Wenger on a 'special game' and Ryo

Arsene Wenger spoke after Arsenal continued their tour of Asia with a 3-1 victory against his former side, Nagoya Grampus. Read on for a transcript of the interview:

on the game…
It was a game played at a good pace. Of course it was a special event and the stadium was full. We played with greater fluency, especially in the first half and we created chances. We lost a bit of cohesion in the second half and were not able to maintain that pace. Overall it was very interesting for us from the first to the last minute.

on what pleased him most...
We played with good focus and high pace. We played with a good attitude and at this moment of the season we look quite sharp. We have no injuries as well.

on taking young players on tour...
It is so they can develop. They can realise what they have to work on. It is a good opportunity for me to see how well they are doing.

on Ryo taking the penalty...
It was not planned. When Ryo scored I thought it was a good decision from Arteta.

on Ryo’s progress...
He is not completely ready physically. He was not completely fit to play but it was a special occasion that I did not want him to miss. He just needs to come back to full fitness and then the rest will come along.

on his qualities...
His pace, his mobility and his movement off the ball. I like players who can move when others have the ball. There is also his attitude, commitment and desire. That is why I decided to keep him.

on Nacho Monreal's fitness...
Honestly, I don’t really know but he has had an injection. It looks like he will not be able to start the season. We have lost one left back so that is a position where we are a bit exposed. Vermaelen can play there and he is injured, Monreal can play there and he is injured, too.