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Wenger slams Ballack for comments
Source: Agencies |
February 10, 2010, Wednesday
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ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger hit back at Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack yesterday for criticizing his team's performance in Sunday's 0-2 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Ballack said that the Arsenal manager always seemed to find excuses whenever his team lost and accused the Gunners of just playing "nice passes" and a predictable style rather than going directly for goal.
"He always says this when he loses," the German star said. "He always finds an excuse. But football is not possession or nice passes. Good football is winning games and that's what we do when we play them."
Wenger, whose team has not won a major title since the 2005 FA Cup, responded at his news conference ahead of today's game against Liverpool.
"I have to live with all the conclusions that Chelsea are a much better side, but I believe what I believe," Wenger said.
He pointed out that his team was one of the highest scorers in the Premier League this season with 60 goals in 25 games. Only Manchester United with 61 has more.
"There is only one way to play football - that is to win games and be efficient. The best way to win the games is the way which is most adapted to the qualities of your players and the philosophy of your club. That is what we try to be faithful to," he said. "You have to accept that when you lose games, the way you play is always questioned. What becomes a fantastic quality when you win, becomes a fantastic mistake when you lose. It is like that. We still have to believe in the way we do things, in the way we play and to show that strength."
Wenger said he praised Chelsea for its victory in a game where his team had far more possession but rarely troubled Chelsea goalkeeper.
"As for (Ballack's comments), I am long enough in England to know that the team who wins can say what they want. They are right," he said.
"It is my job to take a distance from that and analyze the game in a calm way with a cool head and to analyze what is right."
Arsenal went top of the Premier League three weeks ago but has since collected only one point from its three games against Aston Villa (0-0), Manchester United (3-1 defeat) and Chelsea.
With Chelsea playing at Everton and United at Aston Villa today, Arsenal could fall 12 points behind with 12 games remaining with a loss at home to Liverpool.
That result would also leave Liverpool two points behind Wenger's third-place team.
Chelsea captain John Terry injured a thigh in Arsenal's game but hopes to be fit to face ninth-place Toffies at Goodison Park.
Everton's defeat to Liverpool was its first defeat in 10 league games since a 0-2 home loss to its Merseyside neighbor on November 29. Saturday's game was a bruising confrontation and both managers hope they can send out the strongest available lineups for today's matches.
In today's other games, Hull hopes to continue its revival with a victory at Blackburn, having drawn with Chelsea and beaten Manchester City to climb out of the relegation zone and up to 14th. West Ham slipped back into relegation trouble after a 1-2 loss at Burnley and now hosts eighth-place Birmingham. Wolves, which slipped to next-to-last, hosts fifth-place Tottenham.
Ballack said that the Arsenal manager always seemed to find excuses whenever his team lost and accused the Gunners of just playing "nice passes" and a predictable style rather than going directly for goal.
"He always says this when he loses," the German star said. "He always finds an excuse. But football is not possession or nice passes. Good football is winning games and that's what we do when we play them."
Wenger, whose team has not won a major title since the 2005 FA Cup, responded at his news conference ahead of today's game against Liverpool.
"I have to live with all the conclusions that Chelsea are a much better side, but I believe what I believe," Wenger said.
He pointed out that his team was one of the highest scorers in the Premier League this season with 60 goals in 25 games. Only Manchester United with 61 has more.
"There is only one way to play football - that is to win games and be efficient. The best way to win the games is the way which is most adapted to the qualities of your players and the philosophy of your club. That is what we try to be faithful to," he said. "You have to accept that when you lose games, the way you play is always questioned. What becomes a fantastic quality when you win, becomes a fantastic mistake when you lose. It is like that. We still have to believe in the way we do things, in the way we play and to show that strength."
Wenger said he praised Chelsea for its victory in a game where his team had far more possession but rarely troubled Chelsea goalkeeper.
"As for (Ballack's comments), I am long enough in England to know that the team who wins can say what they want. They are right," he said.
"It is my job to take a distance from that and analyze the game in a calm way with a cool head and to analyze what is right."
Arsenal went top of the Premier League three weeks ago but has since collected only one point from its three games against Aston Villa (0-0), Manchester United (3-1 defeat) and Chelsea.
With Chelsea playing at Everton and United at Aston Villa today, Arsenal could fall 12 points behind with 12 games remaining with a loss at home to Liverpool.
That result would also leave Liverpool two points behind Wenger's third-place team.
Chelsea captain John Terry injured a thigh in Arsenal's game but hopes to be fit to face ninth-place Toffies at Goodison Park.
Everton's defeat to Liverpool was its first defeat in 10 league games since a 0-2 home loss to its Merseyside neighbor on November 29. Saturday's game was a bruising confrontation and both managers hope they can send out the strongest available lineups for today's matches.
In today's other games, Hull hopes to continue its revival with a victory at Blackburn, having drawn with Chelsea and beaten Manchester City to climb out of the relegation zone and up to 14th. West Ham slipped back into relegation trouble after a 1-2 loss at Burnley and now hosts eighth-place Birmingham. Wolves, which slipped to next-to-last, hosts fifth-place Tottenham.
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