Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal (Podolski 31′, Carzola 68′)
REACTION
Arsene Wenger: ‘Podolski is deadly when there’s a chance’
on the performance…
Overall I am pleased with the quality of our performance, offensively and defensively. In our first two games you could feel some potential but we lacked a little spark and that is getting better now. We come out of the game with the feeling we had a good performance but there is also a good potential and team energy and that is always very interesting because there is something to work on for the Premier League season.
on goals for the new signings…
Everybody understood very quickly that Cazorla would not take six months to settle and Podolski is deadly when there is a chance, you see that in training. He showed good team work as well today, and I am pleased for them. Just Giroud needs a goal, but as long as the team wins we know that will come.
on another clean sheet…
As long as that record lasts, the more everybody does defensively because they want to keep the record going. Football is always a good lesson in humility because we had the No 1 and two goalkeepers out and went to Stoke and Liverpool and haven’t conceded a goal. You never know in the game but when you have a good work rate and spirit in the team, you have a chance.
on the international break…
It is not very welcome for us but that is the fixture list, we can’t decide about that.
on Brendan Rodgers’ task…
I faced that [pressure] last year in the same period. He has just arrived at the club, the expectation level is very high but you just want to tell people to stay confident and stand behind the man. When it comes to a big club it is important for him to feel that the people around him trust him and I am sure he will turn it around.
on Abou Diaby…
You can see it is massive for us because he is a tremendous football player. He has absolutely everything you want in midfield. He hasn’t played for a year but he had a good pre-season where we had him 45 minutes every three days and now he looks in good shape. There is more to come from him but what he has shown today is very good.
on whether he was worried about him…
I was worried about him highly but I always stood behind him because not only is he a fantastic football player but a fantastic guy as well. Let’s hope he survives the break because the national team travel a lot, play two games in four days and let’s hope he comes back in good shape.
on Jack Wilshere…
He is looking very good in training. Close? It depends what you call close. I would still give him a month. But it looks very good. In a month he should be starting to play again.
on his ideal midfield…
Look at our midfield; you have Arteta, Cazorla, Diaby, Wilshere, Coquelin, Rosicky, Ramsey. There is a fight for places and there is quality.
on comparisons to April’s game at Anfield…
It is difficult. Today I felt we were more composed, we dominated in midfield and that gave us a good stability. We scored first as well in the first half. I still feel Liverpool are a good team because I saw them against Manchester City and they deserved to win the game. You have to trust the team and they will come back but it will be difficult for them to win the Premier League
on whether the team is stronger than 12 months ago…
It is too early. I am confident we have good potential and it is down to us to improve, there a lot of things to work on. There is a good potential there.
on Theo Walcott…
Today we had Walcott, Gervinho, Santos, Ramsey on the bench and we had players at home as well. They will play.
on injury news…
Oxlade-Chamberlain had a kick but he is OK. Vermaelen had a kick as well, he should be alright.
