Wenger efter matchen mot Liverpool
Fick SMS från en kompis som satt på en pub i London "In London, watching da geeem. Najs crowd.Gunner will win". Själv tillbringade jag matchen på en pub utanför Bristol igår. Jag var dock ganska själv. De flesta var nog säkra på att Gunners skulle vinna och lade sin tid på att koka sönder grönsaker, klä upp sina fruar i något vederstyggligt och täppa till läckande element.
Det var match mot Liverpool. Inte my-cup-of-tea direkt, men laget har en hel del bra spelare i Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt med flera. Det kan man inte bortse ifrån. Men lika bra som de är, lika hopplösa verkar second-string vara. Det går inte att skrämma någon med N'Gog, Plessis, Cavalieri, Insua, Spearing. Inte ens en liten liten ankfamilj blir rädd. Jag gick fram till en nämligen och sade högt "Damien Plessis" och ankungarna vred sig av skratt och pekade med näbben på mig.
Nu kanske inte Eastmond, Watt, Coquelin skrämmer så många heller, men världen vet att de är Gunners-utbildade; alltså helyllekillar, snälla mot sina familjer och rekorderliga bollspelare.
Vår tränare och mästerkatt i stövlar sade efter matchen att det hade varit en härlig match att skåda. "You had the quality of the passing, sometimes the ball was played through a very short space but at a high pace and overall you can say tonight we gave the people what they paid for and I'm very happy to say that and we had top quality in every position I must say. " Wenger tyckte attd e unga spelarna gjorde mycket bra ifrån sig. Det var mer som en europa-kväll än en engelsk kväll.
Han fortsätter med att ge ungdomarna en riktig klapp på axeln "They all worked very hard and they have all shown quality. Fran is 19, Ramsey 18, Eastmond 18. They are all very young so to play a game of that level tonight they deserve a lot of credit."
Speciellt Fran Merida får en glad klapp, då Wenger anser att han är en kvalitetsspelare med en bra skola. "I kept him because I felt he had the quality to break through [to the first team] but when you think that all the players who didn't play tonight plus all the injured players, of course the competition for places is very difficult. He came [to Arsenal] at a very young age but our school is on-line with the way he was educated and he shows perfectly the way we want to play football."
Men visst var det kul att se Nasri tillbaka? "He has been out for a long time. He has not played a game [this season] and he managed 90 minutes tonight. How he will respond to that tomorrow and Friday I don't know but at least he managed to have a full game."
Så tar vi en titt på Aquilani. Kanske kan bli en bra värvning på sikt, men jag tvivlar. Mycket. Har han kvalitet för Premier League? Det finns en anledning till att han kallas "principino" "Den ultralille miniatyrprinsen" alt "prinskorven". Wenger sade "We were not interested in Aquilani last year, we were the year before. Last year he didn't play a lot and we didn't feel that this year we needed a player in this position because we have so many good young players in midfield. It's always difficult to convince people that we don't need players but when you see them play tonight you can understand why. We see them everyday in training and we have so much quality with our young players that we are not especially out on the market."
Han avslutar med lite om Gibbs och Almunia; Om Gibbs"I think he was very good, both full backs were very good. Kerrea Gilbert started a bit nervous but in the second half he became stronger and stronger and Kieran Gibbs was very good tonight. He will get games. He has played already. Personally, if Fabio Capello asks me my opinion he will get a very positive one."
..och Almunia?"He is back to his normal level. I have no worries [about playing him on Saturday] but I don't want to give you any indication because I don't know myself what I will do for Saturday."
Detta sade Wenger.
