Wenger: 'It was a cruel night because we had our chances'
Arsenal 1-1 PSV Eindhoven
Champions League Round 2 Leg 2
Emirates Stadium
Wed, Mar 7, 2007, 7.45pm
on the end of another Cup competition...
"We are very disappointed. I don't feel that in the Carling Cup we failed. But in the FA Cup we went out and that was a disappointment. The FA Cup is a minor disappointment compared to what happened tonight. "
on missed chances...
"We feel it's a cruel night for us because we had the chances to score a second goal and there was room not to make a mistake. They were only dangerous on counter-attacking or on set-pieces. There was enough room not to make the free-kick [for the winning goal]. On the other hand we could not take our chances. We had in the first half one or two good headers. We had in the second half two good chances.
"It was a little bit a repetition of the first leg, but as well you see that the games have caught up with us because we were less sharp for two or three weeks physically. You could see that again today. We lack a little bit of sharpness, and of course I feel as well we lacked a bit of quality in the final third to get them more out of position and to be more dangerous with the final ball."
on PSV's Alex...
"I feel that he won them the tie alone tonight. Perhaps not alone, that is a bit exaggerated, but he kept their defence very tight and saved them every time. He made the difference at the set-piece and he dominated our players in the air - easy."
on Thierry Henry...
"My thinking was - as you could see - he was not ready to start the game because he got injured. Again now he is out for a few weeks. It is a different injury, his stomach muscle and his groin. His groin - we will scan it tomorrow. I thought it was when he crossed the ball, I don't know. It is a very difficult season for him, yes."
on the rest of Arsenal's season...
"Well, we have to secure a place in the Champions League and that's far from done because we have responsibilities to finish as high as we can. We can overtake Liverpool, you know? There are still eight teams in the Champions League but seven will be disappointed, and they have to finish the season as well. Only one can win it."
on the positives and negatives...
"I feel there are lots of positives but of course at the moment we are more focused on the negatives because in the last two weeks it has been horrendous for us. But that's what the season is like in a big club."
from Arsenal.com