Wenger: 'We were shite'

Last updated : 16 January 2005 By Chris Parry
After the game, he did the traditional 'concede the title to your rivals' speech which has now become a familiar part of each season for one manager or another, but it's not very often heard this early in the year.

He said:

"It doesn't look as though Chelsea will slip up. They are in an ideal position. It is too early to say they will never lose points - but they don't look vulnerable at the moment. We should not be worrying about Chelsea. We should be worrying about us.

"The title remains a dream when you don't win the games. I do not know how damaging this defeat is. Of course it is a big disappointment - because we knew we had to win the game today.

"I felt that in the first half we created the chances but we were not clinical enough. If you look at the possession we had in the game and they had it was appalling. We lacked determined effort in the final third and we didn't show great security in our defending."

"When you play at Arsenal pressure is part of the job. We have pressure every week."

One thing is for sure - Without Gilberto we do not have the right combination of grit, determination and skill in our midfield - Our best available midfield quartet is unbalanced to say the least.

He also has to re-instate Lehmann. I don't subscribe to the view that he is a liability and not good enough, so bring him back now and let Almunia become the next Alex Manninger.