Arsenal 1-0 W. B. A.
Coach Wenger reacts:
On the win…
We played well, [West Brom] had a few chances as well. But we wanted to finish with a win, and we did. It was a bit subdued because we knew we were in the top four but we were serious, we didn’t concede and scored a goal in the first half. The second goal never came but overall if you look at the home season, we lost the first game at home and after that we didn’t lose anymore. It was important not to lose today.
on securing a top-four finish…
I’m happy with the attitude, the behaviour and the consistency of my players. I’m frustrated as well because we were 120 days top of the league. When you look today it’s very tight and then comes through your mind here and there the points you dropped that we should not have dropped. The regret as well is at the most important period of the season we had two important players out. We have many players who have only played between five and 15 games. That’s where we want to improve for next season.
on whether there has been progress…
In the top four teams, only one team will win it. Today you could say that Man City is in the best position but any other team will be frustrated because they will think they could have taken two points more here or there. That’s part of the game. I would just say to be brutal in our first analysis is we missed a few goals compared to the teams who scored the most goals and we missed some big away games by conceding two many. But apart from that our defensive stability was fantastic, we had 16 clean sheets but in some games we were not at the start of the game and we couldn’t get into them before we lost it. The defensive stability we had the whole season was not reflected in these kind of games.
on building for next season…
Of course. If you look at the overall performance of the team we have done until today well in the cup, we have done quite well in the Champions League where we had a difficult group, we played against Bayern with ten men and we didn’t fail anywhere. The attitude of the group was remarkably consistent and of quality. But we still have missed something to be decisive in the Premier League at the moment when we were in a good position.
on whether he regrets not buying another striker…
No the regret is not there because we missed offensive players at an important part of the season. The solution is not always outside, the solution is as well inside your club where the disadvantage of having many injuries is you always have to play the same players. Then of course they score less goals because they are a bit jaded.
on changing tactics in the big games…
We want not to lose the match and of course as well you want to win the games but when you lose, you’re always wrong. I go long enough into management meetings in Europe with the best managers and every year you analyse the teams who win the Champions League. When Barcelona wins everybody comes to the conclusion that you have to have possession and the team who has possession wins. When the team who doesn’t have the ball wins, everybody says maybe you should not have the ball and play a bit more on the counter attack. I think it’s always the same conclusion but in a club you need a philosophy and maybe of course we have to adapt in some games but we lost some games before we could start after 10 minutes it was 2-0 and it’s difficult to defend or attack, that can happen as well if you play with 10 defenders.
on whether he is definitely here…
Look at me! You will see me again.
on why he hasn’t signed yet…
It is not linked [with the FA Cup final] at all. It was important to be in the Champions League, that is for sure. I have told you many times it is not linked the fact I feel I am useful.
on whether he had any doubts…
No, I do not have moments of doubt. if I did, it would have been a few years ago when I had to say no to many offers and I committed to this club.
on whether he still feels useful…
Yes. Buy you have to decide that as well!
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