Premier League day 14: Norwich 1-1 Arsenal
Arsenal had a chance to join Manchester City atop of the league. They had instead a very difficult game in Norwich and could have lost it in the second half. The 1-1 draw seems to be fair for the Gunners and now sits at the four place in the table.
Here is was Arsenal’s coach Arsene Wenger reacts:
on his view of the game…
That it was a difficult game. We played against a Norwich side that was at the top level physically and focused. They were well organised and they played every time with 10 players in their own half, and we were not incisive enough. Maybe the turning point of the game was maybe we dropped a little bit after scoring straight away and allowed them back into the game. In the second half I felt we had to dig deep to get though as we were a bit jaded and we lost players. Cazorla played on one leg and of course we played Kosicelny at the start of the game so it was, I would say, a fair point for Norwich and it was on the injury front a bad afternoon for us.
on Alexis…
The players are there to play football and not to be rested when the press decides they need to be rested.
on if Alexis’ injury is serious…
He says it is a kick on his hamstring. I fear the reality is worse than that.
on Cazorla’s injury…
In the first half he got a kick on the knee and it got worse. I don’t know if he has jaded his knee ligament or he it was just a kick on the nerve but the worrying thing was it got worse during the game. For Koscielny it was a kick on his hip and he could not move at all. We have to assess all of that.
on whether Alexis is putting on a brave face…
Of course, like everybody. Nobody is scientifically developed enough, not even the press, to predict exactly when a guy would be injured. I must say that with all humility we are not position to predict that, despite all our test he looked alright.
on whether he was okay during the week…
We checked him and when you have no force and no middle stretch in your hamstring then there is no problem and he had that.
on whether Alexis is tired…
I believe that it is normal that a player gives everything in a game and I’m surprised you are surprised.
on the importance of Alexis…
You have plenty of players across Europe who play every single game and at the moment we are short as Walcott is not there, Welbeck is not there, Oxlade-Chamberlain is just coming back. I can take a gamble on one and in case I can take a gamble on another one.
on who could play in central midfield…
We have Ramsey. I can understand you worry for us, but trust us, we will be there.
on it being a nervy time…
We have to go through that spell. We had a bad spell of a few games now with Tottenham, West Brom and today we only have taken two points but we are still not far and going through a bad spell and not being far. It is not enough but at least we had an opportunity to come back.
