Wenger Post Match Reaction: ‘We want to do so well that we’re up tight’

Here are some of Arsene Wenger’s comments after today’s 2-9 defeat at home to Man City:

on Koscielny’s red card…
What I make of the decision is not really important. We have to live with the decision. I was surprised. Honestly. I refuse to watch it again because what does it help now? We have to live with the decision and make the maximum of it. I will watch it again. I’ve heard it was a penalty. Was it a red card? I don’t know.

on the performance…
Overall we started too timidly, with not enough authority in a game like that, and we allowed them to dictate from the start. We paid very early from it. We didn’t start with enough confidence or enough authority. When you play at home in a game like this you have to dictate your personality, which we did not do, especially defensively. After that, we played 80 minutes with 10 against 11 against a good team, and it’s difficult. But then again, on both of goals I think we could have done better. It’s frustrating because the team afterwards showed great heart, gave everything and showed great desire, but we’re a bit too nervous to play in a serene way at home and that shows in the way we start the games.

on being frustrated…
It’s not anger because the players want to do well. It’s just the fact that we need to be a bit more confident in this kind of game. We want to do so well that we are a bit up tight. It’s not anger, it’s frustration that you do not see from the start what this team is capable of. Afterwards, you make it basically difficult for yourselves at 2-0 down with 10 against 11, it’s massive. If we had taken 100 per cent of our chances we’d still have come back. Giroud had a header, Walcott had a chance. If we’d put it in, maybe. But it’s too difficult.

on what positives he can take…
The spirit was positive. We had a great response in the second half. Abou Diaby came through well, got better and better, and Wilshere is coming back to an outstanding level, so that was very positive.

on whether Wilshere was targeted…
I hope not. I didn’t get that sense in the game. He has a game that provokes tackles: he’s incisive, he goes forward. But you could see he has found a burst when he’s on the ball that is very interesting. It would have been interesting if it had stayed at 11 against 11.

on fighting for a top-four place…
We are in there, of course. We have to fight to do as well as possible until the end of the season. I feel we need to find in this kind of game more defensive stability. The way we gave the ball away today, it was a combination of a combination of a lack of concentration and a bit of awareness.

on Mikel Arteta…
He has a scan on Monday, [he will be out for] approximately three weeks. It is a strain on his calf. Of course [it's a blow]. In midfield he gives us stability, experience and tactical knowledge. We will miss that.

on making signings…
We are in the market. To find players of a calibre of Arteta, available in January, I wish you good luck. We try very hard, believe me. We have a team around me who analyse everything. We select targets, I watch them… But it’s difficult to speak about any names.

on Kompany’s red card…
I haven’t seen it again. It looked like both went for the ball.