Wenger criticises error-ridden Arsenal after Wembley defeat
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted his team been architects of their own downfall against Manchester City, after his hopes of winning a League Cup final at the third attempt ended in a 3-0 defeat.
The Gunners allowed Sergio Aguero to run onto a goal kick from Claudio Bravo and net the first, while the second, from captain Vincent Kompany, came amid characteristically hapless defending.
“When you lose games and you make mistakes you have to accept being criticised,” said Wenger, who also lost finals in 2011 and 2007.
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“It’s emotionally difficult after a final so you don’t want to go too much into criticism. When you lose 3-0 you have of course to look at defending better. I still feel sometimes for periods in the game we defend very well and suddenly we lose a bit of concentration and against quality teams we pay for it.”
Wenger insisted that Kompany’s goal, which was upheld after a review by the video assistant referee, should not have stood due to City winger Leroy Sane being in an offside position.
“We were unlucky as well because the second goal is offside,” added the Frenchman, whose only remaining chance of silverware this season is in the Europa League. “I’ve just watched the replay and it was 100 per cent offside.”
The Arsenal boss was also unhappy at the attacking output of his team, and in particular £55m January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s failure to reach a low ball across goal from Mesut Ozil before City defender Kyle Walker during the opening exchanges.
“We had the first good chance and a very easy one that we missed and after that we made a big mistake on the first goal,” Wenger said.
“We analyse always the games in a very mathematical way. We didn’t give too many chances away, but we gave easy chances away. Overall I believe as well that we didn’t create enough.”
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