Wenger's post-match ramblings starting to sound incoherent

Last updated : 26 February 2006 By Chris Parry
I realise that you might view them as a 'necessary evil' but please spare a thought for the fans who have no choice but to listen to what you have to say in order to get a handle on what's happened in the match.

At Ewood Park you said this:

"It was a game that we were really unlucky to lose"

Sorry, but I can't agree with you. We weren't unlucky, we simply weren't good enough! - Have your players given up on qualifying for the Champions League?

If this is indeed the case - and the 'casual oberserver' like me will certainly have seen nothing to indicate anything to the contrary today - Then I remain certain that major surgery is required this summer if our first season at the new stadium isn't to be a total disaster. At least it looks as though we'll be 'concentrating on the Premiership' next season with no meaningful European football to worry about.

He went on to say:

"We lacked a little mental sharpness but I cannot fault the players for effort because we were really on top of the game and gave absolutely everything right to the last minute. We were a bit too much within ourselves in the first half but that happens sometimes when you have played a big game in midweek. You know sometimes it is difficult to get going again.

"In the second half we played in one half of the pitch but unfortunately could not score. Every game you face different kinds of problems. Today we faced a very different way to play the game and we got caught one where Blackburn scored a very good goal. It was difficult to find real fluency because the pitch was difficult and that did not help.

"It was important first not to concede a goal but after that, in the second half, we went up a gear and could not score.I am sad for the players because they gave everything but it was not to happen and we lost another game where we couldn't score away from home."

"I feel today is a bit of a different defeat to some of them because I feel if we had always played like we had today we wouldn't have lost eight games away from home."

Make of that what you will - The last paragraph is particularly baffling. In my opinion we've lost eight games away from home this season because we've played like we did today!

I admire the man for not publicly berating his under-performing players, but in doing so he insults the intelligence of every Arsenal fan that is compelled to listen.

Sort it out please Monsieur Wenger!