Cheap, timid, dodgy! Wenger slams Gunners

EDING FOR A WIN ... Edin Dzeko pounces to tap in City's second

ARSENE WENGER was brutally honest: Arsenal were timid, gave away cheap goals and had a dodgy start.

Sums it up really.

The biggest disappointment for Gunners fans was the way they capitulated against champions Manchester City.

Laurent Koscielny was sent off after just 10 minutes and, although Wojciech Szczesny saved Edin Dzeko’s penalty, first-half strikes from James Milner and Dzeko ensured a vital three points for City.

Downbeat Wenger admitted: “It was frustrating. We had 80 minutes to play with 10 men and we knew it would be a difficult game.

“But I felt we were a bit too timid at the start and not showing enough authority in the game.

“We let them dictate the game to us in the first 10 minutes and we were punished.

“From then on it became difficult but in the second half we had a good response.

“We had chances to come back but we didn’t take them.”

But City boss Roberto Mancini hailed his team’s performance and warned Alex Ferguson that the champions are going after United.

City started the match 10 points behind and under pressure following United’s win over Liverpool.

Mancini said: “United are a really strong team.

“In this moment, they play very well but the season is long. It’s important for us to be there, close with them, and we will arrive the moment they lose points.

“We were under pressure before but with seven, eight or nine points everything can change at the moment.

“We have the derby on April 6 and we need to arrive there with five or four points behind. That would be OK.”

The tone of the match was set when Koscielny was sent off for hauling down Dzeko in the six-yard box.

But fair dues to Wenger, who refused to blame referee Mike Dean for applying the letter of the law.

He added: “I haven’t seen it again. I was surprised by the decision but I have heard that it was a penalty.

“We have to live with the decision and it does not mean that we had to lose the game. I felt we gave two cheap goals away and we were guilty.

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