Wenger on Gibbs, injuries and character

Arsène Wenger spoke to the media after Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. This is what he said:

on his emotions…
When you are 1-0 down it is a mixture of relief and regret. I think if we were really clinical we would have won it in the last 15 minutes. But if I tried to be fair, I must say that the point is a fair result.

on Giroud…
He is very angry.

on Arsenal’s start…
I think mentally we did fight. I cannot say we did not have the right commitment. I was not disappointed. Cazorla is normally the guide in our game

on Gibbs being the saviour…
He played there when he was a kid. Always when he comes on, he balances our team. I had very limited offensive options on the bench. It gave me as well an opportunity to put Alexis on the other side where he could give me a different option. Overall it worked, but he gets in good positions and shows he is an intelligent player.

On the game…
It was a very intense game with complete commitment from both sides. We suffered in the first half because Cazorla was at 30 per cent of his potential, he was dizzy. I was sitting there thinking do I take him off or not? You never know, maybe it will get better. At half-time I took him off, and in the second half we had a bit better balance.

On the team's response…
The team have shown great mental resources, we refused to give up. Tottenham had a good moment at 1-0 in the second half, where they had one or two good chances in the game. In the end, it is a fair point for both sides.

On Cazorla's dizziness…
He is not sick, he was just dizzy and could not move, you could see that on the pitch. I did not really know what he had, so at half-time I took him off, I hope it is nothing bad, but it does not look like it, because he says he is alright now.

On whether the break comes at a good time…
We have 10 players out. I hope during the international break we do not lose more, but we should get some back like Ramsey, like Chamberlain for maybe just after the break. Players like Sanchez, who have played many games, they go out and play two games again.

On training the players the same…
We adapt individually. It is always like that in every team, there is a collective part that everybody absorbs and the individual part is adapted to every person, considering their characteristics that intervene in a injury, how you sleep, how you eat, how much sleep you get, these are things that can influence an injury. It is a very sensitive subject and a very complicated one that we try to work out. On the other hand you have players who are injured because their body does not take it.

On the other injuries…
Debuchy finished tired because he played against Bayern, and played today, and had not much competition, but he looks alright. 

On the feeling in the squad…
When you are 1-0 down so it’s a mixture or relief and regret because if we were really clinical we would have won it in the last 15 minutes. Giroud had the chances to score. But if I try to be fair I must say the point is maybe a fair result.

On how Giroud is feeling…
He is very angry.

On disappointment with with team’s start…
I think mentally we weren’t at the races. We did try, you could not say we did not have the right commitment, I was not disappointed. I just saw that Cazorla, who is usually the guide in our game, didin’t get the ball. And Tottenham is a good side when you play with one player less and you have to make the game ...and so in the offensive build-up Ozil was a bit isolated in the first half with not many options. Usually they combine well together.

On if he's surprised or pleased that Giroud is angry…
I’m pleased. When you see players happy to miss chances you can worry. He is a real goalscorer, he did try. In the last two games, against Bayern and today he worked extremely hard and maybe he wanted too much to score in the end, and especially the opportunity he had in the six-yard box, but that can happen. 

on showing character…
I think we have shown character today because we were a bit on the ropes and we responded. Every time we have a disappointment I feel we respond well in the game after. When you look at the results again today you see Villa-City 0-0. Liverpool lost. We played 1-1. It just shows you that the championship will be extremely difficult for everybody. The mental qualities can have a big influence in the future and I think we need these qualities.

On whether a chance has been missed…
You can say that to City as well. I think if you look at a longer distance in the last six games we’ve had five wins and one draw. So overall I am disappointed that we haven’t won the game but if you look at the recent period as a block it can happen that in six games you can drop points. 

On the points Cech is worth…
I don’t know. I have not done the mathematics yet. But he has shown again how important he is and that maybe goalkeeper is maybe the most underrated position in football because there is a moment where he can keep you in it. If you go 2-0 down its bye-bye.