Leicester 1-1 Arsenal
Coach Arsene Wenger reacts:
on the draw…
We lost two points but we have to respect the performance of Leicester and be realistic – we could have lost the game in the end. Our game was not quick enough, not sharp enough, not simple enough. We had plenty of opportunities but didn’t look like we could finish the game off. Leicester fought and had a real cup [style] game. We had a good spirit but lacked the creative side of our game.
on the possession created…
They defended well but we lacked the finishing aspect and sharpness. We had two difficult weeks with three away games at Besiktas, Everton and here. It was a very demanding game on Wednesday night so overall you could expect we were a bit less fresh. We still could have won the game if we had not conceded the goal after the injury to Koscielny. If he wasn’t injured we would not have conceded the goal.
on taking Koscielny off…
Because I had been told he had nothing serious and that he can come back after two minutes with two clips on his head. That was the medical opinion. After that he asked to come off. He continued to bleed a little bit and didn’t feel comfortable moving. He was not concussed, he was open on the top of his head. He didn’t feel comfortable to head the ball after that.
on why he took Koscielny off…
Because after that, he asked to come off because he continued to bleed a little bit and he didn’t feel comfortable moving.
on whether he was concussed…
No, he was not concussed, he had a little opening on the top of his head. Maybe he didn’t feel comfortable to head the ball after that.
on how long he will be out for…
In one week he should be alright.
on a possible injury to Oxlade-Chamberlain…
It doesn’t look too bad but I don’t know more. We had Ozil with an ankle and Oxlade-Chamberlain with a calf. Of course Koscielny as well.
on the fans asking for a striker…
The solution every time you don’t win a game is to buy somebody. We are out there and we try our best, you have to trust us to buy the best possible solution but as well everytime you don’t win a game think there’s a miracle man. Why did Man City not win the game against Stoke? They have plenty of strikers, football is a team sport and we have not got to sell it as an individual sport.
on whether he is pursuing a player…
I don’t want to promise you what I am not sure to hold. I’ve worked long enough in England to know I don’t like to promise what I’m not 100 per cent sure of as it doesn’t depend on me.
on whether’s there’s been any offers for Ryo…
No, I’ve had no offer for Miyaichi.
on reports of Arsenal signing Carlos Bacca…
I can give you my phone and in the next 24 hours you will see that you get plenty of people offered from all over the world.
on whether he will buy a striker…
I don’t know because it doesn’t depend only on me.
on if he is close to buying anyone…
I don’t know what happened in the last two hours apart from in the game against Leicester.
on bidding for a striker…
We can talk and talk and talk about signing someone or not. Could we win the game today without anybody [new signings], yes. We have plenty of strikers even when we had Giroud. When we had Giroud, you asked me the same question so it’s a recurrence as long as the transfer market is open to make everybody dream by thinking the solution is always somewhere where it’s not necessarily obvious.
on Sanogo…
You have been 21 and you have certainly played football. If you play up front and you don’t score it’s very quickly a problem. I don’t think that problem will last very long and at the moment when you have a chance to play for Arsenal Football Club as a centre forward and you don’t score, it’s a problem for you.
on Sanogo’s performance…
He fought very hard today, you can say he didn’t score yes and is it in his mind? Of course because he is a striker and he scored many goals as a young player.
on spending big money on a striker…
Is the amount of money we spend unlimited? No, because that’s not the way we manage the club. We always try to make the right decision and we have the resources if we think it’s the right player.
