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Wenger on defeat, Watford and Gabriel

Sunday, March 13th, 2016

‘We didn’t deserve to lose’

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Arsène Wenger faced the media after Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup quarter-final against Watford. You can read a full transcript below:

on the defeat…
Our long, long run has come to an end in a very sad way because I don’t think that we deserved to lose. We have to look at ourselves for the first goal. The second goal was a fantastic shot. I felt that it was a real cup game where they defended very well and took their chances on the break, the few chances they had. As long as we didn’t score the first goal they kept their belief. They were physically very strong but we had enough chances to win the game.

on whether their physical strength had an impact on the result…
We knew that before the game. We had enough technical superiority to win the game and to score goals. It was down to not making a mistake and keeping it 0-0 until the last 20 minutes. If we would have done that then we might have won the game. Unfortunately we made one. It is sad. We’ve come out of a very long run in the FA Cup. The FA Cup is the FA Cup, you cannot guarantee you will win it.

on how difficult it will be to pick the players up…
It’s always difficult but it’s our job to prepare for the next game.

on confidence…
This had nothing to do with confidence. Of course there is confidence in the team. The recent results haven’t shown that but we’ve played against good teams and the recent results were 2-2 at Tottenham with 10 men and a 4-0 win at Hull. I don’t see why we shouldn’t have any confidence.

on Welbeck’s chance at the end…
It was difficult to understand how we didn’t score. I want to watch it again. It was a typical cup game against a team who comes here to fight and take their chances, with us trying to score. It was just like that, there’s not a lot more to say.

on how disappointing it is to be out of the FA Cup…
When we’re in it you [the media] say it’s only the FA Cup. You cannot say that it’s a disaster on the other end of the scale.

on whether he is concerned about Arsenal’s home form…
A little bit, yes. I agree with you that we do not make enough of our domination, of our possession in the final third.

on the impact it will have on the Barcelona game…
We have shown that we can always respond. This team has a great spirit and a very strong attitude. They play at the moment with the idea that you cannot afford any negative results. We can deal with that and we will deal with the fact that we have a good opportunity to show on Wednesday that we are up for it.

on Gabriel’s tackle…
It didn’t look [like a red card to me], I have to see it again. He won the ball. It looked to me like Deeney was [off the ground] as well. Gabriel was first to the ball. That’s how it looked. If his feet were off the ground then I will have to look at it again.

on whether he will take a full-strength squad to Barcelona…
We want to make the impossible possible. Barcelona are a very, very strong side and it’s very important that we go there, focus and show a good response.

on the triple substitution…
I wanted to give a bit more penetration because I felt that we were lacking a bit and were passing a bit sideways. We lacked penetration and an incisive game. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to make a substitution before they scored the second goal. I wanted to do it at 1-0 but then they broke and it was 2-0. It was much more difficult.

on Arsenal’s defending…
I don’t think we suffered a lot defensively. Watford are a team who are good on the break. They depend on Ighalo and Deeney and they are a handful to cope with. They were good and the rest work very hard. Overall we didn’t give many chances away in that game.

13 Mar 2016

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Highlights: Arsenal v Watford

Sunday, March 13th, 2016

Arsenal were in FA Cup action against Watford on Sunday – and you can watch the highlights on Player from midday on Monday.

Press ‘Play’ to watch our 12-minute highlights package above, or our goals clip below, while you can also:

Watch the ENTIRE first half
Watch the ENTIRE second half

PLUS:

Get all the pre- and post-match news
Read our match report
See the best pictures from the game
VIDEO: See what the boss had to say
LISTEN: Hear the goals on Soundcloud

13 Mar 2016

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Arsenal 1-2 Watford – Match report

Sunday, March 13th, 2016

By Rob Kelly at Emirates Stadium

SUMMARY

Arsenal’s long unbeaten streak in the FA Cup has come to an end after they were beaten in the quarter-finals by Watford.

Having won the competition in the past two seasons, the Gunners had racked up 15 consecutive round victories before coming unstuck against the Hornets.

Arsène Wenger’s side had dominated the first half, having the lion’s share of possession and creating the best chances of the opening period.

Mohamed Elneny twice fired just over the bar during a lively performance, while Joel Campbell volleyed just wide right on the stroke of half time.

But Watford were revitalised after the interval, and took a shock lead when Odion Ighalo fired beyond David Ospina.

Ighalo twice went close in quick succession as the visitors continued to threaten, and they doubled their advantage when Adlene Guedioura drilled a fierce shot into the top corner.

Substitute Danny Welbeck added some late drama as he reduced the arrears two minutes from the end, before slicing over the bar moments later after Alex Iwobi had hit the post.

It was a disappointing end to an FA Cup campaign that had promised much, but with a trip to Barcelona coming up in a matter of days, an instant response will be needed.

SETTING THE SCENE

With confidence levels back on the rise after the midweek victory at Hull City, there was a buzz around a sun-drenched Emirates Stadium prior to kick off.

After all, the prospect of becoming the first club since Blackburn Rovers in the mid-1880s to win the FA Cup three times in a row was certainly an enticing one.

Much of the pre-match chatter centred around the level of rotation that would take place for this match, considering Wednesday’s visit to Barcelona and the crucial Premier League clash at Everton less than 72 hours later.

But those expecting a much-changed side would have been surprised, as Wenger named close to his strongest available XI, with Mesut Ozil, Francis Coquelin and Alexis all restored to the team.

Watford, meanwhile, came into this quarter-final as one of the season’s surprise packages. Not only have they apparently preserved their Premier League status with serene ease, but in Troy Deeney and Ighalo they have one of the best strikeforces in the top flight.

The pair had scored 24 of the Hornets’ 28 goals in all competitions prior to kick off at Emirates Stadium, and Wenger admitted that keeping them quiet would be crucial if Arsenal were to progress.

FIRST HALF

With the Emirates bathed in spring sunshine, the hosts made a really bright start as they set about their training-ground neighbours, zipping into tackles and passing it about slickly.

There was little more than two minutes on the clock when Calum Chambers was inches away from finding Alexis in the six-yard box, but it set the tone for a really energetic opening spell from Wenger’s side.

Olivier Giroud soon had the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside, but still the Gunners kept on coming as they sought to make their early dominance count.

While Watford soon grew into the game, the partnership between Joel Campbell and Chambers on the right flank was looking particularly positive.

Midway through the half they combined superbly, with the former releasing Chambers into space with a cute ball, but the right back’s teasing low cross was snaffled by Costel Pantilimon off the feet of Olivier Giroud.

Deeney and Ighalo had been isolated until this point, but they wasted a great chance to put the visitors in front on the counter when the latter raced into the area but chose to pass to his partner rather than shoot, only to roll the ball behind him.

However, the home side remained on the front foot, and had a good opportunity to open the scoring on the half-hour mark as Chambers picked out Elneny in the area with a fiercely-struck pass. The Egyptian did well to control it but, as Pantilimon raced out to close the angle, he snatched at his shot and lashed it over the bar.

Elneny had enjoyed an encouraging first half, and he had a great chance in the 41st minute as Ozil found space in the area with a delicious bit of trickery. The German then looked up and rolled the ball back to the midfielder on the edge of the area, but his first-time shot flew over.

Sixty seconds later, the Gunners came again as Ozil looked to pick out Campbell in the area with a firmly-weighted pass. The ball took a deflection off Nathan Ake on its way through, meaning it bounced up in front of the Costa Rican and his volley on the stretch flew just wide.

SECOND HALF

Having been frustrated by the visitors in the first half, Arsenal wasted little time in setting about them after the interval with Giroud heading a corner inches over within 45 seconds of the restart.

But the game soon took a twist when Watford sent a hopeful throw in into the box, which Deeney glanced on to the waiting Ighalo. The Nigerian forward did well to roll Gabriel, before firing beyond Ospina into the bottom corner.

It was a shock to the system for the hosts, and it could have been even worse minutes later when Ighalo sliced over the bar when well placed inside the area.

Arsenal needed to mount a response, but it was the visitors who threatened again when Ake curled a ball in from the left towards Igahlo, who got a foot to it but diverted it wide of the far post.

But things would go from bad to worse as Watford doubled their advantage, with Deeney holding off Mertesacker in the area, before finding the onrushing Guedioura, who smashed the ball into the top corner.

If the Gunners were going to defend their crown, they were going to have to do it the hard way and with just over 20 minutes remaining, Wenger sent on Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi on a rescue mission.

While Arsenal piled on the pressure, they struggled to find a way to breach the visitors’ defence and when a chance did arrive nine minutes from the end, Kieran Gibbs directed his header straight at Pantilimon.

Chambers then curled a shot wide of the far post after industrious work from Alexis,but finally with minutes remaining, Ozil found Welbeck in the area and he crashed it low into the far corner.

It set up a grandstand finish and Welbeck could have levelled it up as the ball fell to him in the area after Iwobi hit the post, but he sliced over from eight yards out.

That proved to be the final twist, and the final whistle signalled the end of the Gunners’ FA Cup hopes for another season.

Arsenal

13: Ospina
21: Chambers
17: Alexis
3: Gibbs
28: Campbell 66
4: Mertesacker (C)
12: Giroud 66
35: Elneny 66
11: Ozil Yellow Card
5: Gabriel
34: Coquelin

Substitutes

49: Macey
23: Welbeck 66 Goal!
24: Bellerin
20: Flamini
45: Iwobi 66
14: Walcott 66
18: Monreal

Watford

18: Pantilimon Yellow Card
9: Deeney
15: Cathcart
8: Behrami
2: Nyom
17: Guedioura 76 Goal!
16: Ake
29: Capoue 73
5: Prodl
24: Ighalo 81 Goal!
23: Watson

Substitutes

1: Gomes
10: Oulare
21: Anya 73
7: Jurado Marin
4: Suarez
11: Amrabat 81
22: Abdi 76

13 Mar 2016

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Arsenal train ahead of Watford match

Saturday, March 12th, 2016

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Boss – What Willock has is tough to find

Saturday, March 12th, 2016

‘Willock has what you don’t find easily’

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Arsène Wenger believes Chris Willock is destined for an exciting future because he has attributes “you do not find easily”.

The 18-year-old has impressed at youth level this season and, as well as training regularly with the first team, has been included in Wenger’s squad for two FA Cup ties.

Willock was an unused substitute at Hull City on Tuesday, and the boss is backing him to make his breakthrough next season.

If I had to play him then I would have no fear in doing so. Next season I think he will be a player who will get to feature in the team

“Chris is a very gifted player with natural strength and natural talent,” Wenger told the matchday programme. “He has what you do not find very easily.

“He can have a go at people, can get past people in one on ones. We forget sometimes that the basis of team sport is to first be strong one against one and Chris has that quality.

“I believe that he has the needed character when he has his back to the wall to always respond in a very strong way. That’s a very important quality, to be able to play under pressure.

“Overall I would be very comfortable to play him now but of course there is a lot of competition for places because there are players like Walcott, Alexis and Welbeck in front of him at the moment.

“If I had to play him then I would have no fear in doing so. Next season I think he will be a player who will get to feature in the team.”

Watford FA Cup programme cover

Nik Brumsack 12 Mar 2016

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Arsenal v Watford: The Inside Track

Friday, March 11th, 2016

By Rob Kelly

THE QUOTE

“We have three huge challenges and we know it will be down to how much we will move forward and how much we will be capable of giving. We know there will be small margins in these games and we have to be sure that every small margin goes for us. – Arsène Wenger

THE PREVIEW

There was a telling moment in Arsène Wenger’s pre-match interview with Arsenal Player when he was asked just how much he enjoys the kind of defining week in the season that his side now faces.

After all, the prospect of an FA Cup quarter-final against Watford, a Champions League clash in Barcelona followed by a tough trip to Everton would appear daunting to most. But for a born competitor like the Arsenal manager, it simply represents an opportunity.

“There’s a lot of pressure and I enjoy it, because I believe real pressure is to play games without any importance – that’s boring,” the manager said. “I believe it’s a privilege for our club to be in position like this.

“You work very hard the whole year to be in these positions when March comes. It’s now down to us to be up to it and take it in a positive way and make sure we come out very happy after each game.”

Considering the week ahead, the Gunners’ first win in four games at Hull City on Tuesday night could scarcely have been better timed. Four unanswered goals, with two each for Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott, was the perfect aperitif ahead of the main event.

Team news

Arsenal: Cech, Koscielny (both calf), Wilshere (ankle), Rosicky (thigh), Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee), Cazorla (Achilles), Ramsey (thigh)

Watford: Britos-Cabrera (hamstring), Cathcart (calf), Jurado Marin (calf), Ekstrand (hamstring)

“What pleased me most was our movement, our mobility, our technical quality, our patience as well, and our discipline offensively and defensively,” Wenger said.

“It was quite convincing and we showed the needed patience to beat a team like that. There were some individual satisfactions as well from players that we know less that slowly emerge and show that they have top quality.

“We go into a very important week now that means a lot to us. We go into the third consecutive year in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and that has a big meaning. We then have Barcelona, where we have not given up. Then we go to Everton on Saturday and we still believe we have a strong chance to fight for the Premier League.

ONE TO WATCH

When Wenger talks of those players who are “slowly emerging to show they have top quality”, it is clear that Alex Iwobi is at the forefront of his mind.

The Nigeria international has been one of the positive surprises of the season, breaking into the first team and impressing with his fluid attacking, range of passing and confidence in his own ability.

Iwobi impressed at the KC Stadium in midweek, and is likely to get his chance again as the Gunners resume their defence of the FA Cup against Watford.

Alex Iwobi

Wenger admits he has been taken aback by the 19-year-old’s impact, but says that despite being a quiet character, he has all the attributes to thrive in the first team.

“A modern, top, top player is a guy who has a good combination of humility and ambition – humility off the pitch and ambition on it,” the manager said. “That makes real champions.

“Alex is a guy who provokes in his game and provokes mistakes from the opponents with the vertical way he plays.

“That can be expressed on the flanks or through the middle. In fact when he was a youth-team player, he only played on the flanks and I put him in the centre because I liked the way he read the game and the speed of his understanding of the game.

“That is why I would put him in the middle, but he can express his talent in every single offensive position.”

THE OPPOSITION

While Leicester City’s exploits at the top of the table may be the story of the season, the ease with which Watford look like avoiding relegation demands respect.

Opta Facts

Arsenal have won four of their FA Cup meetings with Watford (L1), including their last clash in the third round, en route to winning the trophy in 2002

The Gunners are unbeaten in their last 21 all-Premier League home FA Cup ties (W15 D6).

Their last such defeat came against Leeds in 1997 Watford have won all three of their FA Cup games this season by a 1-0 scoreline

Quique Flores Sanchez’s side have had some fine results this term and their place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup underlines their progress.

Odion Igahlo and Troy Deeney have proved to be one of the most effective striking partnerships in the Premier League, and their 24 goals between them in all competitions is 85% of the Hornets collective total.

Wenger is well aware of the threat the pair pose to his team’s ambitions on Sunday, and believes keeping them quiet will be vital.

“Deeney is a good link player and Ighalo is a good finisher,” Wenger said. “They have a good understanding. Ighalo moves very well when Deeney has the ball, and Deeney is a very physical player.

“He can upset defenders and create space for Ighalo. I think they are basically two characters who fit well together, and you could see that they enjoy to play together.”

Don’t miss the digital match programme for Arsenal v Hull City, on sale now for just 79p and packed with exclusive interviews and interactive features.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Arsenal App users – click here to watch our archive video

Watford (a) – Highlights

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11 Mar 2016

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Quarter-final goals: Pick your favourite

Friday, March 11th, 2016

Arsenal’s best… quarter-final goals

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Arsenal host Watford in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday afternoon.

We’ve looked through the archives and picked out a selection of our favourite goals from this round of the competition.

Check them out and vote for your favourite below.

Arsenal App users, click here to watch the video

11 Mar 2016

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Boss – Elneny has proved he is ready

Friday, March 11th, 2016

‘We are fully focused on Watford’

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Arsène Wenger says Mohamed Elneny has proved he is ready to start for Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Watford.

The Egypt midfielder has been a competition regular since joining from Basel in January, completing the full 90 minutes of the Gunners’ wins over Burnley and Hull City.

Elneny also impressed in the Premier League at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, and Wenger says the 23-year-old’s form gives Arsenal a chance to rotate in midfield ahead of another busy week.

I consider every formula that is possible to give us a balance. At the moment I think Elneny in central midfield can cope

Arsène Wenger

“He looks like he is ready to play,” the manager said. “I consider every formula that is possible to give us a balance. At the moment I think Elneny in central midfield can cope.

“We have Flamini, we have Coquelin who can cope as well. They have shown [that] already. The formula can change as well if needed but that depends on the games. Every game will be different now.

“In our job, you want to perform in the next game and the next game is an important one because we have fought hard to get there and that is our purpose. After that we deal with the next one.

“If you have a good run, you sometimes absorb them without any problems. If you have a bad result, of course there is no time to digest sometimes and to get the belief back in the squad. We want to do that and what is very important is to be in there and have a chance to show how good you are.“

Mohamed Elneny in action at Hull City

Max Jones 11 Mar 2016

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Wenger – Why Watford are so dangerous

Friday, March 11th, 2016

‘We are fully focused on Watford’

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By Lloyd Webb

Arsène Wenger says his side face a tough test against Watford on Sunday due to their opponents’ athleticism and strength.

The Gunners host the Hornets in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Emirates Stadium, having already beaten them 3-0 in October.

Watford have done extremely well. It looks like the Championship teams that come up now deal very well with the Premier League regime

Arsène Wenger

Watford forwards Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney have scored 24 goals between them this season, and Wenger says his defenders will need to be at their best to contain them.

“They have two strikers who are very efficient in Ighalo and Deeney and we worked very hard to control the game [last time we played them],” he said.

“They have a very good understanding between their strikers and the quality between our two centre backs will be vital on Sunday.

“Watford have done extremely well. It looks like the Championship teams that come up now deal very well with the Premier League regime.

“The difficulty [for us] is that Watford have a team who are very solid defensively. They are also a team who are athletically very strong and the basis of their game is on efficiency and waiting for the right moment to be very dangerous.”

Giroud

11 Mar 2016

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Wenger on tickets, stability, Benitez

Friday, March 11th, 2016

Read extra quotes from Arsène Wenger’s press conference ahead of Sunday’s game against Watford:

on fans…
You want the fans to be behind the club and the team. We have millions of fans all over the world and we want them to be behind the team. If you are a supporter, you love the club, you love the team and you want them to do well. You’re disappointed when the team doesn’t do well but it doesn’t stop you from supporting the team.

on away tickets (Click to find tickets) being capped…
Yes [I welcome it] of course. I don’t have a problem with it. I’m happy with it.

on Arsenal giving an extra discount to fans…
I like that. It will keep them happy. Do you want some people to be unhappy? Nobody wants that. You want everybody, the whole world, to be happy. There was a famous writer who said that happiness only makes noise when it leaves you. We want to keep our fans happy and be conscious that they are happy.

on Rafa Benitez…
It’s a sad sign for Steve McClaren who I personally rate highly as well. Of course Benitez is a top-class manager.

on having the top managers in the Premier League…
I would like us to organise a game and see who does well. We have slowly gained – and I don’t speak about myself – all the top-class managers in England. I’ve been here a long time and slowly they have all come here and will enjoy life here. It will be very interesting next season but let’s take care of this season first. It’s not over so let’s start the next game in a strong way.

on Newcastle having 14 managers in Wenger’s time at Arsenal…
Yes [it astounds me]. For me the technical stability is very important for the results, for the long-term consistency and the values carried through the club. Values are an important part of football and everyone forgets that. The style of play and the way we want to behave is important and somewhere you need consistency on that front.

on if stability and continuity are vital for success…
No, because if you have enough money, you can buy your mistakes and make them right. If you manage your club with what you spend, what comes in, you have to minimise your mistakes. If you have a huge amount of money, you can afford more.

11 Mar 2016

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