“I didn’t see it!” is Arsene Wenger’s catchphrase. This can’t be used as an excuse for his comments today though, as they weren’t made in the post-match interview. Wenger has conceded that we were the better side on the night but after analysing statistics, reckons things were “very level” in the penalty area.
“I watched the game twice again when I got home,” said Wenger. “We analysed it very well. If you analyse it in a neutral way, as neutral I can be anyway, then the night before Chelsea made 165 passes and Barcelona 480 but, in the game, we played it was much more level. There was very little difference in the passing. But in the final third, they were really sharp. In fairness to them, they created chances much more than we did. They were more convincing in the final third but even in the penalty area the statistics are very level. But when they went for it they were sharper.”
I’m not entirely sure where Wenger is getting his stats from, but looking at the official UEFA stats, it seems as though he’s come unstuck somewhere. Even in the penalty area the statistics are very level? Eh. What about United’s 8 shots on target to Arsenal’s 1? The fact that Arsenal’s keeper was man of the match whilst this was the only save Van der Sar had to make? The fact that Arsenal didn’t win a single corner all game? The fact that United had 14 shots whilst Arsenal had just 5? Sorry Wenger but you’re way off the mark on this one!
