Wenger finds fault with referee and team

ARSENE Wenger believes referee Jon Moss incorrectly allowed three goals in his side’s 4-0 rout at the hands of Southampton, but insisted his Arsenal team’s performance was more of a concern.

Arsenal began Saturday’s match well but simply fell apart after Southampton’s opening goal, scored with a 28m shot by Cuco Martina on his first Premier League start.

Wenger believed that the goal should not have stood, nor the second, nor the third. But he was more concerned that his players had not stood up to the physical challenge of the Saints, particularly Shane Long, who scored the second and fourth goals at St Mary’s.

“Southampton made the game very physical and we lost too many challenges and that explains why we lost,” Wenger said.

“But we were unlucky with the decisions of the referee. The first goal was offside, the second a foul and the third was a goal kick.

“I smile but what can I do about it? I must say they were sharper than us in the challenges and we have to look at what we can master.”

Per Mertesacker looked slow as Long danced or barged past him on occasions, and to a neutral it appeared that Laurent Koscielny was simply outmuscled, first by Long and then by Jose Fonte, for the second and third goals.

The upshot was that Arsenal missed the chance to move above Leicester City into first place in the Premier League.

That, in itself, was less of a concern to Wenger than his team’s below-par showing ahead of home matches against Bournemouth and Newcastle, which both look like must-wins if Arsenal are to remain serious title contenders.

“I said before the game that being one point behind or in front is not too important, it’s the quality of our performance that counts,” Wenger said.

“We have just to look at that. On the other side we should not moan too much, because we play again in 48 hours. There is only one way to respond.” He denied that his team had been unable to take the pressure of being at the top.

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman dismissed Wenger’s criticism of the referee, preferring to praise Long, who has been in the shadow of top scorer Graziano Pelle, who missed the match with a knee injury.

“If you lose 4-0 it’s not about the referee,” he said.

“It’s not my way to analyse a game. But Shane Long created big problems and was very dangerous.” — AFP