‘We showed a lot of discipline'

Steve Gatting spoke to the media after Arsenal Under-18s' win against Swansea in the FA Youth Cup. 

on if it was a fair result…
I think so, it was a difficult game. The pitch was very challenging. Sometimes we played with the ball and sometimes we didn’t. With Tyrell being sent off it made it harder in the second half.

on what impressed him…
I think first half we played well on a hard pitch. As the game went on in the first half we passed the ball very well and in the second half showed a lot of discipline and character to play with 10 men.

on playing with 10 men…
It is always going to be tough isn’t it with 10 men. I think with 10 men you have to look after the ball on a difficult pitch and take your chances and pass the ball well. We defended well and we tried to use the time up wisely. In the end it came good.

on how they responded…
They were very disciplined. We had a plan and we kept to it and the goal at the end which Stephy scored helped.

on Stephy’s goal…
Everyone was getting tired. It came in the last 10 minutes and killed off the game. When it was 2-1 it was always in the back of the mind that they might nick a goal. The third goal put the game to bed.

on Lewis Thomas’ injury…
It is just one of those things. Goalkeepers are just that sort of breed and it doesn’t help to stop the game. But that is part and parcel of football and we held it up and got on with the game after.

on Bielik…
Krystian has done well for the under-21s all season and would have been captain in the last game over Kaylen Hinds if he had played. I’m happy with him.

on taking the competition seriously…
I think the FA Youth Cup is widely regarded as one of the major competitions. It is a bit like the FA Cup for the under-18s and every academy wants to win it. We are no different. The result was as important as the performance.