Wenger: 'I liked the signs we have shown tonight'
Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle United
on another 3-0 win...
"I felt it was a little bit a repetition of the first game, maybe less sharpness physically on both sides a little bit, more jaded physically. But overall we controlled well the game. I liked the signs of maturity we have shown tonight. We knew when to control the game, too keep the ball and when to accelerate. Of course we scored three great goals. It was a little bit similar to the first game, they started very strong. We scored a goal just before half-time, and in the second half we controlled the game and scored two great goals. We could have maybe added one or two more but overall... Newcastle worked very hard and as long as it was 1-0 it was important for us not to make a defensive mistake."
on the role of Flamini...
"I feel we have a few who have improved but he is one of them. His work-rate is tremendous, his run on the first goal was great, the timings of his runs are good and his composure with the final ball is great. That was not the case in the years before. On top of that he scored a great goal tonight. We are talking [about a contract]. I'm hoping to finalise it, he wants to stay, I want him to stay, so we should find an agreement. I'm not especially concerned because I believe what he tells me."
on Adebayor scoring goals for Arsenal rather than Togo...
"Well, they cannot qualify now anymore - that is the good news! He has many assets for a striker because he is mobile, he's tall and he has quick feet, you know? So he can score with his feet, he can score in the air, he can score on crosses with headers and he's a generous type of player. He works for the team so he's a striker you dream to have."
on the title race...
"Well for us it's good to win tonight and see what they will do tomorrow, of course we always enjoy that but it's too far to go now to just consider everything a result. What's very important is for us to get ourselves in a position in April where we are head-to-head with Man United, or with Chelsea, and therefore for that we need now to be consistent and to win our games."
on a growing side...
"They can dig in, yes, and I feel we are much more mature. What I liked tonight is the signs of maturity we have shown in our game. That means 'OK, let's wait, let's be patient, let's move the ball, OK we'll get our chance and then take it', and we'll not make a mistake defensively. Before, you could see one year ago we were not capable of doing that."
