Wenger: 'The team can be proud of their performance'
ARSÈNE WENGER
...on his team's performance
"I think the team can be proud of their performance, even if we lacked the maturity sometimes to be calm, put the ball down, because it's more our game. But overall they've shown a great potential, a great performance and they can be proud. But as well they are disappointed because they are winners, and we lost an opportunity to come back two points behind Chelsea. But overall the performance was what I expected from my team."
...on Fabregas and Flamini in midfield
"I think they did extremely well, they are a little bit young overall maybe, but for me if you look at the age of the team today they did extremely well because, apart from set pieces - where we were short and we were always in trouble, I agree, I don't think Chelsea created a goal chance. And the longer the game lasted the more it looked only us who could win the game. That is because they, with the time going on, won the battle in the middle of the park."
...on Thierry's controversial quick free-kick
"I don't know, everybody has an opinion about the referee, but the only opinion which counts is the opinion of the referee. It looked to me that the ref had an exchange, a conversation with Thierry, and asked him 'do you want a wall or not?' And Thierry said no, and from then on, as strange as the rule looks to me as well, that's what happened. I don't really agree with the rule because it is difficult to defend."
...on Ljungberg's fitness
"Freddie is not too well, I don't think he will be ready for next Sunday. He had another migraine last night, we had to send him back home. The doctor said now we have to keep him at least 4 or 5 days out of training."
...on rumours of Lauren heading to Madrid
"I'm not at all anxious about that at all. I speak to Lauren, you know, Lauren is at the end of his contract in June, he can sign with who he wants on the first of January, but we'll try to keep him. That's the only thing I can say. But at the moment he cannot have signed anywhere because it is not allowed."
