Arsene Wenger addressed the media after his side beat Tottenham 2-0 on Wednesday evening.
Read on for a transcript of what the Arsenal manager said.
on Flamini…
You do not expect Mathieu Flamini to score two goals. He was certainly frustrated for a long time and he went for it. He scored two good goals, especially the second one. I think on the second one he made an early decision to go for it and just focused and finished with a great goal. Overall I must say we responded well mentally and physically to the challenge we faced tonight and it was a convincing performance. We were unlucky to concede an own goal and we found the resources to score a second. Tottenham gave absolutely everything but [after] around 70 minutes we could take advantage. They dropped a little bit with their intensity and we found a little bit more space to play just at the moment when Alexis came on. We found we could create dangerous situations.
on why he selected Flamini…
First of all I wanted to rotate the team a little bit and he had worked very [hard] recently. I saw in training he was focused and had come back to a good level and I also thought I wanted to strengthen a bit the midfield with Arteta who
had not played in a long time. I wanted a second player to strengthen a bit defensively and that meant Flamini and Arteta together gave some defensive guarantees.
on if Flamini had a point to prove…
He is a fighter and he is a winner as well. I told him at the start of the season it might be difficult for him to be a starter but he decided to stay and he did fight.
on if Flamini was going to leave…
I fought to keep him but he is at an age where you always consider what it is important at that age, which is to keep focused and stay in the team. If they do not manage to do that it is better you let them go, but he wanted to stay.
on Gabriel’s red card being overturned…
That just shows that they decided after the game what should have been decided during the game and they repair five per cent of the damage that has been done to us. Instead of us playing 11 against 10, we played 10 against 11.
on Arsenal’s resilience…
That was the most pleasing [aspect]. Suddenly when it was 1-1 you could expect Tottenham to find a second goal but suddenly it looked like it was us who were more likely to score a second goal.
Mathieu Flamini celebrates his wondergoal at Tottenham
on the FA’s decision having any effect on Arsenal…
Not to us. It does not help us too much. On the day I watched the game again. It is better I don’t talk too much because it was really surprising in this game that some incidents were handled very lightly and not seriously and it is better I don’t talk too much as I’m still angry about it. One or two situations in the game are difficult to understand when you watch it again.
on if he will point that out to the FA…
No, I think I’m in a job where I have to swallow things that are not right but I have just got to focus on the next game.
on the charge tomorrow…
I said after the game he should not have responded at all and I maintain that. I told him that but when I saw it again he had not done a lot, but you want them to have a fair judgement and we will accept what they decide. That is part of it.
on if he thinks the FA will take into account the Chelsea result…
No I don’t think they will. They will judge that situation and it is right. You cannot consider the whole context of the game, you want them to judge and decide and we will accept the decision.
on if he is surprised Costa got a ban…
No.
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