ARSENAL 3-3 FULHAM
Coach Arsene Wenger reacts:
on his emotions after the game…
It was frustrating because we had the opportunities to win the game. We were caught in a bit too comfortable a position because we did the most difficult thing – we scored two goals to go 2-0 up, we were at home and yet at half-time we found ourselves at 2-2. At that moment we lacked urgency defensively. In the second half we gave absolutely everything and I have to give credit to the players, in the last three games what they have done physically is amazing. Even at 3-2 down we didn’t give up and continued to go forward and we had the chances to win the game.
on the missed penalty…
We had a penalty to win but you cannot blame Arteta for that. It is part of the game. Who hasn’t missed a penalty? From there it finished 3-3 and the positives are that we can score goals now. The negatives are to concede three goals at home of course, and the chances we gave away, defensively it wasn’t an historical performance.
on the defending from both sides…
No [it was not crazy], I would say first of all both teams are good going forward. Secondly I feel where we are most guilty is on the corner [for the first Fulham goal] because you are 2-0 up, it can happen with Berbatov who is good, he can create chances, but nobody jumped for the ball at all, we just let them score the goal. When you play at home… it doesn’t often happen when we play away from home that we score goals like that.
on whether Cazorla wanted to take the penalty…
Cazorla is second on the list, the No 1 is Arteta. If he doesn’t take it it’s Cazorla, or if Arteta wants to leave it to Cazorla. Cazorla wanted to take the ball. Arteta is No 1 on the priority.
on the penalty decision…
Honestly I don’t know [if it should have been given]. I would only go for deliberate handball for penalties. We conceded a penalty last week at Manchester United, it was similar, it was more protection than deliberate handball. I am more for deliberate handball because after that, when do you give them and when don’t you give them?
on whether his squad has self-doubt…
No, I don’t think so. I believe we had physically some moments in the game today that you could see we have played three tough games – we played Saturday, Tuesday and we needed a little breather. Some players were a bit jaded before the game. They gave it their all today but Fulham are good going forward, as well.
on solving defensive problems…
We have just to keep working on that but it will be difficult now this week because everybody goes away.
on a possible second yellow for Sidwell…
He could have given him a second yellow and Ramsey could have got one as well.
on Walcott’s substitution…
Walcott has a glute muscle problem. We nearly took him off at half-time, he nearly went down, but we left him on. In the end, it got worse. At the moment, he is limping so I do not know whether he will be able to join the national team or not.
on the international break…
What I can do is pray that everybody comes back in good health.
on being adrift in the title race…
That is not an ideal situation. We have shown before we can fight and again today that we can fight. There are a lot of positives in our team. At the moment, we do not get the points we want. Of course, we now do not have to waste any more time, but I still feel there is good potential in our side.
on Giroud…
Giroud had a very good game, he had presence and won the long balls. He is dangerous and starts to have belief in what he is doing. There were a lot of positives in his game today.
