Cheap, timid, dodgy! Wenger slams Gunners

KOS BOSH ... Wenger gives Koscielny both barrels

“If you keep it at 0-0 with 10 men you never know.

“What I make of the decision is not really important.

“Overall we started too timidly, with not enough authority in a game like that, and allowed them to dictate.

“We didn’t start with enough confidence or authority.

“You have to dictate your personality, especially defensively.

“It’s frustrating because the team showed great heart and desire after that.

“But we’re a bit too nervous to play in a serene way at home and that is costing us.
“It’s not anger. The players want to do well.

“It’s just the fact that we need to be a bit more confident in this kind of game.

“We want to do so well we are a bit uptight. It’s not anger, it’s frustration that we do not see from the start what this team is capable of.”

City went ahead in the 21st minute when, with Lukas Podolski ball-watching, Carlos Tevez played the ball past Kieran Gibbs and Thomas Vermaelen and Milner’s rocket shot went on off the far post.

Then Gibbs missed out to Pablo Zabaleta, Milner whipped in a ball and Tevez got ahead of the dozy Per Mertesacker. Szczesny got a hand to it but Dzeko tapped home the rebound.

Wenger added: “We lacked concentration especially for the first goal — yes.

“And for the second we had to win the challenges.

“After that the team gave a lot in the second half, you could not fault that but I feel at the moment we are a bit nervous at home and not relaxed enough.

“We lack that authority that makes you stronger, especially at the start of a game. We always start a bit dodgily and today we paid for it.”

Jack Wilshere was at the receiving end of some tough challenges but Wenger did not believe he was targeted. He said: “I hope not. I didn’t get that sense in the game.

“He has a game that provokes tackles. He’s incisive and goes forward.

“He has found a burst when he’s on the ball, and that’s very interesting.

“It would have been interesting if the match had stayed as 11 against 11.”

Before the game, Arsenal lost Mikel Arteta for three weeks with a calf strain and the Spaniard will have a scan this morning.

Wenger said: “It’s a blow. He gives us stability, experience and tactical knowledge. We will miss that.”

Last season City lost at Arsenal and Mancini rather prematurely conceded the title as his side had dropped eight points behind United with just six matches to play.

But City staged the mother of all comebacks to pip United with the last kick of the season — the famous ‘Aguerooooooo’ moment.

Mancini said: “We know that we are behind. I don’t think that we deserve to stay seven points behind United, but we are there.

“We need to play well, that is all we can do. We need to work strong if we want to have a chance at the end.”

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