on the winning goal...
It was an unfair result but I felt we were a bit naive because it was a corner for us and a goal for them. I knew that we were in trouble and I feel we didn't take enough time to take the corner because Djourou was just going up front and he had to stay at the back on the corner. We didn't leave him enough time to come back and that's where we were caught.
I felt as well that we didn't take the corners very well but overall what is frustrating that we lost a game at the moment that we looked the winner. It is frustrating because we put a lot of effort in and we were not rewarded. On the other hand I feel that considering the youth of our midfield we have battled really well and have shown some fantastic quality.
on the performance of Oxlade-Chamberlain...
We lacked a little bit of experience to be more decisive in the final third but Chamberlain looked the whole night like he could deliver something special. He has shown already tonight that he has moved forward, considering where he was in the last two months. He has improved a lot already.
The experience tonight shows that it's good sometimes to be positive and as well patient. I was very patient with him until now and I feel that it is important sometimes that you hold them back a little bit and keep them on the training ground. He has shown that he has improved a lot.
He has surprised me by the consistency of this game. You pushed him off the ball easily two months ago but tonight you could see that his resistance in the challenges, his strength in the duels, is there. That is of course very important at the top level.
on reports of an altercation at the final whistle...
I don't know anything about that, no.
on the midfield battle...
I feel in midfield Frimpong did well, Coquelin did well, we battled very hard in there. We were mobile, strong in the fight, we did very well I must say. Sometimes we lacked a little bit of creativity in the final third, especially in the last 20 minutes when I felt there was plenty of room to give them big problems and we missed sometimes the experience in the final ball. But I cannot fault the team, they have shown heart, quality and desire. At the end of the day it is frustrating for the players that they are not rewarded.
on whether Man City were fortunate...
I felt we made it easy for them. They had a clear-cut chance and you couldn’t see them missing. They played very well but I felt we were a bit naïve because we could stop that at the start of that move. You cannot let them get on a run like that. Overall, I felt that we were naïve and you can call that bad luck. But I don’t believe in luck. I believe we had to stop the counter-attack and you know when you are on a corner, that is your job when you are a defender. You have to stop that.
on Chamakh's late chance…
He wasn’t far away from the ball. I did not react at Chamakh, it was more frustration that we did not score and come back. I felt as well that Squillaci was behind him - if someone else goes in behind him it was a tap-in at the far post.
on the difference between the squads…
Number-wise, there is a difference. If you look at the players they have out on loan like Bellamy, Adebayor, Santa Cruz - I don’t know where he is. Number-wise there is a big difference because all their players are somewhere else. But quality-wise, we have shown we can fight with them.
on missing out on a trophy...
I look at it badly but on the other hand, I feel I want to take the positives out of tonight’s game and of our run. We have a fantastic attitude and spirit and we have quality. How far can we go this season? I feel if we keep this attitude, we can have hope. You can argue that we lost the easiest trophy to win but as well if you look at the teams who are still in it, it does not look as easy to win as usual.
on whether the FA Cup is the best trophy chance...
I consider the championship the most important. More than anything else, it is important to finish in the top four.
Originally Posted by Joker
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