Premier League week 17: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City
It was a great finish before Christmas and a high intensity game. Arsenal got the best of City and they did in less then 15 minutes at the end of the first half to secure a safe 2-0 lead at the break. City will try in vain to comeback but did score in the last 10 minutes with a wonderful strike from Yaya Toure. Not enough, and despite a couple more chances the Gunners join Leicester on top of the league before the Boxing Day.
Arsenal manager Wenger reacts after the win:
“I’m not sure what sort of message that sends but for us it was a vital game. It is a game you come out very happy as we have shown all types of ingredients you need in these big games. Good organisation, strong solidarity, high work rate, moments of brilliance and moments where we needed to hang on because that is important as well and overall because we could kill the game and we had the chances to do it. When they came back to 2-1 we were a bit under pressure but I believe it was very intense for both teams. You had times where you had players on the ground at both sides of the pitch because of that total commitment.
on belief this being the year…
It is too early to say to we can win the league but it strengthens our belief. You come out and realise you have earned your right to win these games and for us it is important. We have to be ready to fight like that in every single game and you do that quite [often]. It is quite interesting on my side there is real life in the team, real togetherness and real solidarity, so let’s take care of that.
on Mesut’s quality…
Football, you need at the end of the day someone who gives the guy the ball who scores the goal. In our team most of the time Ozil is this player. When you look at this and the guys that see, make you win and he is that.
on the difference in Ozil this year…
He is much more mature and is much more keen to take on responsibility. I personally think he is built on his physical attributes and commitment. You see his desire to win, he plays to win the games and maybe this kind of talent is exceptional. He realises he can help us in every single game.
on the celebrations of the win
I went in straight away. But it is a significant game because when you look at Manchester City and the quality they have on the pitch. We know at the end they will be there fighting for the championship and we know this kind of team in the big game strengths our belief and is needed.
on playing Walcott out wide…
I change it a little bit game by game and see where he can be efficient because Theo is a decisive player. At Aston Villa he did that and got a penalty and before the final pass he gave the ball to Ozil. Today he finished. One of his strengths is the quality of his movement and if you can get it to Ozil, he can find him and his quality of movement is exceptional. I think Theo Walcott had a very good, strong, fighting performance and his defensive performance was top level today.
on a more comfortable side…
We are more mature to defend. We have moments. Today we turned between playing very high and very deep. When we were playing very deep we were not too much in trouble. They have players who can tuck in like De Bruyne and Silva who you do not want to get on the ball in the last 30 yards and overall we did that tactically well”.
