Wenger refutes complacency claim
Arsene Wenger has denied claims that Arsenal became complacent during the latter stages of their 2-2 draw with West Ham. The Gunners appeared to be cruising to an important away victory after goals from Robin van Persie and William Gallas put Wenger’s side 2-0 up. However, the hosts responded through Carlton Cole and, against all the Premier League football odds, drew level courtesy of an Alessandro Diamanti penalty.
Despite the setback, Wenger says that the Hammers’ resurgence was not down to his players underestimating their opponents.
“It is not complacency” said the Frenchman after the match.
“We just have to continue to play in a rigorous way, respect the game we love. That is what we forgot sometimes and we have paid for it. We play at top quality and at the moment we do not get rewarded for what we produce.”
This was the second successive game in which Arsenal threw away a lead, after they were pegged back by Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in midweek.
Wenger expressed disappointment at that result but seemed more concerned by the unnecessary nature of Sunday’s draw.
“In the Champions League it can happen that you are 1-0 up and are caught on a free-kick in the last minute” he said. “Today it has not to happen. At 2-0 we lost the way we want to play the game. And when a team come back to 2-1 and you are away from home you are always under threat to go to 2-2.”
The result represented a missed opportunity for Arsenal, who could have moved to within a point of Manchester United, after the champions went down 2-0 at Liverpool. Wenger’s men now sit in third spot, three points behind United and five behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.
Tags: AZ Alkmaar, chelsea, Robin Van Persie, wenger, west ham, William Gallas
