Wenger - Fabregas has a hamstring problem

On Cesc Fabregas' injury...
"He has a hamstring problem and we don't know how big the damage is yet because it is too early. We'll see tomorrow or Monday. We have to make a late decision over whether he plays on Tuesday, certainly. It is the same hamstring [he hurt against Aston Villa earlier in the season]."

On the nature of the game...
"It was closer than you and I expected but we had the chances to score plenty of goals. We didn't take our chances today and that's why I believe it was very tight until the end. It could have been four, five or six but as well they had a chance to make it 2-2 after a corner. In the end you are happy when you miss the chances we missed today but you get the three points.

On Arsenal's first goal...
"I believe the first goal was a great goal and after we created some magnificent chances in the way we created them, we just could not finish the game off. But the first ball from Nasri was fantastic, the finishing of Fabregas was class. We created plenty of chances today and Theo Walcott gave you the great response you waited for!

On if he asked Theo Walcott to be more assertive at half time...
"Yes, we were a bit minimalist in the first-half and in the second-half we came out with more purpose and put them under pressure. In the first-half we played a bit in between and did not push completely through. Football doesn't like that."

On Walcott's display...
"I think he does what a player has to do - not talk in the newspapers and let your performance talk on the pitch. He didn't answer any critics other than with a good performance today and that's what you want from a player. That shows he is mentally strong. I was interested to see how he would respond today. I was quite sure he would respond with a good performance but you never know, it affects you when you get criticised. The way he answered that at his age is remarkable."

On Nicklas Bendtner's missed chances...
"I believe at the surface he looks like 'okay, I missed the chances', but underneath he is really disappointed. Everybody has a different way to show his emotions, and he hides well, but he cares. Overall in his game, he was quite good. In his finishing, he missed chance after chance, but if you are a striker, it is like that. You think 'I missed the first one, but I will score the next one'. Once you have missed the second one, you are in trouble because after you do not know how to take the third one - 'do I really go for it, or wait for the ball?' That is what happened to him today.
I always feel sorry for someone who missed the chances. Sometimes you are angry with a guy who is not committed enough. You do not miss chances on purpose."

On the title race...
"It is down to our consistency. If we win our games, we will be there, that is for sure. But you have experienced again today that every game demands full focus and commitment. When you play against teams who fight not to go down, they will fight until the last minute. Next week we play at Hull and expect exactly the same type of game."
 
On Samir Nasri...
"He is improving, and in the last month, he is getting better. He had a good game today. The ball he gave to Fabregas to score was absolutely fantastic. He has a great work-rate and runs well with the ball. His passing is getting better and is really improving.
 
On the International Football Association Board's decision to rule out the use of goal-line technology...
"For me, it is difficult to understand, for one reason because you want as much justice as possible. I do not even think it is linked with the money factor - if you love football, you want the right decisions to be made. Today, there was an incident again at the Portsmouth game [in the FA Cup], and I just do not understand why we rule that out. It is beyond comprehension for me that you can do that."
 
On the impact of Aaron Ramsey's injury...
"It was still there in the first half. When we went into the tackles, it was still in our heads a bit."

[Saturday, March 06, 2010]

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