's injury…
As I sit here now, he is in hospital at the moment and we have no news.

on Abou Diaby…
The bad news of the day is that Diaby is injured and did his hamstring. Benayoun has a small hamstring problem, Gibbs has a problem. We look decimated after the game. I don't know who will be available on Tuesday night. Maybe I will play with six strikers as we have to score goals!

on Liverpool's penalty…
I wasn't happy but then I have been told it was a penalty on television. I haven't seen it yet. [The follow-up save from Kuyt's penalty] was the save of the game from Wojciech.

on trying to catch Tottenham…
I always said the target this season was to be in the top four. Mathematically it is possible, but let's go step by step and see what happens. When you see that Liverpool - who I believe are a very, very good team - are seventh in the league, it shows how difficult it is in this league, how big the battle is for the top four and how each game can change very quickly.

Source: Arsenal.com on 3 Mar 12

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham Hotspur match

on the performance…
Arsenal are alive more than anybody thought before the game. Today we gave a performance that on the spirit side, the technical side, the drive of the whole team, on the style of the game we want to play everything was perfect despite a very bad start. I felt in the first five minutes Tottenham started well, after that it was all us for 85 minutes.

We were always on top of the game. We were 2-0 down but refused to lose the game and kept going no matter what happened. Once we were back to 2-2 you could see that if we maintained the pace, we would win the game. We had a good balance between offence and defence, between creativity and going into the space behind the defenders and good maturity.

We had a great spirit. I must say the way we want to play football depends on the pitch and this was the first time in three games that we played on a football pitch that is really a football pitch. That helps as well.

on Theo Walcott’s display…
The crowd was starting to get on his back and you wonder if [it won’t] do him a favour by leaving him on. But I felt that he has the qualities that, considering the rest of the team, are highly needed. He is a player who can be straight and go behind the defenders - nobody else is like that. He is a very direct player, he can sometimes miss a first touch but considering the balance of the team I thought it was important to keep him in the side.

on the defence…
I felt we were a bit nervous at the start and when we slowly became calmer the two centre backs were outstanding. They had an outstanding game today but I felt they started a bit nervy.

For the first goal we were caught on the counter attack and the second was not a penalty. We played against a team with Saha, Adebayor, Gareth Bale, Modric - you cannot dream they do not get any chance at all in the 90 minutes.

on finishing above Tottenham…
It is still possible. I felt even before the game that it was possible if we keep our consistency. Everyone in the Premier League can lose points. They have a difficult schedule, and we have a difficult schedule, but if we continue to play like that, why not?

on Tottenham’s substitutions…
They felt flooded in the middle of the park and couldn’t get to the ball. They tried to stop us from dominating the midfield but it didn’t stop us. I felt we were technically faster and superior in our passing.

on injuries to Rosicky and Vermaelen…
Unfortunately we had some bad news for Rosicky today, and Vermaelen as well. Vermaelen has an ankle problem, and Rosicky a back problem. I don’t think they will be available for Wednesday, whether they are available for Saturday is a big doubt.

Source: Arsenal.com on 26 Feb 12