Arsene Wenger says Arsenal have recently resembled a boxer struggling to recover from being knocked down but that the 2-0 win against AC Milan in the San Siro is proof that they have desire and quality.
The Gunners return to England with a commanding lead in their first-leg Europa League last-sixteen tie, but Wenger has warned his side must now finish the job when they meet the Italian giants at the Emirates in a week.
Here’s what the Frenchman had to say when he faced the BT Sport cameras…
On a better night…
Yes, we had a nightmare week. It’s an important win but it’s not a qualification. We have to finish the job at home. Overall, I’m happy with our spirit and the response we gave in the first 45 minutes. After our pace dropped and that’s down to the fact we’ve played four games in 10 days. Four intense games. It’s good to be 2-0 up at half-time because maybe in the second half it would have been more difficult.
On managing the game in the second half…
We were not in a position where we needed to take crazy risks but we became a bit too cautious. Because of that we lost the fluidity of the game and balls we shouldn’t lose because not everybody was available. Then it became more difficult. We defended with resilience until the end.
On an impressive defensive display…
Yes, that’s questioned many times but we did that well tonight.
On why his side haven’t played like this recently…
When you play a cup final and you lose it, it’s very difficult psychologically to digest that inside three or four days. Then we had games on the bounce straight away and when you’re knocked down it’s a bit like when you’re in a boxing ring and half-knocked down. It’s hard to recover. That’s what happened to us. At some stage you have to respond. Your pride and your desire to show you have the quality has to come in again. That’s what we did.
Let’s salvage something out of this shitshow of a season! It’d be amazing if we won the EL.
yawn…it was just 2 average teams playing and one of them won…
What is so ‘amazing’ in winning the el. Its a cl failsafe man. Mou, who is now brandishing his el win last season, lambasted it when he was at Chelsea, remember. So, amazing is not the word, but ‘manageable’. Even at that our chances of winning it, is not assured.
Adriaaaannnn
To beat me he’s gona have to kill me.
I know I’m prone to criticise, but its good to see the guy with some colour in his cheeks. Well done fella. Deserved.
lol….comedian!
Those dark circles around his eyes. I thought he was speaking metaphorically about the boxing ring!
He is a legend of an Arsenal manager, whatever you think of him at the moment.
His eyes make it look like he’s had a few sleepless nights recently.
Wenger does not have the right to sleep at all. He is presiding over a horror show at the Emirates.
That’s what 10 years of managerial neglect does for you
Nice one wenger We all needed that.
What we need is consistency, not one solitary win. Exeunt Wenger!
You can tell he’s been having sleepless nights and been under immense pressure. I for one am glad the players paid back the Boss for the faith he’s put in them throughout all the shitshows. Let’s hope and pray we can ‘finish the job at home’. Today I feel was a huge confidence booster for the players and the manager. Now let’s go on and finish the season strongly with a European trophy hopefully. Get behind the team! COYG!
Good man Arsene, good sleep tonight and bit of respite for a few days. Great win, well played Gunners!
Still a long way to go but if he salvages the season with a Europa trophy at very least, it’s back to CL footy and then he can decide whether to quit in the summer or announce one last season (which is on contract) But I do feel this summer may be a good opportunity for a departure since the National job for France is available likely and there will be a managerial reshuffle following the Wcup which offers us better range of choices. Whatever nonsense spewed on Arsenal FanTV, we must respect what he has done for us. As… Read more »
The defense did well when Mustafi is so disciplined & calm. He needs to stop his complaining attitude during the game & be more focused.
Sick of people or purported “fans” wanting Arsenal to lose just to get the man sacked…
That’s because this man cannot get us anywhere any longer.
Opina….bellerin musta kozzer nacho…xaka ramsey wilshire….mykhi ozil lakaz
Can this team win us the europa league? I
I certainly believe they can do it if they play with passion for the club
The players do have bottle and Wenger has champagne bottle. Full respect on one of our and bosses biggest tests after four shite tough results.
Cojones of titanium …
Yep, if you guys can now go on and smash Deeney’s Cojones for me, …….I swear, all is forgiven in my books!
Credit where it’s due. Great win, thought milans lack of pace really played into our hands, our defence looked so much better with the game all in front of them. If only these teams in the pesky premier league could do that