Arsene Wenger says he’s pleased with the way Arsenal dealt with the questions posed by Southampton as they came from behind to seal a 3-2 victory.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cancelled out Shane Long’s opener before Danny Welbeck’s deflected strike put the Gunners in charge before the break. Charlie Austen came off the bench to level things up again before Welbeck, having earlier missed a sitter, headed home the winner.
Having started slowly, the game became unexpectedly fiesty in the final 20 minutes with both teams reduced to ten men when Jack Stephens and Mohamed Elneny were given their marching orders by referee Andre Mariner.
After the game, Wenger faced the BBC cameras. Here’s what he had to say…
On playing Thursdays and Sundays…
It’s not easy because we played against a team who fights not to go down and you know mentally you go always at a high level, it’sv very difficult. Again today, even when we were questioned we found the resources. I must give credit to the team. Some players had heavy legs today but we still found te resources to win the game when we were questioned 1-0 down and at 2-2. Always we found the resources, the togetherness. I like the spirit in the team, that’s why we won the game today.
On winning in the Premier League and the Europa League…
For me, every game you win makes you stronger. It’s important that we keep our run going. We’ve gone through a difficult spell and because the players have an excellent mentality and because they are proud, we came back. Now hopefully, we can keep that going.
On Aubameyang making things happen…
Yeah, he scores goals when it’s needed. That’s what strikers are about. It’s always easier to score goals four or five but you want the players to score the important goals. He turned up there.
On Welbeck’s performance…
I’ve repeated many times, that I like Danny Welbeck. I’m very pleased for him because he’s a guy who has gone through some very difficult times and has shown exceptional mental strength. I’m so happy that he can play game after game now.
On Elneny’s sending off…
It looked harsh for me. Honestly, it was difficult to see because my eyes were somewhere else. The referee had a better angle than I had, so I’ll have to watch it again.
Blimey Arsene didn’t see a clear red that shouldn’t have been. That’s a first.
Err, looke, Elnemy pushed him a little with the hand break, but you could see he is a top top player
Sometimes you have to wonder where he is looking all these times when he never sees anything
I like the new feeling in the team, sans Sanchez.
Seeing Aubameyang so gleeful in response to Danny’s flick-assist and his comradeship with Lacazette is really, really refreshing – the forwards, at least, look like they are enjoying the game of football again. Great to see Kolasinac and Xhaka in so quickly to stand up for Jack in the kerfuffle, too, whether he was right or wrong. I like the spirit.
That Southampton bloke shat himself when Kolasitank steamed in!
Moi aussi. Fuck him.
moi aussi. Sanchez encul* (translating god’s words)?
I didn’t see it 🙂 Classic Wenger!
That game was like a review of the whole season for Arsenal, complete with a top drawer Welbeck scuff and a fine Mustafi, which for me now means ‘error leading to goal’.
Hopefully our season ends the same way in Lyon, with a victory.
It was so Welbeck to score a deflected goal.
2 goals , 1 assist in a 3-2 win , that is a man of the match performance for any objective supporter … full stop .
Granted, we won the game, however I still demand the entire team except Aubameyang is sold and manager sacked.
As any reasonable fan would.
FACT (IMO).
DICK (IMO) 😉
To quote bloggs from an earlier assessment of Mustafi, he was more Wank, than Hank Scorpio today. Trying to blame Cech for the 1st goal was typical of him. Hope he gets replaced in the summer. Piss off back to the Simpsons.
I agree.
Vote up for Mustafi to stay, down to go.
(If you’re undecided or just don’t care, feel free to flap your arms about).
Am I the only one that notices that Wenger always claims to not have seen the incident when something of this nature happens?
No you’re not mate
Yes, you are the first person in the history of football to notice this tendency. Shortly someone will be by to award you the Captain Obvious Cup for Noteworthy Observational Skills.
Don’t you mean the Captain Obvious Cup for Key Unseen Performances?
Infinite thumbs up. Comment/reply of the year
Well I have some surprising news for you!
John Terry is a cunt.
Elneny red card was harsh.
If anything jack was more culpable for a dismissal with his unnecessary with Stephens.
We may want to say we made heavy weather of beating just a struggling Soton side but as Wenger mentioned, relegation threatened teams can be tricky proposition.
Hopefully they take some of their better fight with us today into their next match with Chelsea.
Arsène’s response about Danny ?
Good old mental strength is back. Yippee!
It’s a shame Elneny got involved he was my man of the match had a solid game made things happen in the middle never shied a tackle was the king pin
Took a terrible risk taking Auba off when he doesn’t play in Europa and we were only a goal up against a dangerous side. No idea what the rationale was there.
Still think he could’ve taken Iwobi or Welbeck off instead. As soon as it was happening I knew we’d need goals and Auba would be on the bench. Welbeck missed a sitter only he or Sterling could manage. Great header to finish it off though so credit where credit’s due – and I’m happy to see an improvement for the kid.
Hughesie has a seriously protruding jawbone