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'They caught us cold in the second half'

Arsene Wenger threw up his hands in frustration at the final whistle on Sunday, and his gesture echoed the feelings of Arsenal fans everywhere.

 
The manager’s next act was to face the media in his post-match press conference. This is what we said:
 
on how disappointing the result was…
I felt we were in control and it didn’t look like we could lose the game. [In the first half] we stopped them from creating chances, they looked a little bit short of ideas to create chances, but they caught us cold in the second half. But as well we dropped physically in the second half. And when we won the ball we didn’t come out as clean as in the first half. 
 
on the equaliser…
We certainly gave them hope with the 1-1. We dropped a bit physically in the second half and maybe mentally as well when they equalised. After that we tried to come back in the last 20 minutes. We were a bit unlucky on one or two occasions but they killed the game well. They know they have experience, they slowed down, went down and it was difficult to create the [chances]. On top of all of that we conceded two offside goals, what is very difficult to accept in a game of that stature. But as it is well-known, the referees are protected very well, and that is right, like the lions in the zoo. So we have to live with those decisions.
 
on the referees…
I want them to be very well protected, I want them to be safe. But if they could make the right decisions that would be even better. Safe and good decisions, even better. I do not want to make the referees the subject of the press conference. I just feel it’s right that they are safe and protected but if on top of that they make the good decisions, even better. It’s difficult to lose a game of that stature on two offside goals and I can understand City are very happy, I would be as well, but I think the goals are offside.
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