Wenger Post Match Reaction: ‘We showed character and quality’

Here are some of Arsene Wenger’s comments after today’s 2-2 draw at Swansea:

on the match…
We should have won this game. I felt the first half was a bit locked and one-paced, as much as the second half became much more open. I think in the second half we created many chances and suddenly found ourselves 1-0 down. We have shown character and quality. I felt when we conceded the corner [that led to the second goal], we lacked a little bit [of] calmness and focus. It’s frustrating to concede a goal just like that on a corner where we couldn’t clear the ball before the corner. Even on the corner, we were first to the ball and didn’t win the ball. We have shown quality and heart and it’s quite good if we can repeat that.

on getting back into the game…
We kept going. I felt that we always created chances from midfield. Their keeper kept them in the game and Kieran Gibbs had an outstanding game. He gets better and better. When you see this kind of game, it’s very positive.

on if Arsenal should have had a penalty…
It was one and the referee saw it. You know why he didn’t give it? Because he thought the guy had not done it on purpose, [which] I think as well. It was accidental but he [Ramsey] didn’t trip himself. He was caught clearly by the leg of the Swansea player. I don’t know who it was. He had a hesitation, the referee, and in the end he didn’t give it.

The problem is we could have had a penalty but that can happen, but after [we could have] gone down to 10 men and down 1-0 as well. Overall, we have shown good mental quality.

on a replay and fixture congestion…
I am frustrated because I wouldn’t want one, but if that’s the choice between going out or staying in the hat, I take the replay. [We] play at the Emirates. They have many games as well. We have a [rearranged game] against West Ham on January 23.

on if the squad can cope with so many games…
Yes, if we have no injuries. Today we had four players at home, and I didn’t bring on Chamberlain, Coquelin [or] Rosicky. Diaby’s coming back and if we find one or two on the transfer market, then why not.

on if the extra fixture heightens the need for new players…
Let’s first keep the players we have and maybe add one or two. We lost Chamakh and Djourou now, so there’s some room.

on Giroud’s knee…
He has a big scar but I think he should be OK now.

on Kyle Bartley…
He had a good game. He had a little bit a lack of experience. He was especially impatient and I couldn’t promise him to play with the number of centre backs we had. He came here [to Swansea], he has not played a lot, because he has been injured. We bought him when he was at Bolton, when he was a young boy of 16 years of age. We know he has the quality. He played at Rangers. Sometimes when the players have been out on loan and have played a lot, they do not want to wait anymore when they come back.